ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS
- What counties does the Foundation’s grantmaking cover? Are Grants made outside of those counties?
Our Community Action Grants program serves ten West Virginia counties (Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Jackson, Mason, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt, and Wood) and Washington County, OH. Our grantmaking includes the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation and PACF, Inc. (PACF) and the following affiliate organizations that are contained within PACF:
o Doddridge County Community Foundation (DCCF)
o Jackson County Community Foundation (JCCF)
o Little Kanawha Area Community Foundation (LKACF)
o Mason County Community Foundation (MCCF)
o Ritchie County Community Foundation (RCCF)
Community Action Grants are not made outside of the service region.
- If I live in an Affiliate community should I complete separate forms for PACF and my Affiliate?
No. Complete just one application – the Community Action Grants Common Application Form. Once received, the Foundation will ensure that your request is reviewed by all appropriate entities, based on the location of your organization/project and on which entities have grant funds available.
- Are grant applications from individuals accepted?
No. To receive a grant, an applicant must be a private, non-profit organization tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a public institution, such as a public school or government agency. Requests from individuals are not accepted for Community Action Grants.
- Does the Foundation make multi-year grants?
The Foundation is unlikely to make multi-year grants at the present time. If you would like to apply for multi-year support, you are strongly encouraged to contact the Program and Development Officer to discuss your proposal prior to submission.
- What is the largest grant that will be considered?
Generally, $10,000. Requests for more than $10,000 may be considered for projects that are highly collaborative or have regional broad-scale impact; you must contact the Foundation’s Program and Development Officer (see Contact Us) prior to submitting a request in excess of $10,000.
- Does the Foundation focus its grant making? What types of things does it fund? Our Community’s Foundation provides grants in the following focus areas: Capital and Equipment Projects, Program Development, and Technical Assistance, Training, and Capacity Building. and Operating Support (please note that the Foundation expects to award only a limited number of operating support grants). Eligibility and review criteria are very different for the type of support requested, so please review the application guidelines carefully before applying.
For Capital and Equipment Projects, Program Development, and Technical Assistance, Training and Capacity Building Grants, priority is given to projects that:
- have significant impact on the people and communities served by the applicant organization;
- reach new audiences, expand existing programs or services, or respond to emerging needs;
- strengthen the organization’s capacity to deliver its services and meet community needs;
- are well-planned and can reasonably be achieved;
- have a matching grant opportunity or that seek a matching grant as a means of leveraging more funding for the project;
- have limited access to other sources of support;
- serve communities where PACF and its affiliates are the only community foundation in operation.
For Operating Support Grants (available from PACF only), priority is given to projects designed to:
Type 1 - Increase financial stability for organizations facing increased demand for services, unexpected reduction in sources of ongoing operating support, or a specific financial challenge for which a remediation plan has been developed.
Type 2 - Help a strong organization increase its capacity, by moving the organization forward in its life cycle (to expand services, offer new programs, reach new audiences, etc.).
For all operating support requests, the applicant must:
- Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (operating support is not available to governmental entities, schools, or entities that do not have 501(c)(3) status).
- Provide essential community services or offer programs that meet basic human needs;
- Have been in continuous operation for at least five years
- Have a proven track record;
- Have an overall sound financial history (at least prior to the present need);
- Be able to demonstrate strong management.
- Have previously received support from the Foundation
7. What does the Foundation generally NOT fund?
Generally, grants are not made for: annual campaigns; endowments; sectarian religious purposes; political purposes or lobbying activities; existing obligations, debts or liabilities; student travel or participation in meetings, seminars, or other study exchange programs.
PROCESS QUESTIONS
- If my organization has multiple projects may I apply for more than one project?
One application can cover multiple needs (e.g., a major capital project that includes a kitchen renovation may also include other capital needs) but only one application per cycle may be submitted by an organization.
- If my organization has more than one site, with each having its own board, may we submit separate applications?
Possibly. Organizations who believe they meet this criterion must contact the Foundation staff prior to submission to discuss their eligibility to submit more than one application.
- If my organization received a grant in the spring cycle may I apply for the Foundation’s fall cycle (or vice versa)?
Organizations receiving a Community Action Grant in any grant cycle from an entity that is a part of Our Community’s Foundation are not eligible for funding in the immediate next cycle from that same entity.
- If my project was denied in a previous cycle, may I apply again for the same project?
Organizations that do not receive a grant in any grant cycle may apply one more time for the same project, but they must contact the Foundation to discuss their proposal prior to resubmission. Projects that are declined twice are not eligible for resubmission.
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
- Are online applications accepted?
No. Not at the present time.
- Is the five page standard an absolute maximum?
Yes.
- How many copies of the application are required?
Only one copy of the application and all attachments are required.
- May I turn the application in late?
No. We will not accept applications postmarked after the deadline.
- May I turn the application into a Foundation office?
Please mail your application. Only the Central Office in Parkersburg can accept applications in person as our field office locations have fewer staff and it is not possible to guarantee someone will always be present to receive your application on the due date.
- To what address should my application be mailed?
All applications regardless of which entity they will ultimately be reviewed by are processed at Our Community Foundation’s Central Office and must be mailed by the postmark deadline to the Central Office:
Our Community’s Foundation,
Post Office Box 1762,
Parkersburg, WV
26102-1762
- I am close to the deadline, should I mail my application via express or other special delivery service?
No. Save your money! The deadline is a postmark deadline. You may wish to ask the post office for delivery confirmation but there is no need to go to the expense of other special services.
- Are grants considered at other times of the year?
The Foundation offers Mini-Grants and Emergency Grants that are limited in size but can be obtained outside of cycle (see the Guidelines for details).