Grant Programs

GRANT PROGRAMS OVERVIEW

2023 Impact Grants

Grant awards average $1,000 each

Awarded annually to qualifying nonprofit organizations, on a competitive basis, for charitable projects that improve the quality of life for Harford County residents.

Grants may be used for programs/projects needs or operational costs to provide services to Harford County residents in the following focus areas:

• Animal welfare
• Animal shelters caring for domestic and feral cats
• Children and/or Senior Adults
• Education
  • High school STEM
  • High school arts (preference music/instruments)
• Respite Care for those providing in-home care for a loved one
• Homelessness
• Hunger
• Mental Health Services Access
• Other human services

Applications must be submitted by September 30, 2023. Incomplete applications or applications submitted after this deadline will not be considered.

Recipients of 2022 Impact Grants must submit a Post-Grant Report to be eligible to apply in 2023.

Impact Grants are usually awarded to support the direct costs of a charitable project or program. Examples might include supplies, equipment or staff.

Impact Grants are also provided to build the capacity of a charitable organization serving Harford County, with a goal of enhancing that nonprofit’s long-term effectiveness, financial stability, and/or program quality—in short, its ability to meet its mission and sustain its programs. Examples might include operating costs or computer systems.

Priority will be given to projects and organizations that:

• Involve or benefit a broad segment of our community, or our most vulnerable populations.
• Provide an innovative approach to addressing area needs.
• Either initiate new projects or programs to influence beneficial change, fill gaps, or address urgent community needs.
• Projects that have other sources of funding –that receive support and a commitment for success from your organization, and the larger community.
• Promote an organization’s financial sustainability.

Impact Grants are generally not awarded for:

• Regular ongoing operational expenses such as rent, utilities, website maintenance, employee salaries and benefit costs.
• Capital projects.
• Programs that redistribute or re-grant the funds to other organizations.
• Programs or projects that are typically supported by the government or other charities, unless it is demonstrated that funding is not available from other sources.
• Programs for political or lobbying efforts or programs that are discriminatory in nature will not be considered.

Grants are typically awarded for a 12-month period unless an extension is granted, or other special circumstances apply.

WHO CAN APPLY?

• Any 501(c)3 organization is eligible to apply, as are other tax-exempt organizations for charitable projects that meet a public need, in accordance with IRS guidelines.
• Schools: Schools may be considered for designated Impact Grants.
• Individuals: Grants are never awarded to individuals.
• Faith-Based and Religious Entities: For projects that address the needs of the wider community and do not primarily benefit the members of a single congregation or religion.

HOW TO APPLY

Before starting your application, please review these Guidelines and Instructions completely.

If your organization was awarded an Impact Grant in the last 12 months, please submit your Post-Grant Report.

We recommend you have a reliable internet connection and that you do not use a mobile device to apply. Because it is an online form, you will need to SAVE your work frequently! We also recommend that you type your narrative into a word processing system first, and copy and paste your final text into the online form, rather than composing your narrative in the online form. That way you can utilize spell check, and you won’t lose your work if your internet connection is lost.

Incomplete applications or those received after the deadline will not be considered.

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

You will need to upload the following documents, if applicable:

• 501( c)(3) IRS Determination Letter or confirmation of tax-exempt status
  • Schools should include a letter of support from the principal
• List of Board Members and Executive staff
• Project Budget
• Most recent 990 or financial statement
• You will also be asked to respond to the following questions:
• INTRODUCTION: Briefly describe your organization. You may want to include your mission statement, a short summary of your organization’s main focus or a concise history of your organization’s past accomplishments.
• PROJECT/PROGRAM: Please describe your project/program including any goal(s), outcome(s) and objective(s) this grant would be used to fund when the project would start and end, and how you will measure success.
• FUNDING: How specifically will the grant money be spent? Please include any details such as total costs, what portion would be covered by the grant, and if you expect to receive funding from other sources.
• IMPACT: Briefly describe how your project/program will benefit the community. Please be brief but as specific as possible, in terms of the number of constituents, demographics (age, race, etc.) and what geographical areas this project will serve.

IF YOU RECEIVE A GRANT

You will receive a Grant Award notification letter advising you of the amount that has been granted. You will be asked to acknowledging that all grant funds will be used for the charitable purposes designated in the original grant application and will not be used for political purposes or to provide tangible benefits to their donors or family members.

Grant Payments will be paid to the organization as soon as administratively possible after receipt of the signed acknowledgment. All monies should be used within one year from the grant award date. Any unspent funds should be returned to the Community Foundation of Harford County. If at any time those funds are misused, CFHC has the authority to withhold and/or recover grant funds.

We require that Impact Grant recipients:

• Allow CFHC to use any grant information and related photos it deems appropriate in media presentations, marketing publications, brochures and other publications that support the mission of CFHC.
• Complete and submit a brief Post- Grant Report within 12 months after the award has been granted. Completion of this form will be required before your organization can be considered for another Grant, unless special circumstances apply.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact CFHC with questions at 443-371-6062 or info@cfharfordcounty.org.

To submit an application click here cfharfordcounty.egrant.net.

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