An Overview of the Grantmaking Process

Mission Statement

Our mission is to improve the quality of life for all people in Emmet County, by:

· Helping donors do good work in the community

· Building permanent community endowment

· Addressing a broad range of community needs through grantmaking

· Serving as a community leader and resource for philanthropy

We accept resources from donors and then use a portion of the income earned from the investment of these gifts to help foster positive change in our Emmet County community. By doing this, our donors’ contributions meet our community needs, now and in the future - For good. For ever.^sm

Grant applications are reviewed twice a year, in April and October. When the Community Foundation receives your grant application it is first reviewed by the staff and forwarded to the appropriate committee. Once the committee, with the help of the Community Foundation staff, has collected all the necessary information, they will make their recommendation to the Board of Trustees at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. This process takes approximately two months. You will be notified of the Board’s decision by the Community Foundation staff as soon as possible.

If you are awarded a grant you will receive a letter that states the conditions of the grant. You will also be asked to notify the Community Foundation when you are ready to receive your funds. The Community Foundation prefers to award the grant in person once the recipient is ready to expend the funds. The term of a grant award is generally for one year. If grant funds are not used within the grant period, the grant is considered cancelled and no longer available to the recipient.

Please call the Foundation to discuss your proposal before submitting an application. This is an important first step that will avoid unnecessary work on the part of the applicant. Once it has been determined that the proposal meets the grantmaking guidelines of the Community Foundation, you will be asked to submit an application, which will be sent to you at that time. It is also a good idea to call to confirm the grant deadline. Current deadlines are in early April and early October, but are subject to change.

The grantmaking of the Community Foundation covers a wide variety of needs throughout Emmet County. These include, but are not limited to: Arts and Culture, Education, Environment, Community Development, Health, and Human Services. We encourage proposals for projects which:

· Enhance cooperation and collaboration among organizations, thereby eliminating duplication of services.

· Address emerging needs in an innovative way or try new approaches to address existing needs.

· Receive additional funding from a broad base of supporters.

· Yield substantial community benefits and serve a broad segment of the community.

· Focus on the prevention of problems rather than the cure.

GRANT APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Please call the Community Foundation first to discuss your proposal. Once it has been determined that the proposal meets the grantmaking guidelines, you will be invited to submit a grant application.

Grant applicants should meet the following guidelines:

· Qualifications

Ø Tax exempt, non-profit organization under Section 501 (c)(3) of the IRS code (some exceptions apply) within Emmet County or serves a significant number of Emmet County residents.

Ø Educational institution, state agency or municipality within Emmet County or serves a significant number of Emmet County residents. Proposals should be for projects/programs that are not otherwise tax supported.

· The applicant must not discriminate in hiring of staff or the provision of services based on race, religion, sex, age, national origin or disability.

· Only one grant application per applicant will be accepted per grant cycle. With a limited amount of grant dollars to address a broad range of needs within the community, the Community Foundation feels it is in the best interest of everyone if the applicant chooses the project/program with the highest priority. This will not guarantee funding, but it will help focus the decisions on the areas of greatest need.

· Applicants are requested to make us aware of any potential conflict of interest by staff or governing body.

· The current objectives of the Board of Trustees do not allow grants for the following purposes:

· Debt reduction

· Individuals, other than scholarships

· Sectarian purposes

· Endowments

Grant Funds Available Outside The Regular Cycles:

Sturgeon River Pottery Fund For Education In The Visual Arts: This fund is to provide annual support to school art programs (K-12) located in Emmet County. Grant applications for this fund are mailed to eligible schools in early January. Completed grant applications are due back to the Community Foundation office by March 1. Grants will be in the $50 to $250 range.

Scholarships: The Community Foundation has many different scholarship funds to benefit Emmet County students. Most of the applications have a deadline in April of each year. Please contact your school counselor to receive information regarding scholarships.

Proposals To The Following Funds Are Accepted At Any Time:

Building Materials Fund: This fund is for charitable housing or building projects. The typical range for a Building Materials grant is $200 to $3,000.

Elder's Project Fund: This fund was established to enrich the life of elders. Grant applications to this fund should be for innovative programs/projects that are intergenerational, focus on education, promote the collection of retrospective personal histories, or offer opportunities for older residents to share their expertise with the broader community.

Gijigowi Fund: This fund is for the preservation of Odawa Indian culture, traditions, spirituality, and language.

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