Grant Guidelines

Grant Application Checklist

For those nonprofit organizations interested in applying for a Foundation grant, please review the questions below before requesting a grant application.

• Will the program or service for which you are requesting funding benefit Bay or Arenac County residents?
• Is your organization a 501(c)(3) or not-for-profit?
• Does your organization have an operational budget for the most recently completed and upcoming fiscal years, a recent audited financial statement and IRS 990 form?
• Are you applying as an organization; not as an individual?
• Will the funding be used for a charitable purpose?
• Do you have permission to apply from your organization’s CEO or executive director?

If you meet the criteria above, you will then need to participate in a pre-application consultation with a BACF Program Officer.  Click Here. 

Pre-application Consultation

The first step in the grant application process is to call the Bay Area Community Foundation (BACF) at (989) 893-4438 and talk with the Program staff. This pre-application consultation will inform the Foundation about the community need you wish to address, provide an opportunity to outline the project idea and help your organization create the most competitive application possible. The application form will be provided after this consultation.

Application Process

BACF accepts grant proposals several times throughout the year.  Click here to view grant calendar. Grant proposals must be submitted (or postmarked) to the Foundation no later than 5:00 p.m. on the application deadline date. In the case of a grant application in response to a special RFP, the specified deadline date will be given. If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the next working day is the deadline date.

Applications are screened by staff for completeness and compliance with Foundation requirements. Additional information may be requested or a site visit may be done at this time. Proposals are then reviewed by the appropriate grant committee and recommendations are made to the BACF Board of Trustees for approval.

All applicants will receive a letter of notification following the Board meeting. Grant proposals approved by the Board will receive a Grant Agreement with instructions for completing the process. Grant checks will be issued upon request by the applicant when the agreement has been signed, returned, and any special conditions listed on the agreement have been met.

Foundation Guidelines

• The Bay Area Community Foundation (BACF) has a commitment to the people of Bay and Arenac Counties.
• Grants are made only to non-profit organizations, exempt from federal taxation.
• Grants are not made to individuals except in the form of scholarships.
• Grants are generally given one time only for specific purposes.
• Grants are made with the understanding that the Foundation has no obligation or commitment to provide any additional support to the grantee.
• Requests for support of projects presented by religious organizations will be considered if a general need is being met and the project does not promote the teachings of a particular church denomination.
• Amount of funds requested in a proposal may be reduced by the recommendation of the Grant Committee.
• No grants may be used for any political campaign or to support attempts to influence the legislature or any governmental body other than through making available the results of nonpartisan analysis, study and research.
• BACF operates without discrimination to age, race, religion, sex or national origin in the consideration of grant requests and will award grants only to grantseekers who likewise do not discriminate.

Foundation Priorities

In reviewing grant applications, BACF will follow its mission to meet the needs of Bay and Arenac Counties. Careful consideration will be given to:

• The potential impact of the request and the number of people who will benefit.
• Projects or activities that are preventive rather than remedial.
• An imaginative and experimental approach.
• The extent of local volunteer involvement and support for the project.
• The commitment and composition of the requesting organization's directors and trustees.
• The degree to which the applicant works with or complements the services of other community organizations in an attempt to eliminate duplication of services.
• The organization's fiscal responsibility and management qualifications.
• The possibility of using the grant as seed money for matching funds from other sources.
• The ability of the organization to obtain the necessary additional funding to implement the project.
• The ability of the organization to provide ongoing funding after the term of the grant has expired.
• The fulfillment of widely perceived community needs.

The Foundation will not typically make grants for the following unless designated by a donor:

• Capital campaigns
• Existing obligations, debts, or liabilities
• Endowments
• Individuals
• Fundraising events

   

Click Here for BACF Grant Applications