Deadline: 31-Jan-22
The Willy Street Co-op Community Reinvestment Fund is now open to make a difference in the quality of life for the community by funding developmental and educational projects that promote food justice and/or access, creating/developing Cooperative businesses, sustainable agriculture, health and well-being, and social change.
The Community Reinvestment Fund Committee is interested in funding innovative, hands-on, educational, and entrepreneurial projects that impact a large group of people, reach out to underserved populations, create jobs or develop skills, foster social engagement, and offer opportunities for diversifying partnerships and collaboration.
Grants are awarded to 501(c)3 and/or cooperative organizations working on projects benefiting Dane County with priority given to projects benefiting the Madison and Middleton metropolitan areas, projects proposed by organizations with limited access to funding, and projects that have not been funded in previous years by the Community Reinvestment Fund.
Funding Information
The Board of Directors has allocated $35,000 total funding for Fiscal Year 2022. Grants are competitive. In Fiscal Year 2021, the committee received 21 applications totaling $66,796 and made $25,000 in total awards to 10 organizations. Over the last three years, the average award provided to each organization has been $2,303.
Eligibility Criteria
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Organizations may only submit one grant proposal per grant cycle.
- Applications MUST include a copy of the Internal Revenue Service determination letter indicating 501(c)(3) IRS status for the organization, or articles of incorporation indicating Wisconsin Chapter 185 cooperative status. There will be no exceptions or reminders regarding compliance with this grant requirement.
- 170(c)(1) government entities are NOT eligible for Community Reinvestment Fund grants. Public schools, credit unions, and other organizations that do not have proof of specifically 501(c)(3) IRS or Wis. Chapter 185 cooperative status MUST apply for the grant via a fiscal sponsor with proof of the proper status. In many cases, parent-teacher organizations have proper 501(c)(3) certifications to act as fiscal sponsor.
- A fiscal sponsor is a 501(c)3 nonprofit or Wis. Chapter 185 cooperative that is willing to partner with an organization that does not have one of these statuses for the purposes of collecting the grant award and disbursing the award to the organization completing the project.
- If using a fiscal sponsor, this application MUST include a letter from the fiscal sponsor’s Executive Director indicating their consent at the time of application.
- A State of Wisconsin Tax Exemption Certificate is NOT proof of 501(c)3 IRS status.
- Applications should be typed. Please use pages 3-4 of the application as the cover for your proposal. The proposal portion of the application may not exceed three (3) pages.
- Organizations making requests and their parent organizations (if applicable) must have a nondiscrimination policy. Any form of discrimination against any class including and not limited to those protected by local, state, or federal law is contrary to the principles and policies of Willy Street Co-op.
- Organizations and their parent organizations (if applicable) who engage with animals as part of achieving their mission must have a policy of humane animal treatment. Willy Street Co-op refrains from funding organizations that use animals for the purposes of product testing or other research.
For more information, visit Willy Street Co-op.
For more information, visit https://www.willystreet.coop/community/community-reinvestment-fund-2