The Wright County Charitable Foundation is seeking applications to foster and promote private giving, to strengthen volunteer and nonprofit service providers, and to improve the condition and quality of life for the citizens of Wright County on a sustainable basis.
Donor Name: Wright County Charitable Foundation
State: Iowa
County: Wright County (IA)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/01/2023
Size of the Grant: $500 -$12,000
Details:
Through the establishment of endowment or permanent funds, which are invested for long—term growth, philanthropic minded individuals can contribute funds to build an ongoing source of financial assets to meet emerging and existing needs of the County. Through the establishment of pass—through or short—term funds, which must be spent within one year, the Foundation and its donors can facilitate current fundraising campaigns and other immediate needs of the County.
Toward this objective, the Foundation will promote endowment building; facilitate community betterment projects and programs; analyze and prioritize community needs; initiate focused and meaningful grant making; encourage collaboration, cooperation, communication and partnership among nonprofit groups; and support active public, private and volunteer leadership for the benefit of the greater community in Wright County, Iowa.
Priorities
The Grantmaking Philosophy of the Wright County Charitable Foundation is to build on the community’s assets and strengths as well as to act as a catalyst to meet the County’s most pressing needs. The Foundation seeks the following outcomes in six major priority areas.
- Arts and Culture/Humanities
- All generations will be encouraged to actively participate in high quality art experiences. Artistic events will emphasize and feature local or regional artists and/or themes. Artistic events will be expanded in a focused way, will allow for diversity, and will provide unique opportunities that build the capacity of the artistic or cultural organization.
- Children and Youth
- Parents of children age 0-10 will be active partners in their children’s development and education. Parents will have the skills to build healthy relationships with their children. Children will be prepared for school. Young people in grades 6-12 will be regularly engaged in a variety of healthy physical and recreational activities during out-of- school hours. Quality childcare will be available. Youth will be encouraged to take leadership roles and Initiate actions to solve community problems. Youth-driven efforts to increase representation and influence in decision-making bodies will be supported. Youth will be encouraged to develop a lifelong commitment toward volunteer work as well as the ongoing need to support nonprofit and charitable organizations.
- Public/Society Benefit
- Citizens will be actively engaged in the development of their neighborhoods, communities, and schools. Community initiatives will focus on collective problem solving, especially by building meaningful cross-cultural and cross generational alliances. Initiatives will focus on activities to improve the quality of life for ail generations, to retain existing population and assist in job creation activities, and to help their communities attract to new residents and businesses.
- Environment/Animals
- Natural resources will be preserved and restored. Citizens will be involved in the stewardship of natural resources. Rivers will be cleared for fishing and canoeing. Trails will be extended for hiking and biking. Parks will be expanded and improved. Trees and bushes will be planted. Clean water and clean air will be promoted.
- Education
- The math, science, and reading skills of their youth will be at grade level. Community based facilities including libraries, community centers, and independent and assisted living facilities, will be gathering places for lifelong learning among all generations. Residents will be knowledgeable stewards of their health and well-being.
- Elderly and Senior Citizens
- Older adults will have services that allow them to be as independent and mobile as possible and that allow them to participate in all activities of the community. Older adults will participate in life-enhancing activities and recreation as well as lifelong learning. Seniors will be encouraged to become more active as advisors, mentors, and role models for younger generations.
Funding Information
The Foundation Board has set a maximum project application limit per grant cycle of $12,000 and a minimum of $500.
Types of Grants
- Capital Grants support the construction, purchase or renovation of new or existing facilities and occasionally the purchase of equipment needed to make the facility functional and operational including but not limited to furnishings and computer equipment. Capital grant applications are considered on the basis of how the capital project will augment the ability of the applicant organization to enhance the quality of life in Wright County.
- Program Grants support new programs that meet priority community needs or the enhancement and expansion of existing programs that have a track record of success. Programs should focus primarily or, the Grantmaking Priorities.
Grantmaking Criteria and Guidelines
- Grantmaking should address County-wide needs; have a long-term impact and benefit to as many residents as possible; enhance the future viability of the County; and have meaningful, identifiable and measurable outcomes.
- Grantmaking should address County-wide needs by meeting specific city or community needs and should avoid projects that are too narrow in scope as well as low in community impact and benefit.
- Grantmaking should preferably support capital or special projects or programs, but should avoid maintenance or operating expenses.
- To demonstrate commitment from the applicant, and maximize impact, grantmaking will require a matching fund component (a challenge) i.e., Foundation grants will be no more than matching funds and will not exceed more than 50% of a project or program; the Grantmaking Committee may occasionally, but only rarely, allow for well-defined, “in-kind” matching in lieu of actual funds.
- Grantmaking should prioritize projects that would not otherwise be funded through other private resources or charitable donations; the Foundation should avoid 4 duplicating the efforts of other private, or volunteer, or nonprofit, or charitable organizations.
- The Grantmaking Committee should consider whether the project’s success or viability is dependent upon the grant and will evaluate that if the Foundation does not make the grant, a worthy project might not happen.
- The Grantmaking Committee should consider the ability of the applicant to complete the project, if the Foundation makes a grant for less than the amount requested; the Foundation will avoid making grants where its funds are insufficient and it can only fund partial disbursement in the current fiscal year.
- The Grantmaking Committee should make grants generally for use in the current fiscal year; but the Foundation, from time to time, may make a two-year commitment to a particular project.
- The Grantmaking Committee should be sure that all potential public and government grants have been fully explored by the applicant and that the Foundation is not providing funds that are otherwise available through government grants.
- The Grantmaking Committee should encourage applicants from across the entire County and should avoid geographic concentration in any one community in any fiscal year; as a guideline only, no one community should receive more than 25% of all pass—through funds available for grants in any fiscal year.
- The Grantmaking Committee will view favorably projects proposed by coalitions or collaborations or partnerships of service providers or by several communities, where broad impact is evident; special attention will be given to projects that apply to broad segments of the population In Wright County.
- The Grantmaking Committee will evaluate the ability and past experience of the applicant’s staff to complete the project successfully and within the committed timeframe.
- The Grantmaking Committee will assess the clarity and thoroughness of the project plan as well as the measurability of the project milestones and expected outcomes.
- The Grantmaking Committee will review the plans to fund the project beyond the grant period in as much as the Foundation does not want to fund projects unless the projects are sustainable and ongoing.
- The Grantmaking Committee will evaluate the demonstrated ability of the applicant to manage and account for the expenditure of funds within a plan or budget.
Eligibility Criteria
- The Foundation can make grants to 501(c) (3) “tax-exempt” nonprofit Organizations and 170(b) “unit of government” organizations or an organization that is established for a “charitable purpose.” Grants will not be made that would jeopardize the tax exempt status of the Foundation.
- “Charitable purpose” means a purpose described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a benevolent, educational, philanthropic, humane, scientific, patriotic, social welfare or advocacy, public health, environmental conservation, civic, or other charitable objectives.
- Grants will not be made to tax supported organizations including an individual City and its infrastructure, but will provide funding to meet many other non-infrastructure community needs, which cannot be met by taxes, bond issues, or tax assessments. A City government is expected to fund its infrastructure requirements through direct taxation. For example, City infrastructure would include water, sewer, streets, etc. However, we would consider improvements and equipment for a library, park, swimming pool, and other recreational facilities, etc.
- If a nonprofit organization or volunteer group is under the City’s auspices (umbrella) to take advantage of the City’s tax—exempt status, a grant request from the volunteer group may be considered.
- The Foundation as well as the applicant will conduct business without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual preference, age, marital status, disability or national origin.
For more information, visit Wright County Charitable Foundation Grant.
