GRANT GUIDELINES

We invite you to apply for a 2012 grant from Illinois Prairie Community Foundation. We will begin accepting Letters of Intent on January 3, 2012. Our grant guidelines are printed below.

If you have any questions regarding a grant please call us and we will be happy to help you. (309) 662-4477 or email us at info@ilprairiecf.org.


GUIDELINES FOR COMPETITIVE GRANTS

The Community Foundation's purpose is to bring donors and local needs together.  For good. For ever. The Foundation manages a variety of philanthropic funds both for unrestricted purposes and for causes in seven fields of interest.

Grantmaking Philosophy

 

Grants are made that focus in the fields of arts and culture, community development, education, environment, health and wellness, human services, and youth. Grant awards generally range from $500 to $5000. The Community Foundation seeks to support programs and projects which

  • Offer creative, innovative solutions to address existing or emerging community needs,
  • Benefit larger rather than smaller numbers of people,
  • Impact the community beyond the time of funding,
  • Facilitate cooperation and collaboration among organizations and eliminate duplication of services,
  • Address prevention, as well as treatment,
  • Foster individual and family self-sufficiency,
  • Increase volunteer involvement and commitment to community needs, enhancing and expanding leadership in the community, and
  • Improve the quality or scope of charitable works in the community.


What is Not Funded


Generally, the Community Foundation will not make grants for recurring operating expenses, endowment campaigns, annual fund raising events, fundraising expenses, conference or continuing education expenses, memberships or event tickets, political campaigns or organizations, or sectarian purposes.

Who May Apply

The Community Foundation welcomes applications from organizations that provide services in our area (McLean-Livingston-DeWitt-Logan and adjacent parts of Woodford-Tazewell-LaSalle-Piatt-Ford Counties) or to service area residents.  Applicants should have tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or be a (local) unit of local, county, state or federal government.

Application Procedures And Checklist For Grant Writers 

How To Apply

Dates

The Grants Committee will review applications once a year. Letters of Intent or full grant applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. of the day of the deadline. If the deadline is not a business day, they must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the first business day following the stated deadline. The spring 2012 grant application schedule is

Letter of Intent

Submit via email, if possible, the Grant Application Cover Sheet found at the end of the guidelines or in Forms and a one to two page letter of intent explaining the project. Letters of intent for the current grant cycle must be submitted to the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation by 5:00 p.m. on February 2, 2012. The Letter of Intent should include a description of the project, why you believe a grant will be of benefit to you and to the community, the amount of the request and how the money will be used.

 

Organizations will be notified by February 29, 2012 if a full application should be submitted.

 

Full Application

The project description must be no more than five (5) typewritten pages in a type size no smaller than pica (12 letters per inch, or font size 10 in Times New Roman, for example), unstapled, and should include:

In addition to the above application description, the following must be included:


Application Dates And Procedures

Occasionally, additional grants may be considered to meet a pressing need or address a time-sensitive issue.


What Happens Next

 

The Grant Awards Committee will meet to make a decision - always difficult - on awards to be recommended to the Board of Directors.  A denial should not be taken as a negative comment on the applicant's work, but a reflection of the funding dollars available.  The final decision on grants is made by the Community Foundation's Board of Directors.

 

Organizations whose grants are approved will receive an agreement form to be signed and returned prior to actually receiving the grant money.  Unsuccessful applicants will also be notified.  Both notifications will be made per the above schedule.

 

Reporting

Successful applicants will be expected to report on the project's progress no later than one year from the date of funding.  If the project is completed within one year, this will be a final report that includes an evaluation of the project's effectiveness.  If the project is not completed within one year, the one-year progress report will be followed by a final report, as above, due upon completion of the project.  All successful applicants will also be required to submit photos and program descriptions to aid in publicity about their program and what was made possible through the IPCF grant.

 

For further information, please call the Community Foundation at (309) 662-4477.  We look forward to working with you to enhance the quality of life in McLean, Livingston, DeWitt and Logan Counties and environs.

 

Grant Application Cover Sheet

You may download a .pdf version of the Grant Application Cover Sheet here or copy the form, below, into a Microsoft Word document and return it as an email attachment.

Please submit by email to info@ilprairiecf.org or mail to 2401 E. Washington, Suite 300B, Bloomington, IL 61704.

Print or type only. 

 
We are applying for (choose one)

 

  Illinois Prairie General Grant (for programs that focus on human services, education, health and wellness, environment, work force development, and/or land use).  

 

  Mirza Arts and Culture Grant (for programs that focus on visual and performing arts and/or arts training, education, and appreciation).  

 

Name of Program _______________________________________________________________________________________

 

Name of Organization ______________________________________________________________________

 

Project Title __________________________________________________________________________

 

Amount Requested  $ _____________________  Total Program Cost $ __________________

 

Expected Start Date __________________  Expected End Date ___________________

 

Program Area (for Illinois Prairie General Grants only--check as many as apply) 


___

 Children ___

Human Services

___

 Youth ___  

Education

___

 Families

___

 Health and Wellness

___

 Workforce Development

___

 Environment
___
 Land Use

 

 

Address __________________________________________________________________________

 

City ______________________________  State __________   Zip ___________________

 

 

Contact Person ______________________________  Title __________________________

 

Phone Number(s) _______________________   Email ______________________________

 

 

Twenty-five word summary of your grant proposal:

 

 

Date Organization Established ________________    Number of Full-Time Employees __________

 

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY:

 

Date Received _______________________________