Erie County Community Foundation’s Community Grant Program

Deadline: 01-Aug-21

The Erie County Community Foundation is inviting applications for its Community Grant Program.

• Removing barriers to transportation.
• Providing job training or skill development programs that specifically address Erie County’s workforce gaps.
• Creating new opportunities for employment.
• Improving access to high-quality childcare.
• Broadening access to mental health and substance abuse treatment.
• Creating a community without stigma for those seeking mental health and substance abuse treatment.
• Providing creative educational and experiential opportunities for children that will help meet current academic standards, encourage strong physical and mental health, and/or offer means of artistic expression.
• Ensuring the longtime health of and broad public accessibility to Lake Erie and the waterways.
• Providing access to healthy, high-nutritive food for all.
• Services that provide support to senior citizens and their caregivers.
• Making neighborhoods safe, walkable, and attractive.
• Addressing poverty through hunger and homelessness relief, case management, and educational forums.

• Barriers to meaningful employment are removed;
• All may seek treatment for their physical and mental health or addictions without stigma;
• All, but especially children, have access to healthy recreational activities;
• All, but especially children, may express or find themselves through and in the arts;
• A healthy nonprofit community that embraces collaboration and creativity to address local needs.

• Grant request should be limited to $10,000 or under.
• Capital requests of over $5,000 should be discussed with Foundation staff prior to application submittal.

• Organizations must be determined to be tax exempt by the IRS under section 501(c)3.
• Churches, schools, governmental or other entities covered by a group exemption are eligible for funding but must provide a copy of the group exemption letter and documentation of the organization’s inclusion within the group.
• Generally, grants are not made for advertising or sponsorships; annual campaigns; debt reduction; medical or other research organizations; political purposes or lobbying activities; sectarian religious purposes; tickets or advertising for fundraising events.
• Grants for the benefit of an individual are made only through Field of Interest Funds for education and health-related needs. Grants are made only to organizations determined to be tax exempt by the IRS under Section 501(c)3, and also including churches, schools, universities, governmental or other entities covered by a group or exemption. Direct payment of a grant to an individual is prohibited; grants will be paid to the sponsoring non-profit organization on behalf of the individual.

For more information, visit https://www.eriefoundation.org/community-grants