Deadline: 10 April 2017
The Sparkplug Foundation is seeking applications for its grant program with an aim to support the development of emerging democratic movements and communities working on issues of local democracy, justice, and sustainable energy in the rebuilding of the U.S. and global economies.
The Sparkplug Foundation is a family foundation that funds start-up organizations and new projects of established organizations in music, education and community organizing.
Eligibility Criteria
- Sparkplug makes grants anywhere in the United States, and in Israel/Palestine. The foundation make grants outside the US where the capacity to verify in detail the use of funds and must receive detailed financial reporting for the work.
- Not all projects fit into a larger organization, so sometimes the foundation make grants to individuals. And sometimes it doesn’t make sense for an organization to be a 501(c)3, since that label places legal limits on the kinds of work it can do, so the foundation make grants to non-501(c)3 organizations too.
- But since the Sparkplug Foundation is bound by U.S. laws on charitable giving, the foundation generally require those grantees to have 501(c)3 fiscal sponsors, so that there is a clear line of accountability for how funds are spent. The foundation does this for two reasons: first, so that the foundation can make grants without having to monitor our grantees’ finances; second, so that work will not be burdened unduly by federal tax audits. The foundation find that this gives us the most possible freedom to fund grassroots grant applications. Of course, the project itself must fit the IRS guidelines for charitable giving. For example, the foundation does not fund for-profit businesses, election campaigns or lobbying.
- Sparkplug gives preference to projects run on small budgets, projects of smallish organizations, and projects that are less likely to receive corporate, institutional or government funding. Along the same lines, the foundation doesn’t fund university-based projects, schools or organizations with budgets larger than $1 million.
- Note: The foundation urge grant applicants in Israel/Palestine to find a US 501(c)3 sponsor.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted online via given website.
Eligible Countries: United States, Israel and Palestine.
For more information, please visit The Sparkplug Foundation.