Grant Cycles
There are new developments in grant
making for 2008!
Funding Tiers
There will be three separate
funding tiers and deadlines for discretionary grant proposals in
2008.
Tier 1 – Proposals requesting
$15,000 and more
Tier 2 – Proposals requesting
$7,500 - $14,999
Tier 3 – Proposals requesting less
than $7,500
These grants are very competitive.
Be sure to read all information and instructions carefully,
including the FAQs; contact us if you have any questions.
Introduction
An important part of The Community
Foundation of Greater Lafayette’s mission is realized though “the
use of grants to meet the ever-changing needs of the community.”
We achieve this by carrying out the wishes of our donors through
restricted dollars and by using discretionary funds to award
grants to address community needs. Some of the areas funded
include arts and humanities, health, education, housing and
homelessness, child care, substance abuse, mental health,
community beautification, and conservation -- helping you help
your community.
Nonprofit organizations are also building their own endowments
by creating organization endowment funds. We are happy to work
with you in setting up funds and with planned giving assistance.
You will find information about grant procedures and guidelines
within this section. These grants are very competitive, so be sure
to read everything. If you don’t find the information you’re
looking for, please
contact us.
We will be glad to answer any questions you may have.
Who is Eligible?
Charitable organizations that serve
Tippecanoe and the surrounding counties are eligible to apply for
grants. Most of our grants are awarded to organizations that are
located in and serve Tippecanoe County.
We generally do not fund political organizations or candidates,
government agencies or public institutions, programs that
taxpayers would normally support, or individuals (except
scholarships from scholarship funds). See our
guidelines
for more details.
How to Apply?
We have recently made changes in
our grant award process.
Even if you have applied in the past, please review all
information. Old application forms will not be
accepted.
Read our
guidelines
carefully to avoid submitting a request that cannot be considered.
Once you have read our guidelines, click
here
for an overview of our process and instructions on how to apply.
FAQs
1. What are the funding priorities
of The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette?
The Board of Directors has set the
following funding priorities:
-Education
-Children/Youth
-Health
-Diversity
-Physical Environment
-Arts & Culture
In addition, priority is given to
projects that:
- reach as many people as possible
- improve the ability of organizations to serve the
community over the long term
- serve the Greater Lafayette area
- are run by non-profit organizations
Consider “needs” vs.
“wants.”
There are additional considerations
when preparing a grant proposal. Read our
guidelines
carefully to avoid submitting a request that does not fit funding
priorities.
2. How much can we request?
We do not put an upper or lower limit on request amounts. These
grants are very competitive. When deciding on a request amount,
consider what other funding sources are available and the amount
your organization is able to fund. Click
here for a list of discretionary
grants awarded in 2005 and
here for a list of discretionary
grants awarded in 2006. Click
here
for the 2007 discretionary grant awards.
Grant seekers are encouraged to
submit proposals that include diverse financial support and that
do not rely on the community foundation for 100% of the funding.
3. We’ve already purchased the
equipment and are now looking for funding sources to pay for that
equipment. Can you help?
Unfortunately, usually not.
Our guidelines state that we generally do not fund projects
already completed. If there are special circumstances surrounding
your need, contact program staff to discuss your project to see if
an exception can be made.
4. How often can we apply?
There’s no limit to the
number of times an organization may apply. An organization
may have more than one request funded in a year. However,
the same project will not be funded more than once every two years
unless invited to resubmit.
5. How can we strengthen our
request?
Read the guidelines
carefully. Every year we receive requests we cannot consider
because they fall outside our guidelines. If you have any
questions about whether or not your request fits the guidelines,
contact us.
Write a concise narrative, beginning with a clear statement of the
project and addressing the questions asked in the instructions in
the order listed.
Consider “needs” vs.
“wants.”
Prioritize the items within your
request. If only a portion of it can be funded, what part(s) are
most urgently needed?
Consider the timing of your request. If you are asking for a grant
for a project that won’t take place for six months or a year, you
may be asked to resubmit your request closer to the time the
funding is needed.
These grants are very competitive. Examine other possible sources
of funding first, especially if you have sources that might not be
available to most nonprofits and/or would likely fill your
request. Do not rely on the
community foundation for 100% of the funding.
6. We did everything you asked and
still didn’t get funded. Why not?
Every year we receive
requests totaling far more money than we have to disburse.
Decisions about grant awards are always difficult; increased need
and reduced funding everywhere have made the process even more
competitive. We are always happy to discuss your request with you
but in many cases a request is denied simply because we don’t have
enough money to fund all worthwhile projects.
7. 2008 Proposal Deadlines:
Funding
Tiers
Applications Due
Funding Decision
Tier
1
April 1
May 31
$15,000+
Tier 2
September 2
October 31
$7,500-$14,999
Tier 3
Year-round
Usually within 4 weeks
Under $7,500
of request
