Madison Community Foundation’s Community Impact grants advance initiatives that have a long-term impact on the community and the lives of people living here.
Donor Name: Madison Community Foundation
State: Wisconsin
County: Dane County (WI)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/03/2024
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
MCF’s grantmaking supports opportunities to strengthen innovative or high-performing nonprofits, and invest in the initiatives and natural and cultural assets that create a thriving community. Community Impact grants will be used to provide grants in five focus areas that improve the quality of life for residents in greater Madison.
- Arts & Culture: Grants build and support Dane County’s vibrant arts scene.
- Community Development: Grants enhance the quality of life by strengthening the unique natural and cultural assets found in Dane County, investing in neighborhoods, enhancing equity and building bonds among residents.
- Environment: Grants preserve natural spaces by supporting conservation, restoration, education and policy-making.
- Learning: Grants support public K-12 academic achievement and learning, out-of-school-time programs, GED-equivalent and transition-to-adult programs.
- Organizational Capacity Building: Grants strengthen the infrastructure and long-term impact of Dane County nonprofits.
Grant Categories
These grants fall into three broad categories:
- Program Grants support new programs or the expansion of existing programs that have a track record of success.
- Capital Grants support the construction, purchase and renovation of facilities, land acquisition, and occasionally the purchase of vehicles or equipment.
- Endowment Challenge Grants build capacity and sustainability by helping nonprofits leverage additional funds and incorporate endowment fundraising as a regular part of their ongoing development program. Typically, endowment challenge grants are two-to-one matches but may vary by the size of the grant awarded. mmunity and the lives of people living here.
Grantmaking Criteria
- Long-term impact on residents or physical environments in Dane County.
- Meaningful, reasonable and measurable outcomes.
- Innovative approaches to address community issues.
- Strengthen and enhance community assets.
- Build self-sufficiency of individuals or organizations.
- Attract additional funding.
- Use partnerships or collaborations.
- Sustainable beyond the scope of the grant.
Eligibility Criteria
Organizations must meet the following criteria:
- Public charities, exempt from federal income taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or governmental bodies, including schools and municipalities, as long as the project is above and beyond regular budgeted items and does not fill budget gaps.
- Organizations must be located, and projects must take place, within the borders of Dane County. The one exception is endowment challenge grants, for which there is no geographic limitation. But the resultant endowment fund must reside at MCF.
- Conduct business without discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or arrest or conviction record, or any other discriminatory basis prohibited by applicable local, state and federal law (“Anti-Discrimination Status”).
- Repeat grant applicants who are in good standing with MCF and propose a new project that fits within the focus areas are welcome to submit subsequent proposals. However, when having to choose between projects, an applicant that has not been funded regularly may have an edge over one that has.
- Local communities with community or education foundations that are unaffiliated with the Madison Community Foundation must submit a letter of support from the local foundation as part of the application process.
For more information, visit MCF.
