The Montgomery County Foundation

“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.