Grant Guidelines

 

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for grant funding, organizations must hold tax-exempt status under IRS Code Section 501(c)(3), operate as a local government agency, or function as a church. If you have a project in mind and are uncertain about your eligibility for any of our funding opportunities, please reach out to our staff through the contact form at the bottom. We will gladly engage in discussions about your ideas and offer guidance in moving forward.

 

Entities and requests ineligible to apply for funding include:

• Individuals
• For-profit organizations
• Organizations outside the U.S.
• Political parties, campaigns or political candidates
• Churches, religious groups or sectarian organizations that only serve congregation members
• Deficits or debt reduction
• Reimbursement for services or projects already completed
• Organizations that discriminate against persons for reason of race, religion, disability, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation/identity, national origin or political orientation

 

Prohibited Grants

The Athens County Foundation cannot provide grants for the following purposes:

• endowments
• scholarships
• religious purposes
• political or legislative action groups
• annual fundraising drives

Grant Timeline

Typically, our grants need to be spent within one year of fund receipt. We will consider funding for programs/projects that can be completed within the 1-year timeline. If your proposals will take longer to complete, we recommend applying for the resources needed for the year and then reapplying for funding in the next cycle.

 

Key application elements

Questions vary per funding opportunity but will generally have the questions and requirements listed in this document.

Supporting Documents

Required Documents

If you are you a first time applicant or your last application to the Athens County Foundation was before 2020, you are required to submit the following: 

1. 1. Current Year’s budget *
   2. List of grant(s) including the name(s) of funder(s) and amount(s) awarded during your organization’s most recently completed fiscal year
   3. Year-End Statement of Income and Expense for your organization’s most recently completed fiscal/calendar year. (Organizations with assets greater than $2 million are exempted from submitting this document)
   4. List of key staff members and a brief description of their qualifications.
   5. List of Board of Directors. Please include names and officer titles for those holding leadership positions.
   6. Most recent Annual Report or other impact reports*

If you are a returning applicant whose last application was submitted between 2020 and the most recent grant cycle, you are only required to submit documents A & F as listed above. If there have been changes in your organization’s staff and board, please attach an updated copy for our reference.

Optional Documents

Optional documents include letter(s) of support/commitment, illustrations, impact reports, or any other documents you find necessary to include in order to support your application. While these documents are optional, they can be useful in strengthening your application.

 

Submission

All applications must be completed online using ACF’s grant portal. If you are unable to access our forms, please contact our staff (Link to bottom contact form) and we will assist you in completing your application. Alternatively, if you prefer to submit in person or via mail, please make sure you stop by or mail your application on or before the deadline.

 

Review Process

Upon receipt of your requests, our staff do a preliminary review of your proposals to ensure all required information is supplied by applicants. Our staff may reach out to you to ask for more information prior to handing your proposal for the relevant Grant review committee. A committee composed of representatives from the ACF’s board of directors, fund advisors, and/or funding partners reviews your proposal using the following criteria:

• alignment to ACF and the funding opportunity’s mission, vision, values, and priorities
• feasible and reasonable of resources
• capability to achieve anticipated impact through the proposed project.

 

Once decisions are made, you will receive a notification via email regarding the committee’s decision and any next steps.

 

Standard Grant Agreements

All grantees affirm its tax status as set forth in their determination letter, and pledge to notify the Athens County Foundation if there is a change in their status. Furthermore, all grantees must use the grant funding they receive in the specific purpose that the grant was made. Grantees must contact the Athens County Foundation if there are any funds not spent for the purpose of the grant to discuss the best way to return or reuse the fund.

 

Completion Reports

Upon the end of your project, we typically require the submission of a completion report. Please refer to your grant contracts and award letters to understand your reporting requirements. If you need an extension, please do not hesitate to inform us.All reporting forms are now available online. In case you did not receive a link to the form, please email Shayne at shayne@athensfoundation.org; please include your organization’s name and project name in your email.

 

Let’s Talk Grants!

We encourage you to set up an appointment with our Staff to discuss your proposals. We are always here to address your grant-related questions and assist you throughout the process. Our scheduling links are below.

Ready to apply?

 

---

Meet our Grants Team

	Eleni Zulia Director of Programs and Engagement eleni@athensfoundation.org (schedule a meeting)
	Shayne Lopez Manager of Operations and Special Projects shayne@athensfoundation.org (schedule a meeting)