Please read the grant application carefully as we have made some revisions. The grant application requires that certain information be included.
MISSION
The Montgomery County Community Foundation (MCCF) builds bridges to support the future of Montgomery County.
ELIGIBILITY
Grant applications will be accepted from any new or existing nonprofit organization in Montgomery County. These organizations must be a tax-exempt organization whose purposes are described in Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Service Code.
Grant applications will also be accepted from the three Montgomery County school corporations.
If an organization has received funding from MCCF in the past, all post-grant reporting requirements must be current before an organization is eligible to submit a new request.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
A properly completed grant application must be received in the MCCF office by noon on the grant cycle due date. The application must provide responses to all of the questions asked and all attachments must be included in order to be considered for a grant. The foundation staff is available to provide assistance and answer questions.
GRANT POLICIES
MCCF will consider all requests fairly and impartially. Grants will ordinarily be made for one (1) year only. An organization must spend all grant funds as described in the grant proposal. All unused funds must be returned to MCCF within one (1) year unless an extension is granted by the MCCF Program Coordinator.
Following is a list of characteristics a strong proposal will have and a list of areas that are specifically excluded for funding by MCCF.
A strong proposal will have several or all of the following characteristics:
Include an estimation of the number of people in Montgomery County who will benefit from this project or program.
Show initiative and results by the organization to raise funds toward the project or program.
Include an estimation of the number of people in Montgomery County who will benefit from this project or program.
Reach a broad segment of the community.
Improve the ability of organizations to serve the community over the long term.
Address a community problem or special project of some significance for which funding is needed and the funding is not covered by the regular budget.
Present an innovative and practical approach to solve a community problem or project.
Set forth a work plan that shows an ability to achieve the project's goal.
Identify the sources of possible future funding if the project is to be an ongoing one.
Give evidence of the qualifications and stability of the organization applying.
Include projects or programs that are not normally expected to be funded by government entities.
Promote cooperation and avoid duplication effort.
A strong proposal will have several or all of the following characteristics:
Generally, MCCF will not support the following from unrestricted funds:
Grants to individuals (other than scholarships)
Programs which are religious or sectarian in nature. Proposals from religious groups will be considered when the program is open to the entire community and is not designed to teach or promote a particular religion.
Operating expenses such as salaries and utilities. Funding of programs will be considered. One-time start-up costs for new organizations will be considered with the understanding that the operating support will not be ongoing.
Parades, festivals and sporting events.
Endowment funds.
Any propaganda, political or otherwise, attempting to influence legislation or intervene in any political affairs or campaigns.
An organization's past debts or existing obligations.
Post-event or after-the-fact situations.
APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS
The Grants Committee will review all grant applications and make recommendations to the Montgomery County Community Foundation Board of Directors who will be responsible for making the final decision regarding grant awards. Grant proposals will be reviewed using the following criteria:
The appropriateness for MCCF to make this grant or are there more compatible funding sources?
The ability of MCCF to fund the project or program.
The number of people who will benefit from or be served by the project.
The geographic area served.
The extent to which the proposal addresses an innovative or practical approach to address a community need.
The extent to which the project encourages cooperation and/or collaboration between organizations.
The extent to which the project may represent a duplication of services provided by other organizations.
The extent to which the project looks to the future and/or demonstrates a lasting impact on the community.
The financial stability of the organization submitting the application and whether or not there are financial controls in place to ensure that the funds will be effectively utilized.
The extent to which the plan submitted demonstrates adequate avenues for future funding.
The extent to which the project grant, if awarded, may be leveraged for additional funding.
The ability of the organization to obtain additional funding, if necessary.
The extent to which the grantee may develop challenge or matching grant programs.
Applications are reviewed according to the following schedule:
GRANT CYCLE 2012
Deadline for applications to MCCF
Grants committee makes award recommendations
Board action on Grants Committee recommendations
May 1, 2012
Early June
June 18, 2012
*All grant applications must be received in the MCCF office by 5:00 pm on May 1, 2012.
The MCCF staff will review the grant request and contact the applicant for any additional information needed or any clarification of the project. In some cases, staff will make a site visit to the applicant. After staff review, all applications are sent to the Grants Committee. The Grants Committee will make their evaluations and forward their funding recommendations to the Board of Directors at its next regular meeting. MCCF then informs each applicant within two weeks of the Board meeting of the funding decision.
