Grant Guidelines

Building Community Grant Guidelines

The Joy McCann Foundation partners with designated organizations to build up the communities in which they serve. Grant proposals are accepted by invitation only.

Purpose

The Building Community Grants Program is designed to assist designated organizations in developing and delivering programs or services that are at the forefront of their fields in meeting the needs of the communities in which they serve.  Designated organizations are those that were chosen by Hugh F. Culverhouse, Sr. before his death as those charities he wished to be benefactors of his foundation.

Please see our Eligible Organizations page for a listing.

What We Fund

Programs for which traditional funding may be difficult to obtain (ie, new projects, test programs)

Projects that allow organizations to operate in a more environmentally sustainable manner

Advancements, technical and otherwise, that allow an organization to provide services on the forefront of their field and become a source of expertise to others

Multi-partner collaborations

Programs that encourage individual and community health

Areas of greatest recipient organization priority

Programs or projects promoting scientific solutions to community issues

What We Do NOT Fund

General operating support for ongoing activities

Special Events

Loans or debt retirement

Capital Construction

Endowments

Annual appeals, federated campaigns, general fund drives or sponsorships

Projects or organizations whose policies or practices discriminate on the basis of ethnic origin, gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation

Funding Frequency

The Community Enrichment Grants Program operates on a semi-annual giving cycle; each designated organization can apply during either or both cycles, but may receive an award only once a year.

The maximum small grant award in any calendar year will be $15,000.

Application Procedures

The Foundation appreciates clarity and brevity in applications. We will actively work with applicants to reduce the amount of burden to staff time in drafting grant proposals. We understand that with small grant amounts, grant funds are often pooled with resources from other funders. If proposals are being submitted to other funding sources, we welcome grantees to share proposals with us in any format. If we need additional information, we will ask.

Applications should include:

Proposal cover sheet (containing only the following)
Name of the organization
Program/Project Title
Title, Address, e-mail and phone number of the organization’s contact person for the proposal
Date of submission

Supporting Letter(s)
Each proposal must be accompanied by a letter of endorsement signed by the organization’s executive director or chair of the organization’s governing board; this letter should confirm executive support for the request and give the management’s view of the main contribution the requested funds will provide to the organization’s mission.

Organizational Review and Update
The Joy McCann Foundation funds only a limited group of partner organizations with whom we have a long-standing history. Grant applicants need not provide a lengthy organization description but should provide an update to highlight any pertinent changes, accomplishments, setbacks or strategic shifts to their work. Organizational facts of particular interest to the grant request should also be highlighted in this section.

Narrative
Description of the proposed program/project, short- and long- term goals and an explanation of how the program/project furthers the organization’s mission

Description of the people the proposed program/project serves
Outline of the evaluation process to be used in measuring the program’s/project’s effectiveness

Description of staff committed to the program/project and their percentage of effort

If the program/project will extend beyond the period for which funding is requested, include an explanation of the organization’s strategy for continued funding.

Financial Information
One-year budget for the proposed program/project

Budget description (short narrative explanation of pertinent budget items)

If requesting partial funding for a program with an overall budget over $15,000, include a full budget with an explanation of which components the grant would support.

Title and contact information for the staff person who will be responsible for financial management of the program/project

Submission Process

ONLY INVITED PROPOSALS WILL BE REVIEWED. Please see our (LINK TO) How to Submit a Letter of Inquiry page for invitation process details. The original application packet should be sent to the address below.   Electronically submitted applications will be accepted. If submitting electronically, please notify foundation staff to confirm receipt.

Applicants will receive acknowledgement of their submission by electronic mail.

Notification of Awards

Applicants will be notified by mail of the Foundation’s funding decisions.  Organizations receiving grants will be required to sign a grant agreement letter outlining the terms of the grant before grant funds are disbursed. All eligible organizations will receive notification of approved grants.

Reporting

All grant recipients are required to submit both an interim progress report at the mid point of the grant period and a final progress report within 30 days of the close of the grant.  The reporting schedule for each grant will be set out in the grant agreement letter.

Interim Reporting: The interim report should not exceed one page and should include a progress update and very brief update on expenditures.

Final Reporting: The final report should not exceed three pages and should include progress made towards the goals stated in the proposal, an explanation of achieved program/project outcomes and a closing financial report.

Financial reporting will be done in compliance with all applicable federal grants management guidelines.  Grantees must be able to demonstrate the capacity to administer grants and are expected to provide financial accounts of expenditures to assure that funds are used for their intended purposes.

The Joy McCann Foundation views required grant reporting as serving dual purposes:
1. To encourage grant recipients to reflect on the success of their program/project and to undertake self-assessment in a manner most useful to their organizational growth.
2. To allow the Foundation to examine grant outcomes to guide continued strategic grantmaking and to assure due diligence regarding the use of grant funds.

Submissions & Inquiries

Submissions and questions should be addressed to:

Lynn M. Collingsworth Program Director
Joy McCann Foundation
3225 S. MacDill Avenue, Suite #129-135
Tampa, FL  33629-5218