GRANT GUIDELINES

The Community Foundation of Shreveport-Bossier maintains a pool of charitable funds given by donors. The income from these funds is used to enhance the quality of life for all residents in the Shreveport-Bossier area.

All organizations interested in submitting a proposal must have a representative attend one of the Foundation's grant training sessions prior to application submission.

Upcoming Training Dates:

Wed., June 18 at 10 AM

Thurs., June 19 at 2 PM

Reservations are required and can be made by contacting Sherry Carswell at carswell@comfoundsb.org or (318) 221-0582. Each session is conducted by a member of the Foundation staff. Attendance is limited in order to allow time for questions. The workshop is not the time to submit your proposal, but an opportunity to learn more about the grant application and review process.

The Community Foundation of Shreveport-Bossier considers grant requests on the basis of the following policies:

1. Grants are made by the Foundation to improve the quality of life in Caddo and Bossier Parishes, Louisiana. Grants are made only to nonprofit organizations exempt from federal taxation under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Grants are awarded only for definite projects covering specific periods of time. Grants are ordinarily made for one year only. Multi-year grants are generally discouraged.The Foundation will rarely be the sole funder of a program/project and encourages the participation of others in funding projects. On occasion the Foundation provides matching funds or challenge grants.

2. The Foundation operates without discrimination as to age, race, religion, sex or national origin in the consideration of grant requests, and will award grants only to agencies and organizations which do not discriminate as to age, race, religion, sex or national origin.

THE FOUNDATION TYPICALLY DOES NOT FUND:

1. Grants made for political or religious purposes. (This does not preclude consideration of requests by congregation-affiliated or congregation supported organizations for education, health or human service projects operated on a non-sectarian basis for an inclusive population.)

2. Grants to retire indebtedness or for the payment of interest or taxes.

3. Grants to establish or add to endowment funds.

4. Grants to support general operating expenses or annual sustaining fund drives. On occasion, the Foundation may provide such support on a short-term basis when it is critical to the survival of a key agency or program which has been placed in jeopardy by changes in funding patterns, or for other exceptional reasons.

5. Grants to capital (brick and mortar) campaigns if the Foundation’s contribution is no more than a small fraction of the total need. (If funded, capital grants are paid one-half at the beginning of the construction project and one-half at the end of the construction project.)

6. Grants for which there are no alternative funds to replace the Foundation’s initial grant.

WHAT WE LOOK FOR:

Due to increased competition for grant dollars, limited availability of grant dollars and the need to better assess the impact of the Foundation’s investment, a successful grant request must include an effective mechanism for measuring program effectiveness. Grant proposals should include concrete goals, time-lines, objectives and measurable outcomes to evaluate the success of the program and the impact of support by the Foundation.

The Foundation funds a wide variety of projects. Each grant cycle the Foundation receives more qualified applications than available funding. In order to make the greatest impact with the available funds, the Foundation gives careful consideration to:

• Non-duplicative services unless there is a clear need for additional services; degree to which the applicant works with or complements the services of other community organizations in an attempt to eliminate duplication of services

• Collaborative efforts involving other organizations or agencies

• Critical community needs or opportunities and strategic impact of the request

• Projects or activities that are preventive rather than remedial

• Clearly stated goals, time-lines, objectives and measurable outcomes

• Effective mechanism for measuring impact of the grant

• Ability of organization to provide ongoing funding after the term of the grant has expired

• Pilot projects that, if successful, can be duplicated by other organizations

PROGRAM AREAS

Generally, grants are awarded in the following program areas:

• Arts & Culture

• Civic

• Education

• Environment

• Health/Science

• Human Services

• Organizational Development / Capacity Building (activities that strengthen an organization and help to better fulfill its mission)

• Religion

APPLYING ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD:

• Demonstrate the expertise and experience necessary to accomplish the project

• Operate under sound financial principles

• Have a plan for ongoing financial and community support to insure the future of the organization and program

• Begin the project within 6 months of grant award

• Commit that no part of any grant awarded will go to a divisional, regional or national umbrella group under which the agency operates and that all dollars will be used exclusively for the local project of program for which the grant is requested.

LIMITATIONS & RESTRICTIONS:

Geographic area: The Foundation only considers grant applications from nonprofit organizations that enhance the quality of life in Caddo and Bossier Parishes, Louisiana.

IRS status: All applicants must have tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code or are described as an appropriate beneficiary for a community foundation under the IRS Code. Agencies must have received 501(c)(3) status prior to applying to the Foundation.

Multi-department/branch agencies: Requests from large organizations with many branches or departments (e.g. colleges, universities and school systems) must come through the President’s Office or its designee.

Previous grantee submissions: Any organization that has previously been awarded a grant is not eligible to submit another proposal for a similar project in the next grant cycle. An evaluation report from the previous grant must be submitted prior to the receipt of another application.

Funding request: Various factors influence the Foundation’s decision-making process, including the potential impact that the program/project is likely to have on the community. As the value of a program/project does not always correspond with the capital required to enact it, the Foundation does not restrict the amount of grant requests. The Foundation determines the merits of a program/project first and then evaluates the cost. Organizations which have not previously received a Foundation grant are encouraged to limit their funding request to a conservative amount.

GRANT PROCESS:

1. Pre-submission: Attend Grant Training Session
2. Application: Submit a completed application along with required documentation. Only completed applications will be considered. Institutions with multiple departments or sites must apply through the President’s Office or Development Office.
3. Staff Reviews: Staff reviews every application thoroughly. You will be contacted if a site visit, meeting at the Foundation office or a phone conference is needed to discuss the program/project in more detail.
4. Revision: Advise the Director of Programs should any circumstances arise which would change or affect any aspect of the proposal.
5. Due Diligence: Meetings with applicants, site visits, a meeting at the Foundation’s office or a phone conference to discuss the proposal in detail may be arranged to clarify understanding of the proposed project and the organization. The Foundation initiates this process.
6. Board Review: The Foundation's board reviews applications and makes the final decision as to all grant awards.
7. Notification: All applicants receive written notification within two (2) weeks of the board’s decision. Applicants who receive grant awards must sign a funding agreement and are expected to adhere to the stipulated terms.