The Community Foundation of Dunn County awards grants to non-profit organizations two times each year. Grant applications must be received by the 1st day of February and August. Grant applications are reviewed and evaluated by the Foundation’s Grants Committee and recommendations are made to the Foundation’s Board of Directors for approval. Typically, organizations will be advised of the outcome within four weeks of the deadline.
What We Support
Since the first grant awarded in 1997, the Community Foundation of Dunn County has supported a wide variety of programs that have fulfilled civic, humanitarian, cultural, recreational, aesthetic, health, environmental, and educational needs. In setting priorities for making grants, we consider the needs of the Dunn County area, the programs of other funding agencies, and our resources.
Who May Apply
The Foundation welcomes grant requests from organized groups throughout Dunn County. Some funds also make grants available for the communities of Glenwood City, Spring Valley and Elmwood and include
- independent nonprofit organizations;
- charitable organizations classified as 501(c)(3) under the Internal Revenue Code;
- local units of state or national organizations; and
- groups of individuals or clubs organized to sponsor a charitable project.
What Guidelines Should Be Considered In Your Decision To Request a Grant?
- Are you a nonprofit organization within the Dunn County Area?
- Are you part of a group of individuals or a club organized for a charitable purpose?
- Does your project meet a civic, humanitarian, health, cultural, recreational, aesthetic, environmental, or educational need?
- Have you clearly identified the purpose to be served by your project and its community impact?
- If part of a state or national organization, are you clearly a local unit of that organization which uses the funds for local benefit?
- If this is to be a continuing activity, do you have plans to develop resources to carry it on in the future?
What You Should Consider Before Applying For A Grant
In general, the Foundation does not make grants for:
- endowments
- religious groups for religious purposes
- debt retirement
- re-granting by another organization
- individuals (except scholarships)
- political organizations
- tickets for benefits
- fundraising drives or activities, social events, or goodwill advertising
- reimbursable projects or activities
- organizations that exist primarily to influence legislation
- repeat grants to the same project on an open-ended basis
- regular on-going operating expenses
- funds to replace budgeted on-going tax supported activities
How To Proceed
For Questions or General Information
The Executive Director of the Foundation is available to answer questions from grant seekers as proposals are being developed. Such consultation will be informal and carry no assurances of suitability for funding. Call the Foundation Office at 715.232.8019 for an appointment.
Contents of the Application
The Grant Application Cover Sheet , Grant Narrative and Grant Proposal Checklist provide the grant details and are all required to submit an application to the Community Foundation of Dunn County. They may be downloaded or a grant packet may be obtained by calling the Foundation Office at 715.232.8019.
The Grant Narrative may be up to 4 pages, must be typewritten and include
- background about your organization, its activities and impact and how the organization is structured
- a description of your project, telling briefly of the need for it and what you propose to do
- anticipated outcome(s) of your project and its community impact
- anticipated challenges and how they will be met
- the proposed time frame for your project
- a brief description of other resources (financial or human) that you have available for this project and how the project will be sustained
- a description about how you know you have been successful and how success will be measured
- how the results will be communicated
You must also provide:
- a copy of your organization’s annual operating budget
- a project budget including a description of the items requested, an itemimzation of costs and expenses, including other income anticipated or organizational resources that will be used
- current income statements
- balance sheet
- audited financial statement for current year and proof of current IRS 990 filing
- IRS determination letter or by-laws for organizations that do not have 501(c)(3) status
- a list of other sources of funding
Where to Send Requests
Community Foundation of Dunn County, PO Box 498, Menomonie, WI 54751
Deadlines
Grant deadlines are February 1 and August 1 each year. Grants not received/postmarked by the deadline will be considered during the next grant cycle.
The Review Process
Applications are screened for completeness, clarity, and compliance with eligibility requirements.
Because there are often more requests than can be funded, a board-appointed committee will place requests in priority order on the basis of the following questions:
- How does the grant purpose match with the Foundation’s policies?
- What is the potential benefit to the community?
- Is there a clearly stated need for this project?
- Does the applicant organization have the capability to achieve the expected results?
- How direct are the benefits?
- Are other more appropriate resources available?
Final decisions on all grants are made by the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Generally, a decision is made within a month after the submission deadline. Applicants are notified of the outcome in writing. If a grant is awarded a follow-up report is required.
Grant Packet. To be given consideration, the following forms are required for applicantions submitted to the Community Foundation of Dunn County. You may also contact the Foundation at 715-232-8019 to receive a printed grant packet.