Deadline: 15-Jan-2025
The NiSource Charitable Foundation Fund for Merrimack Valley invites nonprofits to apply for grants in support of the core areas of Basic Needs & Hardship Assistance, Economic & Workforce Development, Safety, STEM and Energy Education and Environmental Stewardship.
Focus Areas
- Grant requests may focus on general operating support, existing programs that address continued need, or new programs or collaborative efforts in the following areas and sub-categories below. Applicants may also apply for multi-year funding of up to three years. Core areas are:
- Basic Needs & Hardship Assistance: Food, Shelter, Social Determinants of Health Service and Mental Health
- Economic & Workforce Development: Retention and Attraction of Job Opportunities; Energy Infrastructure; Community Vitality
- Environmental Stewardship: Protection and Restoration of Natural Resources, Energy Conservation and Environmental Education
- Safety: Emergency Assistance & Disaster Preparedness, First Aid, Safety Education & Energy Safety
- STEM and Energy Education: Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Energy Education
Funding Information
- Each application is eligible to apply for a grant between $25,000-200,000.
- These grants may be spread over three years.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applications are welcome from:
- 501(c)(3) organizations
- Collaborations of two or more 501(c)(3) organizations
- Municipalities of City of Lawrence, Town of Andover and Town of North Andover are allowed as sub-partner or collaborator but not as lead applicant.
- Preference will be given to applications/nonprofit organizations based in Andover, Lawrence, and North Andover. However, applicants based outside of the area will be allowed on two conditions:
- If the nonprofit applicant is based outside of the three communities, they must demonstrate a successful history of working within those three communities
- If the nonprofit is based outside of the region and has yet to work within these three communities, applications will only be considered if they can demonstrate an innovative solution to an unmet need that will positively impact the people and places of the three communities in the Merrimack Valley.
- Individual programs as well as cross-sector/cross-organization collaborations are all encouraged to apply.
- Municipalities may apply as a sub-grantee as part of such a cross-sector/cross-organization collaboration.
Ineligibility Criteria
- Grants will not be awarded:
- Directly to individuals
- For sectarian or religious purposes. Note: NiSource Charitable Foundation Fund for Merrimack Valley is limited to non-sectarian programming for residents of all religious and ethnic backgrounds. Programs sponsored by religious organizations are eligible, if service is open to all and the program is free of mandatory religious instruction, worship, or other sectarian activities.
- For political purposes
- For debt or deficit reduction
- For capital campaigns such as buildings, land acquisition, vehicles or endowment
- Supporting academic research
Selection Criteria
- A Fund Advisory mmittee of local leaders from all three communities has been assembled to review applications. In addition to the funding priorities, grant reviewers also look for the following:
- Clearly defined objectives that will positively impact the people and places of the three communities
- The potential impact of the proposed work on the population served
- Quality of programming
- Management staff with considerable administrative experience
- Fiscally sound programs/organizations with balanced budgets
For more information, visit ECCF.