Grants Program Policy and Procedures

Community Foundation of Boone County

Grant Guidelines

The following policy and procedures apply to grants to be awarded from the Boone County Community Endowment, the unrestricted fund of the Community Foundation of Boone County.

For All Requests

All applicants should consult these general guidelines for the Community Foundation's interest areas, purpose, applicant eligibility, award size, selection criteria, grant restrictions and conditions, submission deadline, and submission and final reporting procedures.

Applications for grants of $10,000 or less should be submitted on the "Short Form" (see Award Size below to download form). Applications for more than $10,000 should follow instructions in "Content and Format" below.

For assistance contact the Community Foundation staff at 317-873-0210 or 765-482-0024; FAX: 317-873-0219; or email , Program Director.

Interest Areas

Generally, grants will be made in the following areas: Youth, Human Services, Arts, Culture, Health, Civic Affairs, Environment, Recreation, Education and the Elderly.

Purpose

The purpose of all awards is the improvement of the quality of life for the residents of Boone County, Indiana.

Eligibility

Awards will be made to nonprofit organizations exempt from federal taxation under section 501 (C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Grants may be allowed to individuals and to non-501(C)(3) organizations if there is documented charitable activity benefiting or serving the residents of Boone County, or if the Community Foundation is acting as fiscal agent for the project or program.

Award Size

Varies. Applications for grants of $10,000 or less should be submitted on the "Short Form" (PDF 140K - this application form can be filled out on-screen using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software and then printed or saved.) Applications for more than $10,000 should follow instructions in "Content and Format" below.

Selection Criteria

The Foundation will consider the following criteria in making award determinations:

The primary, secondary and tertiary impact of the award.
The number of Boone County residents who will benefit.
The innovative and creative aspects of the proposed program.
The extent of volunteer involvement and contribution toward elimination of the need or problem described in the application.
The composition of the applicant organization's governing board and evidence of the Board's commitment toward resolution of the need or problem described in the application.
The extent of the applicant organization's effort to complement the services of other community organizations, to reduce or eliminate duplication of effort within its community, and to encourage and enhance cooperation between and among organizations in its local community and throughout Boone County.
The applicant organization's fiscal stability, responsibility, history and management qualifications.
The potential for an award to be used to leverage additional funds from other funding sources for the same purposes referenced in the application.
The potential for the applicant organization to be successful in obtaining the additional funding necessary to eliminate the need defined in the application (if additional funds are required.)
For requests that will produce a permanent program or project, evidence that the applicant organization plans to, and is capable of financially sustaining the effort beyond the end of the award period is expected.

Restrictions and Conditions

Awards will be made with the understanding that the Foundation assumes no obligation or commitment to provide additional support to the applicant.
Applications will be accepted from religious organizations which address specific needs not directly related to the promotion or teaching of doctrine.
Awards will not be made to support political campaigns or attempts to influence the legislature or any other governmental body except in situations where the award is used to produce nonpartisan analyses, study results and research data.
Awards will be made without discrimination as to age, color, race, religion, sex, disability, color, veteran status or national origin, and only to eligible recipients that do not unlawfully discriminate on these same criteria.
Non-allowable expenses include support of pre-award costs (i.e., project costs generated during the preparation of a proposal for the same project); existing general fund operating expenses; regular salaries of pre-award permanent staff (unless overload compensation is justified during the life of the funded project); international travel; first-class air fare; luxury accommodations; hospitality for purposes other than those directly related to meeting program objectives as defined in the proposal; alcohol; and "indirect" or regular existing administrative costs (e.g., telephone, utilities, general maintenance, etc.) of the applicant organization.
Award funds will be available on a one-time-only basis for a twelve-month period, with the length of the award period beginning on the date of the award letter. Extensions may be requested and approved if circumstances are justified.
The availability of matching funds is not a condition of eligibility for proposal submission. However, the Foundation may determine that in some situations a match will be required as a condition of an award. Normally, required matches are to be satisfied within 12 months of the date on the award letter.
Requests for funds to support an existing program must clearly demonstrate that the need is related to a new and innovative program direction, and not simply maintenance of the status quo.
Applicants from outside Boone County, submitting requests for the benefit of Boone County residents, must submit their applications through a Boone County organization that is eligible for receiving an award. That is, the proposal must actually be submitted by the Boone County organization, which may in turn, subcontract the originally proposed activity to the organization located outside of Boone County, if appropriate. The Boone County organization will become the grantee being responsible for all performance and financial matters.

Submission Deadline

Applications may be submitted at any time.

Acknowledgment of Receipt

If acknowledgment of receipt of a mailed application is desired, each application should be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped post card. The post card will be mailed by the Foundation upon receipt of the application.

Notification of Action

Upon the Foundation's receipt of a proposal, the applicant organization will be notified of their award or denial within approximately six weeks.

Application Procedures

Each application must be signed by an authorizing official (usually the chief executive officer) of the submitting organization. The person signing the application must have authority to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the applicant organization.
The copy to which the original inked signature is affixed by the authorized official, plus 5 additional copies of the application (total of 6 copies) are to be submitted.
Applications can be either mailed to the Community Foundation of Boone County, P.O. Box 92, Zionsville, IN 46077, or hand carried to the Foundation office at 60 East Cedar Street, Zionsville.
Proposals will not be accepted electronically.

Content and Format (for Grants over $10,000)

Applications must be submitted according to the following guidelines:

Ten pages maximum, including budget and appendices.
Single-spaced with a minimum font size of 12.
Legibly typed or printed.
Appendixes should include: (1) IRS tax-exempt status documentation; (2) governing board roster; (3) applicant organization's most recent annual financial statement; and (4) other documentation considered vital to Foundation reviewers.
The first page (cover sheet) should present the following information only: (1) Name, address, telephone number and e-mail address of applicant organization; (2) total cost of the need or problem to be resolved; (3) dollar amount requested from the Community Foundation of Boone County; (4) dollar amount(s) requested, or to be requested, of other funding sources for the same need and identification of those sources; (5) dollar amount of applicant organization's contribution (if any); and (6) the signature of chief executive officer or other authorized official.
Fasten proposal together with one staple in the upper left hand corner. Do not enclose the proposal in a folder or binder.
Proposal content and format should be presented as described below

Proposal narrative should include the following topics, addressing each briefly and succinctly within the format below.

ABSTRACT OR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
One paragraph providing a clear overview of the request including its intended outcomes.
DESCRIPTION OF SUBMITTING ORGANIZATION
Brief one-half page or less statement of purpose, historic reference, administrative structure pertinent to the request, experience in administering grants and other relevant information. Include names and addresses of governing board IRS Determination letter in an appendix.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM OR NEED
Precisely define the need, problem to be solved, or the problem to be eliminated. This should be a lucid analysis leaving no doubt that a real problem or need exists. Include documentation (quantitative, if possible). Additional information may be included in an appendix.
OBJECTIVES
Present only a numbered list of final outcomes (or products) that will be the result of the expenditure of the funds requested. This should not be a description of activities that will take place during the life of the award, but a projection of what will have been produced when the requested funds have been expended.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
This should be a brief, explicit statement clearly defining the activities to be implemented with the funds requested. No question should remain as to the applicant organization's ability to eliminate the problem or need. A plan for generating additional funds should be included here if applicable.
MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT
A list of items (materials, equipment, etc.) required to conduct the program should be included here. Justification for each should be included. These items should be carefully related to, and clearly represented in the budget.
STAFF
Key responsible personnel and their qualifications should be identified.
FACILITIES
Describe the suitability and/or shortcomings of the facilities to be used.
EVALUATION
Present a brief plan for producing evidence (quantitative, if possible) that will permit the Foundation to evaluate the success of its investment. The evidence produced should be suitable for inclusion in the grantee's final report to the Foundation.
BUDGET
Double space between major divisions (e.g., renovation, equipment, consultants, etc.); single space between line items within each division. Number each budget line at left.
BUDGET EXPLANATION
Explain how you arrived at the dollar amount in each line item unless it is obvious from the budget itself. Include only the line items needing explanation, numbering each according to the numbered line in the budget. (This should not be an explanation of why the item is needed. This was to have been included in "Material/Equipment", above.) If the request involves equipment, construction, construction materials, contractor costs, etc., copies of bids, vendor estimates and other relevant information should be included here.
APPENDICES
Only include relevant information that was not requested elsewhere in the proposal, but is viewed as being essential to the Foundation's decision-making process.

NOTES

(1) If more than one grant request is submitted by the same organization, the priority of each should be clearly indicated.

(2) A final report is to be submitted to the Community Foundation on a form that requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print. This form may be located at http://communityfoundationbc.org/grant_evaluation.pdf (PDF 76K), downloaded to your computer, filled out on-screen and then printed. This report is not to be submitted until the end of the grant period.

(3) Additional information and other assistance can be obtained by contacting the staff of the Community Foundation. Voice: 317-873-0210 or 765-482-0024; FAX: 317-873-0219;

These procedures and criteria were approved by the board of directors on January 10, 2008.

Additional Information and Assistance:

The Community Foundation of Boone County

Mailing Address:
PO Box 92
Zionsville Indiana 46077

Street Address:
60 East Cedar Street
Zionsville Indiana 46077

Voice: 317-873-0210 or 765-482-0024
FAX: 317-873-0219