YCF Grant Policy

To determine how to best use endowment and non-endowments funds the Board of Directors for Your Community Foundation of North Central West Virginia, Inc. (YCF) has established a competitive grantmaking process open to charitable organizations within the Foundation’s service area. National Standards for Community Foundations recommend that such grant programs be broadly focused, open and competitive, and responsive to the changing needs of the community. In compliance with Treasury regulations and the Foundation’s governing documents, the Foundation also must use its funds to support bona-fide charitable organizations and purposes. This policy statement outlines a process in compliance with these regulations and standards.

Policy Statement

The Foundation will make distributions from its endowment and non-endowment funds through a competitive grantmaking process. The following policies govern this process:

Eligibility

To be considered for a grant from the Foundation, an applicant must be a private, non-profit organization tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a public institution. Requests from individuals are not accepted (except as allowed by specific law or funds so designated). The applicant or the program to be funded should generally be located in the Foundation’s service area, excepting certain specifications in the fund agreements.

Priorities

The Foundation focuses its grantmaking program on capital and equipment projects and special programs in the areas of arts and culture, education, health and human services, recreation, and youth and family services. Within these focus areas, the Foundation places priority on supporting:

 

  • Start up of new projects/programs
  • One time projects/programs
  • Seed money for pilot projects or for responding to unmet or emerging community needs
  • Matching grants that leverage additional funding
  • Projects that reach a broad segment of the community
  • Projects not adequately served by existing community resources
  • Expansion of existing programs
  • Urgent needs where prior planning for such needs could not have been reasonably made

 

Grants will be made for a year long cycle. At the end of the year the grantee is eligible to apply for another grant. Generally grants are not made for ongoing programs; annual campaigns; endowments; sectarian religious purposes; political purposes or lobbying activities; existing obligations, debts, or liabilities; or travel/participation in meetings, conferences, seminars, or study exchange programs.

Approval

The Grants Committee reviews all requests. The committee’s recommendations for grants to be awarded must be approved by the Board of Directors.

Grant applications are accepted in the summer/fall and awarded before the end of the calendar year. Grants may be considered outside of the regular grant cycle for emergency purposes only. The President may approve such requests, with ratification by the Board at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. Emergency grants are those that are considered to be time-sensitive in nature and that involve a situation that is truly “emergency” in nature (e.g., one that will affect an organization’s ability to operate, or to operate safely, for example).

Applications Procedures

Grant requests must be submitted using the Foundation’s online application format. Applications must be submitted by the due date to be considered, unless otherwise noted. Late applications will not be accepted. Grant requests are not considered at other times during the year unless emergency circumstances merit such consideration.

Notification Procedures

The Foundation will notify applicants about the status of their request as soon as possible after the Board meeting at which the request is considered. The Foundation will send those applicants not approved for funding a standard letter. The Foundation will send those approved for funding a grant award contract outlining the conditions of the grant.