Types of Funding Requests Considered:

Organizations are limited to one (1) application per grant calendar year as the primary applicant (unless otherwise noted).

Organizations may be collaborators/partners on another organization’s application and submit an independent application, as long as the request is not part of the collaborative request. In such cases, the organization would be required to submit their own application for a program or project, in order to ensure the funding request is not part of the collaborative/partner project.

• 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations may apply for General Operating support regardless of where they are headquartered and what their need is (ie program/project vs capacity building vs general operating) as long as the requested funding will be utilized for services and programs directly impacting Middlesex County (application narrative must provide specific details of the organization’s work in our footprint);
• Groups under fiscal sponsorship, Government entities, School Districts, and Health Care Organizations (i.e., Hospital-managed programs) will apply for Project support for programs that are budget-enhancing (not budget-replacing); School districts will be limited to a maximum of two applications in any one funding calendar year.
• Faith-Based Organizations will apply for Project support for projects/programs that do not require adherence to  religious doctrine to participate and are open to all;
• Collaborations will apply for Project support.

Further information can be found on:

• Grants Program page;
• Timeline page; and
• PR and Marketing Guidelines page.

The information session will include details for both the General Application Form (used for most funding requests) and the Janvrin Fund Application Form.

Funding Priorities

The Community Foundation gives priority to grant proposals that:

• Address a documented need or concern within an interest area;
• Build the capacity of community organizations and/or programs that help individuals to help themselves;
• Foster cooperative approaches to community issues through collaborations based on shared visions and mutual responsibility;
• Serve as a catalyst for attracting other funding resources; and
• Build infrastructure within the organization in order to meet its mission.

Normally, the Community Foundation will not award grants to

• Organizations that, in their constitution, bylaws or practice, discriminate against a person or group on the basis of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation or identification, political affiliation, or religious belief;
• Staff positions for which long-term funding has not been established or planned or hazard pay expenses;
• Programs or materials that would normally be included in the regular operating budget for municipal/government agencies or schools;
• Capital Improvement Projects and Building Programs;
• Annual fundraising campaigns or event sponsorships;
• Initiatives that regrant CFMC funds to other organizations;
• Endowments, reserve funds, capital campaigns, or annual fund drives;
• Recouping lost revenue which occurred during the current or previous calendar year;
• Payment of debt or legal settlements or Repayment of SBA, PPP, or other COVID-19 related loans;
• Political or partisan purposes, campaigns, or lobbying activities;
• Projects that exclusively serve religious purposes, although religious organizations providing non-religious community services will be considered.

Grants will not be made to individuals.

Questions?

If you

• need further information about the CFMC grant making process,
• are unsure of your grant evaluation status, or
• if your program or project is incomplete and you have questions regarding your grant evaluation,

email or call Thayer Talbott, Vice President & COO, or Mary Dutton, Programs & Communications Coordinator, at 860.347.0025.