Deadline: 02-Oct-20
The Community Foundation of Mendocino County is pleased to announce the launch of a revamped Community Enrichment and Safety Net Grant Program for 2020-2021. Since the shelter-in-place order was issued in March, the Community Foundation has focused on developing a multi-sector COVID-19 Relief Program to support individuals, non-profits, and small businesses in Mendocino County impacted by the pandemic.
The Community Enrichment Grant program supports community-based projects that are consistent with the Community Foundation’s vision. These include projects that protect and advance the unique sense of place and natural environment found in the county, as well as projects that increase opportunities for people of all ages to lead healthy lives and to work, learn, create, contribute, and prosper.
This grant program is made possible through the generosity of private donors; the Community Endowment Fund; the Poverty Program Fund; the Mendocino County Endowment for Community Health and the Jim Levine Youth Endowment Fund (established by the Board of Supervisors with Tobacco Settlement funds); and The Fund for Round Valley.
Funding Information
- Community Enrichment projects: Up to $100,000
- Safety Net projects: $100,000
- Individual grant awards range from $1,000-$5,000.
Priorities
Proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria:
- the degree of potential benefit to the general public or a broad sub-population (e.g., youth, elderly);
- the ability to innovatively respond to community needs without duplicating other efforts;
- the energy and organizational capacity of the organization to achieve the program’s/project’s expected results and to obtain continued funding to have a sustainable, long-term influence in the community;
- the level of additional funds, resources, and volunteer support associated with the program/project and needed for timely completion; and
- The impact of the funding request on the success of the project.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicant organizations must:
- Serve residents of Mendocino County. Applicants not headquartered in Mendocino County must ensure that all grant dollars requested are spent within the County;
- be legally chartered in California and in possession of determination letter from the IRS declaring the organization a public charity that is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3); or be a school district, tribe, or special district (e.g. community services, recreation, fire protection); or have an aligned mission with a fiscal sponsor;
- two full fiscal years of operational history;
- be governed by a volunteer board of directors that is representative of the community and comprised of at least three unrelated members with diverse areas of expertise, unless formed by election or appointment;
- conduct business without discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, or religious affiliation;
- have submitted required final reports for all prior Community Enrichment grants from the Community Foundation;
- Not have an active Community Enrichment Grant. An exception will be made if an applicant is applying to the Safety Net component of the grant program this year. An exception may also be made in small school districts, tribes, and special districts, as well as for organizations that serve as the umbrella for multiple programs and acquiring separate 501(c) (3) status for each program would be impractical. These organizations may submit one application each year as long as it is not for the same program/school.
For more information, visit https://www.communityfound.org/grants-scholarships/community-enrichment-grants/