Apply for a Grant

Before Getting Started
Through our Discretionary Grants Program, we serve to provide funds and challenge grants for innovative, new or ongoing projects of charitable, nonprofit agencies or public charitable activities that fall within the Foundation’s identified grantmaking priorities and that meet local needs.  Please read all of the information on our Discretionary Grants Program page before beginning the process of applying for a grant.

Required Documents

Cover Sheet (see "Online Forms" below)

Narrative Addressing the Following (two to four pages):

Project Summary

Describe your project and the community need being addressed.

How is this project relative to your organization's mission?

What are the project goals and the expected impact on the community?

What population will the project serve?

Funding

What is the total cost of the project?

What amount is requested from the Foundation? If the full amount of your request for funding cannot be granted, what portion of your request do you consider to be most essential?

How will requested funds be used?

What additional funding sources are needed?

Implementation

How will the project be implemented?

What provisions exist to maintain the completed project?

Chart the timeline for implementing the project.

Evaluation

What outputs (direct results of activities) are necessary to classify the project a success (e.g. training completed, credentials awarded, skills obtained, etc.)?

What outcomes (changes caused by the project) are necessary to classify the project a success (e.g. jobs, wage increases, promotions, etc.)?

What tools will be used to evaluate the project (observation, surveys, interviews, focus groups, pre/post tests, etc.)?

Supporting Documents
The following documents are to be attached to the Cover Sheet and Narrative described above. It is important to provide ALL requested attachments and that they be labeled in the following manner:

Attachment 1: Project Budget Worksheet (see "Online Forms" below)

Attachment 2: Mission statement and nondiscrimination policy

Attachment 3: Statement of qualifications of project personnel

Attachment 4: Current board roster with professional affiliations

Attachment 5: Copy of IRS determination letter establishing 501(c)(3) and 509(a) status and fiscal sponsor agreement letter, if applicable (If your organization has applied for a grant through the Spencer County Community Foundation previously and submitted its determination letter at that time, you are not required to submit the letter during this or subsequent funding cycles.  Your letter is already on file with our organization.) 

Attachment 6: Organization's current annual operating budget

Attachment 7: Most recent financial statement (monthly, quarterly, etc.)

Attachment 8: Most recent audited financial statement or completed IRS Form 990 (if available)

Online Forms
The Cover Sheet Form and the Project Budget Worksheet Form are provided below. These forms are designed to be completed on-screen and then printed (they cannot be submitted on-line and they cannot be saved for retrieval at a later time). You must have Adobe Reader to access these files (Adobe Reader is free and can be downloaded at www.adobe.com/downloads).

Cover Sheet Form
Project Budget Worksheet Form

Deadline and Submission Instructions
The original and six copies of the Narrative and Attachments 1 through 4 and the original only of Attachments 5 through 8 must be postmarked or delivered to the Foundation office no later than 5 p.m. on the first Monday of March (March 1, 2010). Use 8½ by 11 inch paper. Attach all required documents using paperclips or binderclips only (no binders, folders, or staples).  As a reminder, if your organization has applied for funding through the Spencer County Community Foundation previously and submitted its IRS determination letter at that time, you are not required to resubmit the letter.