Deadline: 1-Mar-22
The Western Kansas Community Foundation is currently seeking applications for the Operating Grants.
The Western Kansas Community Foundation is the current sole trustee of the Ruth V. Gordanier and the Roy P. Mersereau trusts. Under the administration of prior trustees, the trusts made grant awards at the end of each year, and often to recurring grantees.
Under the new administration, any organization wishing to access the grant distribution must do so through the competitive application process.
Because of the nature of these trusts, organizations may apply for certain operation-type expenses that are considered ineligible in other WKCF grant applications.
Eligibility Criteria
- The Foundation restricts its support to 501(c)(3) or other exempt organizations/groups or the government equivalent (i.e. public schools, city/county/state entities, churches, etc.), who serve Kansas counties which are also served by the Western Kansas Community Foundation.
- These counties include Finney, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Haskell, Kearny, Lane, Meade, Morton, Scott, Seward, Stanton, Stevens, and Wichita County.
- The Foundation encourages grant requests that:
- Fall in line with the WKCF mission statement – “Enriching Western Kansas life through philanthropy, leadership, and collaboration.
- Will have a broad impact on the quality of life for a large number of people within the WKCF service area.
- Propose ways to address community issues and problems.
- Leverage other sources of support.
- Stimulate others to participate in addressing community issues.
- Are innovative, a new initiative, or an enhancement of an existing program.
- Are responsive to changing or emerging community needs.
- Are sustainable over time.
- Are collaborative with other organizations for a broader impact.
Funding Ineligibility
Operating grants will not consider to:
- Grants to individuals.
- Capital campaigns.
- Medical research.
- Internal studies or research (i.e. Studies conducted by the applicant organization are not eligible. Studies conducted by a third party for the applicant, such as impact studies, or a study to help form a strategic plan, are eligible to apply.)
- Membership fees.
- Ticket sales for charitable fund-raising efforts.
- Religious organizations for religious purposes.
- Capital debt reduction, including loans for construction or real estate.
- Political lobbying or legislative activities.
- Endowment establishment or enhancement.
- Umbrella funding organizations that would distribute requested funds at their discretion.
- Give-away items for prizes/incentives.
Additional Consideration
- The Foundation will accept one operating grant request per organization, per funding period.
- Organizations that are awarded an operating grant are not eligible for the next operating grant cycle unless previously awarded funds have been expended, AND, all final reporting has been completed.
- The Final Report is due after your program, or no later than one year from the original application date (i.e. a grant awarded with the March 1st cycle would have a final reporting deadline of March 1st the following year).
- Organizations may submit a Final Report for one grant in the same application period that a new grant is applied for, however, if the Final Report is not approved by the Grant Committee, the accompanying new request may not be reviewed by the Committee.
For more information, visit http://wkcf.org/operating-grant-guidelines