Deadline: 11-Aug-22
Applications are invited for Erie Community Foundation’s Helping Today Grants to improve the quality of life for all in the region by evaluating and addressing community issues, building permanent charitable endowments and promoting philanthropic and community leadership.
Vision
- Increased partnerships and collaborations to develop new and existing businesses;
- A diverse economy with expanding opportunity and family-sustaining jobs;
- An educated and well-qualified workforce;
- Children arriving at school nourished, supported and eager to learn;
- Safe neighborhoods with increasing home ownership rates, populated by healthy and engaged citizens;
- Community members connected to Erie’s natural and cultural resources;
- A strong and vibrant nonprofit sector;
- A revitalized downtown with a dense and diverse residential population, that highlights Erie as a community of choice with great opportunities to live, work and play.
Strategy
- Encourage collaborations and strong partners to address issues at scale;
- Further support the Erie Innovation District, Community College, Neighborhood Centers and the Erie Downtown Development Corporation;
- Empower and encourage the next generation;
- Narrow disparities and build a more inclusive community;
- Stimulate private investment and philanthropy;
- Share knowledge so others can succeed;
- Protect, enhance and promote Erie’s natural beauty and human diversity;
- Focus on systems change per Erie Vital Signs.
Focused
- Focused on helping nonprofits build capacity to better address issues in the community, grants may be awarded for:
- program expansion/enhancement
- planning
- public policy advocacy
- communications/marketing
- technology (Requires 50% match)
- capital, facilities or system’s needs
- vehicle purchase (Requires 50% match)
Funding Information
- The Foundation’s Helping Today grants strengthen the nonprofit sector.
- Thanks to donor support, the Foundation doubled its budget for this program from $500,000 to $1,000,000 a year.
- They have also created an endowment to sustain this level of grantmaking in perpetuity.
- Helping Today grants are generally capped at $30,000 or less and limited to one year in duration.
Eligibility Criteria
- The Erie Community Foundation awards grants to nonprofits defined as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.
- Eligible nonprofits must be located within Erie County or demonstrate service to a sizable population within Erie County.
- Generally, eligible nonprofits may receive funding once per grant cycle in a 12-month period.
- If an applicant does not have its own 501(c)(3) tax exempt status from the IRS, the nonprofit may apply for a grant using a 501(c)(3) organization as its fiscal sponsor, provided the grant furthers the sponsor’s own tax exempt purpose.
- The fiscal sponsor submits the grant and all evaluation reports to the Foundation, is legally responsible to ensure grant funds are used properly, maintains financial records pertaining to the grant and retains complete discretion and control as to the use of funds.
- A fiscal sponsor agreement must be sent to the Foundation for review before any grant application is submitted.
For more information, visit https://www.eriecommunityfoundation.org/grants
