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| THREE RIVERS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANT MAKING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Overview: The Three Rivers Community Foundation was established with the purpose of serving the three Rivers Area (the communities with School District #728) as a community foundation which seeks to attract and develop community and philanthropic assets to enhance the quality of life of individuals and families in the area. The Three Rivers Community Foundation is an operating division of the Central Minnesota Initiative Fund (CMIF). A component fund is defined as a partnership between the Initiative Foundation and local residents who have a vision for strengthening their community. By serving as a management resource and fiscal host, the Initiative Foundation advises local leaders and maintains an endowment of donated dollars. The financial returns on this investment are used for annual grant making within the physical boundaries of Independent School District #728. Funding Categories: -
Social/Cultural/Leisure: The Three Rivers Community Foundation will consider grants which will enhance educational opportunities, enrich the artistic and cultural climate, and or increase and diversity recreational opportunities within the area served by the Three Rivers Community Foundation. Specifically, the Three Rivers Community Foundation will consider proposals from nonprofit organizations, schools and units of government with proven interest in this category. -
Public Issues and Information: The Three Rivers Community Foundation will consider grants which build the capacity of local citizens to positively impact the formation of public policy. Specifically, the Three Rivers Community Foundation will consider citizen initiatives which enable thoughtful and non-partisan analysis of important community issues. Furthermore, the Three River Community Foundation looks favorably upon initiatives which intend to clarify and build consensus concerning resolution of pressing community issues. -
Human Services: The Three Rivers Community Foundation will consider proposals which will improve the quality, accessibility and efficiency of health care services within the Foundation's geographic area. In addition, the Foundation will consider proposals which positively impact the housing, safety, employment and other needs of the more vulnerable members of the community, including youth, the elderly and those who are low-income. Specifically, the Foundation will seriously consider proposals which aim to lessen human suffering, while at the same time building the capacity of people to positively change their life circumstances. Grant Application Deadlines: Grant application deadline is February 8, 2008. For more information please contact Nate Lilleodden at 952.476.7107. General Guidelines: -
Grants will normally be made to non-profit organizations, schools and local units of government based with the ISD 728 boundaries which serve residents living and/or working within the physical boundaries of ISD 728 -
The Three Rivers Community Foundation will normally fund specific projects or services of an eligible applicant. An eligible applicant is one that has received 501(c)3 or 501(c)4 status from the IRS, or has chosen a fiscal agent with the appropriate tax-exempt status. In addition, an eligible applicant is one that has received no adverse opinion from the IRS concerning its tax-exempt status. -
Grants will be made only in support of proposals which fit one or more of the above funding categories. -
A primary consideration of the Three Rivers Community Foundation is that proposed projects reflect priorities identified and supported by community grassroots people. Proposed grants must demonstrate that they have broad support within the community and that they coordinate with other community players with similar interests. -
The minimum and maximum grant size will periodically be reviewed and set by the Three Rivers Community Foundation Governing Board. Non-Eligible Projects: -
No grants to individuals unless part of an on-going scholarship program of an educational institution or other non-profit organization which selects scholarship recipients. -
Political campaign or lobbying activities. -
Direct religious purposes or activities. -
National fund-raising campaign. -
Deficit financing, except as part of a plan for financial stabilization of the applicant organization. -
Projects in support of on-going K-12 programs. Application Procedure: Click here to download a Grant Application -
The process begins with the applicant completing the grant application, answering all questions on the application pages 1 and attaching all of the necessary supporting documentation requested on page 2 of the application. -
Grant requests received by February 8, 2008, will be reviewed by the Grants Committee of the three River Community Foundation. The Grants Committee is comprised of members of the Three Rivers Community Foundation. The Grants Committee is comprised of members of the Three Rivers Community Foundation Governing Board. Applications will be reviewed in a timely manner for the purpose of the Grants Committee forwarding a recommendation to approve or deny to the Governing Board of the Three Rivers Community Foundation at the May and November regular meetings, respectively. The Grants Committee may request additional information at any time and may elect to consider a specific proposal during a later round, if the information requested does not arrive in time. -
Grant proposals received by February 8, 2008 should be funded on or about July 31, 2008 pending recommendation from the Three Rivers Community Foundation for approval and ratification by the Central Minnesota Initiative Fund's (CMIF) Board of Directors. The Three Rivers Community Foundation Grants Committee is free at anytime to request technical assistance from the CMIF staff concerning specific grant requests made to the Three Rivers Community Foundation. Upon approval or denial by the CMIF Board, applicants will be notified in writing by the Three Rivers Community Foundation concerning the status of their grant application. |
