“2007 Special Initiative Grants
The Montgomery County Foundation is pleased to announce the Special Initiative
Grant Focus for the 2007 fall Distribution. There are two opportunities for
Non-Profit, 501(c)(3) agencies to apply for these grants as described in the
following text.
Please read the information below with care and in its entirety. Please call
the office with questions at 610-313-9836 or e-mail questions to execoffice@mcfoundationinc.org.
Do Not Fax Letters of Intent. Original Signatures of the Executive Director
and the Board President are required. Letters of Intent should be mailed to
our office at: The Montgomery County Foundation, Inc., 2 West Lafayette Street,
Suite 120, Norristown, Pa. 19401
Letters of Intent must be limited to 3 pages.
In an effort to address the Foundation’s mission and to achieve maximum
impact for its donors’ dollars, the Foundation has refined its grantmaking
policies. The Foundation itself has collaborated with public, private and governmental
funding sources to support two research projects that will assist in establishing
future funding priorities.
The Foundation will review the needs of the community each year and establish
giving priorities. These priorities will support the Foundation’s mission
in the context of the current economic, social and cultural conditions. The
current climate of needs in the non-profit communities will also be reviewed.
The Foundation believes that the focus of strengthening agencies is a continuing
priority and will focus its Special Initiative Grants on Technical Assistance/Capacity
Building again this year.
FOCUS I: Technical Assistance
As the Foundation continues to seek to make a strategic impact in the non-profit
sector, these grants will be directed toward building the capacity of organizations,
which will, in turn, strengthen the communities they serve.
- These grants will assist in projects that will either strengthen internal
management systems through new information technology, budget and accounting
systems, and/or organization assessment, and/or,
- It is intended that these grants will assist in improving internal structure
through reorganization, merger, and/or developing/planning for a giving program
that will focus on establishing a reserve fund for operations.
- It is intended that these grants will enhance organizational stability
and make a measurable impact on the ability to provide services.
The Grantmaking Committee of the Foundation will review the Letters of Intent,
which will be due on September 21, 2007. Letters of Intent will be
accepted until 4:00 p.m. on September 21st. Letters received after
4:00 p.m. will not be accepted. Once the Grantmaking Committee reviews the
letters, approximately 10 organizations will be chosen to submit full
proposals which will be due on November 5, 2007 by 4:00 p.m. The Full
Proposals will be reviewed and two agencies will be chosen for a $10,000 award
each. Agencies receiving the grants will be notified by December 31, 2007.
The funds will be distributed on February 7, 2008 at the Annual Awards Event. IF
YOUR AGENCY RECEIVED A SPECIAL INITIATIVE GRANT IN FEBRUARY OF 2007, YOU MAY
NOT APPLY FOR THIS GRANT (PLEASE SEE FOCUS 2 FOR YOUR OPPORTUNITY).
Focus 2: Technical Assistance Grant Continuation
The agencies that received the Special Initiative Grant in February of 2007
will be offered the opportunity to apply by Letter of Intent for a continuation
of their projects. Two grants of between $5,000 and $7,000 dollars each will
be given. The Letters of intent should address the same issues listed below
and they should also include a convincing case as to why their project should
be continued with the additional dollars and they must address the outcomes
of the original proposal so far as they have been accomplished. ONLY
THOSE AGENCIES THAT RECEIVED THE SPECIAL INITIATIVE GRANT IN FEBRUARY OF 2007
MAY APPLY FOR FOCUS 2.
The due date for the Letters of Intent is September 21, 2007 no later
than 4:00 p.m.
Both Focus 1 & 2 should address the following items:
- It is expected that applicants will give careful consideration to the organizational
needs and the possibility of achieving successful implementation of the grant.
These grants may be used as matching funds for grants from other sources
that are designated as capacity building grants.
- Type of agency
- Target population including ages of person served
- Number of unduplicated persons served.
- Description of the Technical Assistance/Capacity Building needed. Explain
how the grant will be used to build the organization’s capacity to
strengthen its organizational effectiveness and organizational stability.
- Detail your organization’s experience with Capacity Building/Technical
Assistance grants.
- What other funding sources are or will be funders of the project?
- Discuss the measurable impact on the organizational stability, effectiveness,
and the ability to provide services.
- Focus 2 applicants must address the accomplishment of the outcomes of the
grant received in February of 2007.
- Other pertinent information.