2013 Community Foundation Grant Cycles Calendar and General Tips for All Applications
Application Deadline: Ongoing
Grant Opportunities
The Community Foundation makes grants as investments in our community with the expectation of results to achieve specific outcomes which solve problems.
First consider whether your request fits into any of the priorities of one of our four grant cycles; 1) Women’s Fund, 2) Rosen Library Fund, 3) Howland Foundation (aging, youth, animal welfare or the environment) and 4) Fall Grant Cycle (priorities posted annually).
If your request does not match with any grant cycle priority, consider applying through the General Letter of Inquiry process on either May 15 or October 15.
General Letter of Inquiry Please Note Recent Changes to this Section
Application Deadline: Biannual; by 5pm on May 15 or October 15
In general, Community Foundation staff will NOT be able to meet with a prospective applicant before a letter is submitted. Letters are accepted twice every year and must be received by email by 5pm on May 15th or October 15th.
Process
- A first step for seeking support from outside our four annual grant cycles (Women’s Fund, Rosen Fund, Howland Foundation and Fall) is to submit a general letter of inquiry. This letter should be emailed by 5pm on May 15 or October 15 to jcotraccia@cftompkins.org.
- This will be reviewed by our Program Officer and our Community Impact Committee.
- Next steps may include a request for more information, a notice of funding awarded, an indication that donor advisors are considering the grant request, or a message that the Community Foundation is not currently able to fund the grant request.
- Community Foundation may also refer the applicant to other funders or may provide constructive feedback on other ways to achieve the grant seeker’s goals.
- Please include a two sentence summary of your request.
- Please include the date by which you require funding.
- Every letter of inquiry should be limited to a 3 page maximum and include the intended results or outcomes of the project, the demonstrated need for the project, the grant amount sought and a clear plan for evaluating the results of the project.
- Each letter of inquiry will receive a formal response.
- Before a final decision foundation staff may occasionally provide feedback on ideas for funding and may seek an appointment to have a conversation about the project, but only after a letter of inquiry has been received.
Howland Foundation Grants
Application Deadline: The 2013 Howland Foundation deadline is now passed. All applications received by the deadline are currently being reviewed. Grant awards will be announced by June 7, 2013.
Howland Foundation supports grants in the areas of aging, youth, animal welfare, and environmental preservation in Tompkins County as well as animal welfare and environmental preservation only in Broome County.
2013 prospective applicants are invited to a recommended, though NOT required, meeting to ask questions and help assist you in developing your application. This meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 26, 2013, from1-2pm at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County.
We offer the opportunity to have our staff review a completed draft of your application before you submit the final application. This is NOT required. Please make certain that the draft is submitted by email to Janet Cotraccia, jcotraccia@cftompkins.org, Program Officer, no later than 9am Monday, March 18, 2013.
Lists of previous Howland Foundation grantees are provided below as examples of the range of organizations and types of programs supported in the past. These grantees in no way predict or favor future grants.
Previous Howland Foundation Grantees
2012 Howland Foundation grantees have been notified. Grantees are required to submit the Howland Grant Final Report Form to the Community Foundation no later than January 18, 2013. Please contact Janet Cotraccia, jcotraccia@cftompkins.org, Program Officer, with any questions or concerns about the final report. Failure to complete the report by the deadline will affect considerations for future grants.
APPLY GUIDELINESFall 2012 Excellence in the New Economic Era Grant Cycle
Application Deadline: This cycle is now closed and all 2012 grants have been awarded. The Community Foundation will announce the Fall 2013 Grant Cycle priorities in July 2013 with an application deadline of 5pm September 18, 2013.
Fall 2012 Excellence in the New Economic Era grantees have been notified. Grantees are encouraged to publicize their grants with media releases, newsletter articles, social media, and in other forms. We recommend that grantees use this media release template as a guideline.
Grantees are required to submit the Fall 2012 Excellence in the New Economic Era Final Report Form to the Community Foundation no later than August 22, 2013. Please contact Janet Cotraccia, jcotraccia@cftompkins.org , Program Officer, with any questions or concerns about the final report. Failure to complete the final report by the deadline will affect considerations for future grants.
Rosen Fund Library Grants
Application Deadline: This cycle is now closed.
This cycle is now closed and all 2013 grants have been awarded. The Community Foundation will announce the 2014 Rosen Fund Grant Cycle with an application deadline in early 2014.
Eligible applicants are the 33 public libraries in the 5 counties of the Finger Lakes Library System. 2013 Rosen Fund grantees have been notified.
Information about 2013 interim and final reports will be posted soon.
Grantees are encouraged to publicize their grants with media releases, newsletter articles, social media, and in other forms. We recommend that grantees use this media release template as a guideline.
The Rosen Grants History provides examples of the libraries and programs that have been supported in the past.
2012 grantees are required to submit the 2012 Rosen Fund Library Grant Report Form no later than December 31, 2012 for interim reports and August 30, 2013 for final reports. Please contact Janet Cotraccia, jcotraccia@cftompkins.org , Program Officer, with any questions or concerns about the final report. Failure to complete the final report by the deadline will affect considerations for future grants.
Women’s Fund Grant Cycle
Application Deadline: This cycle is now closed.
This cycle is now closed and all grants have been awarded. The Community Foundation will announce the 2014 Women’s Fund Grant Cycle priorities in December 2013 with an application deadline in early 2014.
2013 Women’s Fund grantees have been notified. Grantees are encouraged to publicize their grants with media releases, newsletter articles, social media, and in other forms. We recommend that grantees use this media release template as a guideline.
Grantees are required to submit the 2013 Women’s Fund Grant Final Report Form to the Community Foundation no later than December 31, 2013. Please contact Janet Cotraccia, jcotraccia@cftompkins.org , Program Officer, with any questions or concerns about the final report. Failure to complete the final report by the deadline will affect considerations for future grants.
The Women’s Fund promotes educational, economic, and social equality by enabling women to achieve economic self-sufficiency, and by helping to provide the necessary resources for women’s health and basic needs. The Women’s Fund honors local women in their volunteer capacities and encourages all to participate in philanthropy. The Women’s Fund hosts a Spring luncheon and a Fall gathering each year.
