THE WOMEN'S GIVING CIRCLE
The Women's Giving Circle of Dunn County has been established to strengthen the spirit of women through collaborative philanthropy, giving, and granting. APPLY FOR A GRANTAbout the circle
giving circles give a little money and do big things
The Women’s Giving Circle of Dunn County has been established to strengthen the spirit of women and children through collaborative philanthropy, giving, and granting. The WGC strives to empower women to become stronger and self-sufficient in order to improve the quality of their lives and the lives of the people for whom they are responsible. The idea isn’t new. There are many Giving Circles around the country. Women raise funds that are used to help alleviate some of the struggles and obstacles that women and children face during difficult times in their lives.
Women raise funds that are used to help alleviate some of the struggles and obstacles that women and children face during difficult times in their lives.
MISSION
The mission of the Women’s Giving Circle (WGC) is to gather contributions and make social investments in projects and initiatives that improve lives of women and children in the Dunn County area.
The WGC will accomplish its Mission through:
- Grant making programs that support women and children
- Forging new relationships and building a community of thoughtful, effective women philanthropists, who are diverse in age, interests, and backgrounds
- Engaging and educating women about issues affecting women and children in the community, philanthropy, and grant making
- Building the power of collective philanthropy throughout the greater Dunn County area
HISTORY
The WGC was founded on October 21, 2013 by a group of women that set out to make a difference. A portion of the annual membership has been set aside to establish an endowment fund that will also continue to grow. All funds are held at the Community Foundation of Dunn County.
Each summer a new grant cycle will be opened for non-profit organizations to submit applications. The Grants Committee reviews all applications to ensure they meet the WGC criteria and recommends the distribution of grant monies for the projects and organizations most in need.
MEMBERSHIP
Getting involved is simple: an annual contribution of $250 is required in order to be an active member of the Women’s Giving Circle. Half of each member’s membership contribution is added to the grant pool each year. The more members, the more money can be granted to the community!
If you are between the ages of 18 and 40, you’re eligible for a half-price membership of $125/year for up to 5 years (or until you turn 41). The option to have your second-year membership sponsored is also available.
Scroll down to the bottom of this page and click the “BECOME A WGC MEMBER” button to join the Women’s Giving Circle.
We’d love for you to join us!
Online Grant Application System
All applications must be submitted through our online grants portal.
To apply for competitive grant funding, eligible applicants must create an account on our new online grant application system. Multiple grant opportunities may be available within the portal at the same time, so be sure to select the correct link when applying for a particular grant cycle. This new system allows nonprofit organizations to view their CFDC grant history, collaborate on applications with colleagues, save and reuse portions of past grant applications, access grant contracts, and complete grant reporting, all in one place.
For help, you can download this GRANT APPLICANT TUTORIAL HANDOUT document and save it for future reference at your organization. It includes three how-to videos to help you navigate the new portal!
If you encounter any problems, please contact the Community Foundation at 715-232-8019 or email info@cfdunncounty.org.
Included on the online Grant Application Form, the following materials are required as uploads for our WGC Community Impact Grant Application:
- Organizational budget with projected revenues and expenses for the current year.
- Audited financial statement (if available) for the current year
- Proof of current IRS 990 filing.
GRANT DEADLINE
Grant applications to the Women’s Giving Circle are due to the Community Foundation of Dunn County by 4:00 pm on June 1st of each year.
REVIEW PROCESS
Applications are screened for completeness, clarity, and compliance with eligibility requirements.
Because there are often more requests than can be funded, the committee will place requests in priority order on the basis of the following questions:
- How does the grant purpose match with the Circle’s priorities to serve women and children in Dunn County?
- 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 Community Foundation’s Board of Directors. Generally, a decision is made within 1-2 months after the submission deadline. Applicants are notified of the outcome in writing. If a grant is awarded a follow-up report is required (See “Reporting” section below).
REPORTING
If you receive grant funding, you are required to submit a final, written report via the grants portal to the Community Foundation of Dunn County within one calendar year after you receive payment of the grant. The Grant Report describes the activities carried out and if the grant goals have been met. The report must include a narrative and a detailed expenditure report. Financial and other business records must be kept in accordance with sound accounting and business practices. If an extension or variance from this time frame is necessary, an interim report and written request must be submitted and approval is required by the Foundation (using the same form below).
If you received a grant in the last year, please find the Grant Report Form in the Grants Portal.