INFORMATION FOR GRANT SEEKERS
The Community Foundation is comprised of a collection of many funds established by individuals, families, private foundations, and companies to enhance the quality of life in this region. A broad array of opportunities are available to organizations seeking support for charitable efforts. Read on to find out more about the Community Foundation grant making activities and how to access the opportunities available. For a downloadable copy of How to Apply for a Competitive Grant, click here.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
The Community Foundation welcomes requests from eligible organizations that successfully complete the inquiry process. Eligible organizations include those:

• classified as charitable organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; or classified as an organization under Section 170(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code;
• located in or that provide service to residents within the seven counties of northeast Minnesota [Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis] and/or the two counties in northwest Wisconsin [Bayfield, Douglas]. Some funds have a specific geographic focus area.

COMPETITIVE GRANT MAKING FUNDS

• Unrestricted Endowment Fund
  Now called the Community Opportunity Fund. This fund is created by the pooled gifts of many donors wishing to strengthen the community by contributing to a permanent endowment from which distributions are made by the Foundation Board guided by established criteria in the areas of Arts, Community and Economic Development, Education, Environment, and Human Services.
  
  
• Field of Interest Funds
  This type of fund is created by donors with the purpose of providing support in a particular field of interest such as Arts or Education, a specific geographic location such as Two Harbors, or for a special population.
  
  
• Donor Advised Funds
  This type of fund is created with specific philanthropic goals by a donor and administered by the Foundation staff who confer with the donor prior to the making the grant award.
  
  
• Affiliate Funds
  These funds are geographically targeted endowment funds developed through living and testamentary gifts from local donors which are then held and managed by the Community Foundation. Click here for information on the specific affiliate funds.

WHAT IS SUPPORTED?
The Community Foundation supports a wide variety of activities in five interest areas: Arts, Community and Economic Development, Education, Environment, and Human Services. In setting priorities for grant making, consideration is given to regional needs, the availability of other funding sources, and level of Foundation resources. The Foundation concentrates its funding support towards new projects and organizational start-up for a limited time, however some field of interest and donor advised funds consider requests for ongoing project or organizational support, and capital and equipment support. Grant awards may not be used retroactively. Please consult with staff for specific fund guidelines.

WHAT IS NOT SUPPORTED?
The Community Foundation does not make grants to/for: individuals (aside from scholarships initiated or managed by the Community Foundation), fundraising activities, requests from re-granting organizations for its own grant making activities, tickets for benefits, telephone solicitations, endowments, religious organizations for religious activities, medical research, debt retirement, political organizations or campaigns, organizations with significant activity considered influencing of legislation.

HOW TO APPLY

• Inquiry: Potential applicants need to submit an inquiry. Foundation staff may be contacted by website submission of the funding inquiry form, by letter, or by phone. Please review the competitive grants fund list to determine which fund may be appropriate for your needs and timing, applications deadlines, and what size funding request will be considered. Click here for the competitive grant funds list. Once you have contacted us with information about your project and/or organization, staff will contact you regarding fund-specific guidelines and the application process. To complete and submit the funding inquiry form click here.
  
  
• Application: There are four main grant making cycles each year with application deadlines at the beginning of February, April, August, and October - exceptions to this schedule are listed on specific fund guidelines. Based on the outcome of the inquiry, an organization may be encouraged to submit a full proposal. In this case, please follow the application instructions provided click here. The Community Foundation accepts the Minnesota Common Grant Application Form and requires additional information and supporting documents as well.
  
  
• Review: Applications are screened for completeness, clarity, and compliance with instructions and are acknowledged shortly after the application deadline. Program staff will contact you with any follow-up requests for information once the review begins. The 2-3 month review process may include phone discussions, a meeting at the Foundation office, or a site visit. Due to the volume of requests, staff is unable to meet with all applicants. Proposals will be reviewed for the strength of the match with the fund priorities and the Foundation policies, the potential benefit to the community, and the capability of the organization to achieve the proposed results. Proposals are reviewed by staff, committees, and donor advisors. Final funding decisions rest with the President and the Board of Trustees. Organizations will be notified of the outcome once the Board has made final grant making decisions. The process is competitive as the Foundation always receives many more requests than it can possibly fill.

ONCE THE GRANT DECISIONS ARE MADE
After the Board of Trustees has made the grant decisions, Community Foundation staff will quickly send notification letters to all applicants indicating whether the application has been approved or declined. If declined, the applicant is invited to contact the program staff to engage in further discussion regarding the application. If approved, the grantee will receive a notification letter, a grant agreement form which indicates the conditions of the award, and the final project report form. The grant agreement must be signed and returned to the Community Foundation in order to receive the grant award. Some awards are made with conditions prior to the grant award or to be met in the course of the grant period. In the case of grants which have conditions required before the grant is awarded, it is the grantee’s responsibility to coordinate this action with staff. The grant period is typically considered to be a one-year period unless otherwise noted. Significant changes in the timeline of the project or the funding usage requires staff approval. If you anticipate changes, please contact staff to discuss the possibility of these changes prior to moving ahead with them. The Final Project Report Form is included with the notification mailing and is due two months following the completion of the grant period.

For more information see: