Grants
To apply for a grant:
Once your project is completed, you must fill
out an evaluation and
return it to the Foundation. You have one year from the project start
date to complete the evaluation.
The
heart and soul of a community foundation is its ability to improve
the lives of its communities
through granting funds for constructive projects and events. The
funds come from earnings of a foundation’s endowment. At
present, the endowment of the M & M Area Community Foundation
is invested with local trust departments and totals about $4,600,000.
Since 1997, more than $775,000 in grants and scholarships from
the earnings of that endowment have been given back to the twin
counties.
Grants are made from a number of different funds contained in
the Foundation’s
endowment. In the past, the Foundation has called for grant applications
once a year and made grants annually. In future, grants may be made more
often throughout the year. Grants come from funds where donors may or
may not express a preference for where they are given, or from designated
funds, which support specific organizations. The Foundation also makes
grants from Field of Interest funds directed to causes such as Youth,
Community Health, and Drug & Alcohol Abuse.
Click
here for a list of all grants given out by the Foundation
Request for Proposals
2006-07 Nonprofit Matching Endowment Initiative
________________________________________________________________
The
M & M Area Community Foundation is
requesting proposals from Marinette and Menominee Counties nonprofit
organizations for participation in a 2006-07 Nonprofit Matching
Endowment Initiative. By offering matching grants, the foundation
seeks to inspire local nonprofit organizations to help secure the
future of their missions by establishing an endowment fund or adding
to an existing endowment fund. Following a proposal review process, organizations
will be selected and challenged to raise $10,000 each by June 1,
2007. Each successful organization will receive a match of $2,500
from the Foundation. The M & M Area Community Foundation will
manage all endowment funds.
Initiative Criteria
Who is eligible?
· Established nonprofit, charitable organizations in Marinette and Menominee
counties.
· Organizations with an existing endowment fund within the Foundation
not exceeding $25,000.
· All funds must comply with existing Foundation criteria.
During the proposal evaluation process, the
following elements will be considered:
1. The ability, capacity and leadership of the organization to meet the
stated objectives.
2. The organizations planned purpose for the endowment fund.
3. The feasibility of the proposal as it relates to raising $10,000 in
new funds to the Foundation by June 1, 2007.
4. The organization’s five-year plan for continuing to grow the
endowment.
Selected organizations will:
· Complete all fund-raising by
June 1, 2007, to receive the match. All matching grants will be
awarded after the fund-raising deadline.
· Participate in a site visit or interview, if requested.
· Send all contributions to the M & M Area Community Foundation during
the fund-raising process. The Foundation will manage the endowment fund in conformity
with its standard policies.
If a selected organization does not raise the
minimum $10,000 by June 1, 2007:
· The $2,500 match will not be awarded. Any money raised will remain with
the Community Foundation and be used to establish an agency future fund, which
means contributions can be added to it over time until it reaches the $10,000
necessary to establish a permanent endowment fund.
Initiative Proposal
1. Complete the RFP
(Request for Proposals) cover sheet.
2. Provide a narrative description of the organization’s mission
and a brief overview of the agency’s programs and population served.
3. Provide a narrative summary explaining why the organization is seeking
endowment funds, including how the funds will be used by the organization.
4. Submit a narrative description explaining how the new funds will be
raised to meet the $10,000 challenge (it is not necessary to share donor
names) and a five-year plan for growing the endowment (include specific
dollar goals) to make a meaningful impact on the organization’s
annual budget. Also explain how this fund-raising effort will be implemented
with respect to the organization’s annual operating campaign.
5. Provide proof of non-profit status and a statement of charitable purpose.
· Please
limit the narrative portion of the proposal to three pages.
· The proposal selection committee will
consist of representatives from The Foundation’s Board of
Directors.
Proposal Deadline
April 14, 2006 - 4 p.m.
Any proposals received after this deadline will not be accepted.
Please submit the completed proposal to:
M &M Area Community Foundation
1101 11th Avenue
P.O. Box 846
Menominee, MI 49858
Please direct any questions to Richard O’Farrell
at the M & M Area Community Foundation at ricko@menominee.net
or (906) 864-3599.
Initiative Timetable
Proposal deadline………………………………..April
14, 2006
Proposal review by selection committee……….By
May 8, 2006
Announcement of selected organizations…Week
of May 15, 2006
Endowment fund-raising begins…….………..…June
1, 2006
Endowment fund-raising ends………….……….June
1, 2007
Matching grants awarded……….…………….…Successful ………………………………………Completion
of Challenge
Successful organizations recognized………August
2007 (at Community Foundation annual meeting)
Background
Founded in 1994, the M & M
Area Community Foundation is a nonprofit public charity established
to enhance the quality of life for all citizens of Menominee and
Marinette Counties. It does this by managing donors’ financial
gifts according to their wishes and distributing grants from investment
income to support projects and programs in the areas of arts and
culture, education, the environment, health, community development,
human services and more. The Foundation awarded $131,000 in grants
and scholarships during fiscal year 2005. Since 1997, the Foundation
has given back more than $775,000 to the community in the form of
grants and scholarships. The Foundation has more than $4 million
in assets under administration. In 2005, The Foundation passed Wisconsin
Peer Review and complied with the U. S. National Standards for Community
Foundations. The M & M Area Community Foundation is one of 20
community foundations in Wisconsin that has complied with standards
and passed peer review.
|
