GRANTS AND RESEARCH COMMITTEE FRAMEWORK
- Grant making Policy
- What We Don’t Support
- Procedure for Identifying and Researching Nonprofit Agencies
- Grant Guidelines
- Grant Review and Recommendation Process
Grant making Policy:
Proposals for grants are considered on the basis of supporting the Stone Canyon Community Foundation (SCCF) Mission and its Fundamental Strategies which state that the Foundation’s primary focus is on "programs that help young people get and stay on track, taking advantage of educational and other opportunities for their own self-improvement and development."
The Foundation’s Grants & Research Committee oversees all grant making, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. Only 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organizations serving the Oro Valley and greater Tucson area communities are eligible to apply. Agencies receiving SCCF grants must serve its population without discrimination based on race, religion, gender, age disability and national origin or sexual orientation.
The policy supports the philosophy and intent set by the SCCF Board to make grants that have a lasting and positive impact on the population served by the applicant organization. To that end, the guideline is to recommend one year grants to the Board of up to $20,000. Organizations that have received grants previously are encouraged to apply again in following years. Each year, the Grants & Research Committee makes recommendations to the SCCF Board based on its research and review of the grant applications, and the budget appropriated by the Board.
When evaluating grant applications, the Committee will consider requests that address current programs as well as newly developed programs focused on meeting emerging needs, including the potential benefit of organizational capacity building grants to support these programs.
What We Don’t Support:
- Endowments
- Debt reduction
- Capital funding requests
- Religious organizations per se (However, projects that serve the community, regardless of religious affiliation, are eligible for committee consideration.)
Procedure for Identifying and Researching Nonprofit Agencies:
- Work with the Community Foundation of Southern Arizona to identify the nonprofits serving the populations addressed by the SCCF Mission.
- Encourage Stone Canyon residents and members to submit names of nonprofits in Oro Valley and greater Tucson area they believe should be included in the research and granting process.
Grant Guidelines:
All grant requests must adhere to the following guidelines:- Only 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organizations serving Oro Valley and greater Tucson area communities are eligible to apply.
- All programs funded must support The Foundation’s primary focus which is "programs that help young people get and stay on track, taking advantage of educational and other opportunities for their own self-improvement and development".
- Agencies receiving grants must serve its population without discrimination based on race, religion, gender, age disability and national origin or sexual orientation.
- Consideration will be given to requests that address current programs as well as newly developed programs focused on meeting emerging needs, including the potential benefit of capacity building grants to support these programs.
- Grants will not be made for capital funding, debt reduction and endowments.
- The amount of grants awarded will be determined by the SCCF Board of Directors and the Grants and Research Committee. Any future year commitments are contingent on some level of measurable performance and the appropriations process.
Grant Review and Recommendation Process: (October through April)
- April - September: Agencies are encouraged to review our grant making policies and schedule. The Grants & Research Committee begins it review and research schedule in October with an annual grant cycle concluding end of March.
- October 1st – January 15th: Agencies submit grant applications to SCCF online. Deadline for grant requests is January 15, 2012.
- 15 days after deadline: The Board sets the amount of funds available for disbursement, the length of commitment and a grant cap prior to Committee deliberations.
- February & March: Committee deliberates (includes reviewing grant application, additional research and agency visits or presentations).
- By Mid-March: Committee prepares a recommendation for grant funding to the Board for approval.
- By March 31st: Following the Board action, the Committee notifies all finalists, whether or not they have received a grant.
- April: Committee works with the Communication Committee to announce funding selections, volunteer and agency presentation opportunities to all Stone Canyon residents and members.
- Committee follows up with funded agencies on a semi-annual basis.