Deadline: 20-May-22
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has launched a call for proposals for the 2022 Central Standards Grant Program to provide matching funds to encourage and accelerate collaborations between two or more entrepreneurship support organizations working together to support Heartland entrepreneurs in the states of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas.
The Central Standards RFP, as part of the Heartland Strategy, is intended to support bringing the most effective entrepreneurship support programs and tools in the country to the Heartland, in partnership with local communities. A key component of the strategy is to encourage collaborations between organizations in the Heartland and from across the country.
This RFP will ask applicants to collaborate with a peer organization on programs designed to enhance support for entrepreneurship in the Heartland.
Goals
The Central Standards RFP will seek to fund collaborations between organizations that improve the capabilities and/or programmatic impact of Entrepreneurship Support Organizations (ESOs) already operating in the Heartland. Specifically, the Kauffman Foundation intends this funding program to accomplish the following:
- Build connections between ESOs operating in the Heartland and with ESOs based outside the region. Each application must have multiple stakeholders with at least one of the organizations serving as the Lead Applicant. At least one applicant must be based in the Heartland.
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The projects advance at least one or more of the strategic priorities of the Kauffman Foundation's Heartland Strategy:
- Inclusive Prosperity in the Heartland: Funding programs and initiatives that support all entrepreneurs of all backgrou nds in the Heartland.
- Rural Revitalization: Funding projects that enable rural ESOs and communities to provide the support necessary for rural entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses.
- Transitioning to an Entrepreneurship & Innovation-led economy: Supporting the development of vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems, build new idea economy-relevant clusters, and diversify the region's economy.
- Set clear standards for supporting entrepreneurs in the region.
- Bring great entrepreneurship support programs and tools from across the country to the Heartland.
- Expand promising programs already active in the region to support more entrepreneurs in Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas.
- Align local, regional, and national funders with the work of supporting entrepreneurship in the Heartland by providing match funding.
Funding Information
Applicants may request funding up to $450,000 to be distributed over 12 to 36 months. While award amounts for individual projects will vary, they anticipate the average grant size to be between $50,000 and $350,000.
Criteria
The Kauffman Foundation is inviting applicants who meet the following requirements:
- At least two organizations are working together on the project and at least one of the organizations must be a 501(c)(3) non-profit. (Note: all grant funds must be used for charitable purposes.)
- At least one applicant is headquartered in Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, or Kansas.
- The entrepreneurs supported by the project are based in Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and / or Kansas (applicants can serve entrepreneurs in multiple states).
- Your project would benefit from receiving matching funds from the Kauffman Foundation. The Central Standards RFP will seek to extend the impact of Heartland-focused entrepreneurship support initiatives by matching the funding of local and regional funders.
- The proposed project aligns with at least one of the listed goals of the Central Standards RFP.
- This call is open to nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions that provide services to entrepreneurs, including technical assistance, access to finance, education, and other resources. The Kauffman Foundation is seeking to fund collaborations between organizations to address challenges in the Heartland, consisting of the states of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. Collaborating organizations will apply as co-applicants and will be required to provide documentation on both organizations.
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Additionally, eligible applicants must meet all the following criteria:
- Located in the United States.
- Have a record of successfully serving underrepresented entrepreneurs and engaging them in the activities.
- Employ staff and leadership (including board members) that are reflective of the communities they serve.
For more information, visit Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
For more information, visit https://www.kauffman.org/grants/grantseekers/
