Deadline: 28-Mar-25
Main Street Community Foundation is currently accepting applications for the General Grant made available to eligible community organizations for future, planned expenditures and not to cover operating deficits or previously incurred obligations.
Focus Areas
- Preference is given to an organization if the program/project:
- Responds to changing or emerging needs of the community;
- Leverages or generates other funding or resources;
- Promotes collaboration among nonprofit organizations without duplication of efforts; and/or
- Enhances an existing program to encourage sustainability.
Ineligible Projects
- Projects not generally funded by the Foundation include, but are not limited to:
- Operating/budgets deficits
- Previously incurred obligations
- Endowments, research, political and/or lobbying activities
- Property repairs/maintenance
- Loans and memorials
- Replacement of governmental or other public funding
- Fundraising events
Eligibility Criteria
- To be eligible for funding from several field of interest and unrestricted funds, organizations must meet the following criteria:
- Grants are made for a charitable purpose and must serve the public to be a charitable expenditure. General Competitive Grants are awarded to 501(c)(3) not for profit organizations and 170(c)(1) public or governmental units.
- Either the organization or the program for which funding is requested, must provide a service to the residents of Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and/or Wolcott. Strong documentation must be provided from out-of-area agencies that they serve individuals from the six-town service area, and such requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
- A Statement of Non-Discrimination Policy must be signed.
- Repeat requests from agencies are certainly welcome. If an organization’s request for funding is approved two years in a row, the organization is asked to wait one year before submitting another request for funding.
- Follow up reports from all closed grants must have been completed and returned to Main Street Community Foundation. If they have not, the organization will not be eligible for funding.
- Grants are not available to individuals. Religiously affiliated or supported organizations may solicit grants for secular projects; however, grants for religious activities will not be entertained.
Grantmaking Criteria
- Grant requests should fall within the following program areas: Basic Needs, Access to Opportunity and Vibrant Communities.
- The Foundation is looking to support nonprofits and organizations as they work to sustain and improve the delivery of services. Both existing and new programs will be considered for funding, but less emphasis will be placed on new programs unless they serve a documented unmet need.
- A proportionate amount of salaries, overhead/operational expenses can be included in the program or project budget for which funding is being requested.
- Grants for capital expenditures and general operating support will be considered.
- All requests must include stated outcomes and criteria by which the outcomes will be evaluated.
- In general, grants are made for future, planned expenditures and not to cover operating deficits or previously incurred obligations.
- The Main Street Community Foundation, at its sole discretion, may provide outright grants, challenge grants or grants which require matching funds.
For more information, visit Main Street Community Foundation.