Webster Family Fund Grant Guidelines
Application Deadline: September 1, 2011
Grant Notification: December 15, 2011
Grant Range: $3,000 - $15,000
Geographic Limitations
The Webster Family Fund provides grants to nonprofit organizations in which a substantial majority of clients reside in the following Greater Lawrence Communities: Lawrence, Methuen, Andover or North Andover.
Project Priorities
This fund's competitive grants are for capital projects. Preference is given to organizations that provide:
- Youth Development
- Health Care
- Arts & Culture programming or services.
The basis of the capital project can be an emergency situation or a capital improvement plan and associated capital campaign.
- Capital projects include large equipment whose useful life is over five years, as well as asset improvements (ie. bricks and mortar). For other capital grant requests, preference is given to projects that are part of an organization’s strategic plan or have resulted from a feasibility study or long-term assessment of needs.
- For emergency capital projects, please note that the grant review process for the Webster Family Fund takes three and a half months, making this fund unsuitable for extremely time sensitive emergency requests.
Only one-year grants are awarded.
Grants typically range from $3,000 - $15,000.
Eligibility
Only nonprofit organizations, recognized as tax exempt under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, are eligible for consideration.
ECCF is committed to non-discrimination. We support organizations that use all reasonable efforts to recruit, hire, train, promote and serve persons without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law, except where such status is a bona fide qualification for the service being provided and is related to the organization's mission.
Webster Family Funds will not be awarded:
- To individuals
- For political purposes
- For sectarian or religious purposes
Selection Criteria
The Essex County Community Foundation's Grants Management Committee reviews request for capital funding from the Webster Family Fund. When reviewing proposals and organizations, the Grants Management Committee looks for organizations that:
- Serve a documented need with well planned and executed programs and services
- Are in good financial standing, with the capacity to support the proposed capital project
The Committee will consider as explained in the proposal:
- The emergency situation and its impact on the organization' s services; or
- The capital improvement plan, its development and progress on the associated capital campaign.
The Committee will look for a demonstration of how the requested funds will support the organization's mission by improving the quality, longevity or impact of their programs and services.
Application Deadline
Proposals must be postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service AND received electronically at grantsubmit@eccf.org no later than September 1st. If the grant deadline falls on a day when the post office is not open, the postmark must be from the previous day of operation or earlier. Incomplete or late proposals will not be considered.
Proposals are reviewed by the Grants Management Committee and are generally awarded by the Board of Trustees by December 15th.
Application Procedures
Proposals must be submitted both in paper AND electronic format.
- Paper format - One printed copy of the cover sheet, proposal narrative and project budget must be mailed. Please do not staple or bind proposals. Please do not send hard copies of attachments. Attachments are to be included only with the electronic submission. Mail proposals to the Essex County Community Foundation, 175 Andover St. Suite 101, Danvers, MA 01923.
- Electronic format – Electronic submissions should include the cover sheet submitted as a word document and the proposal narrative, a project budget and all required attachments submitted as one PDF file. Important: Please include the name of your organization in the electronic file name. For example, "the XYZ Agency Cover Sheet". Email proposals to grantsubmit@eccf.org.
Proposal Format
1. WEBSTER FAMILY FUND PROPOSAL COVER SHEET:
A completed Webster Family Fund cover sheet must be included with all proposals. Download the Cover Sheet. The cover sheet may be copied and saved as your own Word document.
2. PROPOSAL NARRATIVE: (1-3 pages)
- Organization Description - Briefly describe your organization. Include meaningful statistics on who you are serving and a brief history of the organization, including significant accomplishments.
- Statement of Need - What needs or opportunities is this capital project intended to meet? How were these needs determined? Is it part of an overall board approved plan for improvement? Why is this project important? What are your project’s goals and time frame?
- Purpose of the Request - Describe specifically what will be accomplished with funding from the Webster Family Fund. Please include vendor quotes for equipment or estimates for construction. How many individuals in which Greater Lawrence communities will it benefit? How will this project support the organization’s services or help build the organization's capacity to meet its mission?
3. PROJECT BUDGET
Please include an itemized budget of all project expenses and anticipated revenue including any other committed or potential funding sources. Please use the ECCF project budget form. Download the Project Budget Form.
4. ATTACHMENTS:
Please include the following attachments in your electronic proposal:
- Copy of the most recent year's audited financial statement. If not available, please submit an unaudited statement for the past year.
- Itemized organizational income and expense statement for the current year.
- A list of the Board of Directors, their affiliations and email addresses.
- Quotes for requested equipment or construction.
Reporting Requirements
Grant recipients must submit a final report within 60 days after grant funds have been expended or for one year grants, within thirteen months of the grant award date, whichever comes first. Access the Grant Report Form.
If the grant is not expended within a year, a progress report should be submitted with an explanation for the delay and the anticipated completion/expenditure date. A final report should be submitted by the stated completion date or the unused funds returned to the Essex County Community Foundation.
For More Information
For more information or to discuss a program idea, please contact:
Julie Bishop
Vice President for Grants and Services
Essex County Community Foundation
175 Andover Street, Suite 101
Danvers, MA 01923
Tel: 978-777-8876 ext 28
Email: j.bishop@eccf.org
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