Grant Application Due Dates

The due date for grant applications is September 1* unless specified differently below. Application deadline dates are firm. All applications must be postmarked by a post office or hand delivered to the Berrien Community Foundation offices by 5 p.m. on the dates listed to be accepted for that cycle. No electronic versions will be accepted.

*If the above dates fall on a weekend or holiday, grants are due the last business day before these dates. In 2011, this due date will be Thursday, September 1, 2011.

Golden Acorn Classroom Mini-Grants are due Thursday, September 23, 2010.

How to Apply

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR 2011 FALL GRANT CYCLE (Building a Spirit/Arts & Culture, Nurturing Our Children, Youth Leadership & Development, Other--does not apply to the Golden Acorn Classroom Mini-Grant program):  Those organizations that received funding in each of the Fall 2008, 2009, 2010 grant cycles (i.e., using the fall grant application and funding received 3 years in a row) are not eligible to apply for the Fall 2011 cycle. The Foundation’s goal in having this restriction is to make its grant dollars available to a variety of organizations in Berrien County each year.

Organizations wishing to apply for a grant must first call the Foundation's Program Director to discuss the proposed program/project.

Anne Mc Causland, Program Director, may be reached by calling

269-983-3304, ext. 2, or emailing AnneMcCausland@BerrienCommunity.org.

If the proposed program/project meets grant guidelines and Foundation program areas, the most recent grant application form will be emailed to the organization seeking support. Organizations must submit hardcopy applications (no electronic accepted) with all required attachments as indicated in the guidelines. Potential applicants may find the review of the Recent Grants web page helpful.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR 2011 (ALL GRANT CYCLES):  For 501(c)(3) organizations, the 501(c)(3) determination letter is required with the application. This status must also be current at the time of the grant application submission for the grant application to proceed to the next step. Otherwise the application will be returned to the organization.

Additionally, the most recent Michigan Solicitation License is also required at the time of application. This license must be current at the time of grant application and valid through December 31 of that year for the fall cycle for the application to proceed to the next step. Otherwise the application will be returned to the organization.

Please see the guidelines and application for additional requirements.

Grantmaking Criteria

Trustees and volunteers of the Berrien Community Foundation review grant applications from nonprofit 501(c)(3) and other qualifying organizations serving Berrien County residents, giving preference to programs that support our mission to enhance the quality of life for Berrien County residents by:

Building a Spirit of Community/Arts & Culture

¨  Promoting access to services and information (e.g., to encourage healthful living seniors)

¨  Developing and planning for our communities

¨  Encouraging community cohesiveness via arts and cultural events

¨  Promoting various activities that encourage diversity and inclusion

 

Nurturing Our Children

¨  Parent support & education

¨  Quality childcare

¨  Positive activities for families & children

¨  Community support & involvement/mentoring

¨  Drug abuse/prevention & awareness

 

Encouraging Youth Leadership and Development through

¨  Teen sex/pregnancy prevention

¨  Positive decision-making skills, including violence and conflict resolution

¨  Substance abuse prevention/awareness

¨  Positive entertainment and recreation for youth

¨  Encouraging positive peer pressure

¨  Healthful living, including smoking prevention and cessation and access to dental care

In addition to the three primary focus areas listed in these guidelines, the Foundation will consider grant requests in many different areas such as, but not limited to:  healthful living for seniors, historic preservation, housing and homeless support, lifelong learning, and public protection.

Education

In addition to the three primary focus and other areas listed above, the Foundation also reviews Education grants. Note the due date for this grant program. 

Education—Due September 23, 2010

Golden Acorn Classroom Mini-Grants:  Any certified Pre-school-12 teacher in Berrien County schools classrooms, including classroom programs through the Berrien RESA, may submit this application, separately available through the Berrien Community Foundation (mailed to all schools in late August), for up to a $500 grant for a special classroom program/project. The one-page grant application must be submitted to the Foundation by September 23 with grants announced by the end of November. Awarded grants are made payable to the schools.

Funding Information

Because our resources are limited, the Foundation is unable to respond with grant support to all worthwhile programs/projects. While the Foundation will consider grant requests greater than $10,000, it is highly recommended that a submitted grant request not exceed this amount. An organization may submit only one application per given cycle (i.e., one for September 1) for one program per organization.

Those organizations that received funding in each of the Fall 2008, 2009, 2010 grant cycles (i.e., using the fall grant application and funding received 3 years in a row) are not eligible to apply for the Fall 2011 cycle. The Foundation’s goal in having this restriction is to make its grant dollars available to a variety of organizations in Berrien County each year.

The Foundation is very interested in providing “seed” funding for programs for established nonprofits or equivalents (e.g., units of government) that address our focus areas, with the understanding that other sources of funding will be available to sustain the programs into the future. Therefore, higher priority is given to requests that demonstrate community-based collaborative solutions likely to stay in place after Foundation funding concludes.

Very low priority is given to requests for bricks and mortar, annual fund drives, or equipment. Very low priority is also given to advertising and capital campaigns. Grants are not provided to cover operating, deficits or other previously incurred obligations. Grants are not made for sectarian religious purposes, national fundraising efforts, political organizations or campaigns. Grants are also not made to individuals, and form letters/emails are neither reviewed nor acknowledged.

Advisory committee members carefully evaluate grant applications and present recommendations to the Board of Trustees. The Foundation’s Board of Trustees determines which applications will receive funding based on these recommendations. Therefore, Foundation staff cannot assess applicants’ chances for approval. Applicants are notified in writing shortly following the Trustees’ decision.