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.  Some funds have specific guidelines for their field of interest.  These are outlined on an attached page.  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.  Organizations may receive a grant only once in a twelve-month period.

Application Procedures And Checklist For Grant Writers

 

How To Apply

Dates

The Grants Committee will review applications twice a year. Letters of Intent or full grant applications must be received by noon of the day of the deadline. If the deadline is not a business day, they must be received by noon on the first business day following the stated deadline. The spring 2008 grant application schedule is

Feb 12, 2008
Deadline for letters of intent

March 15, 2008
Organizations will be notified of the status of their letters of intent

April 15, 2008
Deadline for Full Grant Applications

May 30, 2008
Grant winners will be notified

Grants will be awarded before June 30, 2008.

Letter of Intent

Submit via email, if possible, the Grant Application Cover Sheet found at the end of the guidelines 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 February 12, 2008. 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 March 15, 2008 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:

• Summary statement
• Specific purpose of the funds requested
• The need for the project in the community
• A detailed budget of the program or service to be funded
• The amount requested, detailing how the money will be spent
• Qualifications of key personnel and evidence of organizational capacity to complete the proposed project
• The method and timeline for evaluating the program/project’s effectiveness
• How the grant will be recognized, and
• How or if the project would proceed with partial funding

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

• Grant Application Cover Sheet – ONLY if pertinent information has changed since letter of intent
• Annual budget
• A copy of the latest annual financial report (or IRS Form 990)
• Recent grants received and applications pending with expected notification dates
• Board of Directors and Officers with their principal occupations and contact addresses, and
• A copy of the IRS letter conferring tax exempt status.

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 at a regular meeting of the 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 be so 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 one original and two copies for a total of 3 copies of this form and your letter of intent. (Note: You may submit your letter of intent by email, in which case only one copy is needed. We suggest that you request an email receipt if you submit your letter of intent and cover sheet by email)

Print or type only. 

Organization ______________________________________________________________________

Address __________________________________________________________________________

City ______________________________  State __________   Zip ___________________

 

Contact Person ______________________________  Title __________________________

Phone Number(s) _______________________   Email ______________________________

 

Project Title __________________________________________________________________________

Amount Requested  $ _____________________  Total Project Cost $ __________________

Proposal Submission Date __________________  Project Start Date ___________________

Program Area (check one) 

___	Children		___	Education
___	Youth		___	Fight disease or infirmity
___	Families

 

Type of Funding:

___	Program Support		___	Capital		___	Other (specify):________________
							____________________________

 

Twenty-five word summary of your grant proposal:

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Date Organization Established ________________ 

Number of Full-Time Employees __________

Date Program/Project Initiated (if applicable) __________________________

 

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY:

 

Date Received _______________________________