The Foundation has not changed its policies regarding ineligible projects or recipients. Information on eligibility and funding limitations can be found in our grant guidelines.

First, determine if your organization is eligible. Second, discern if your project fits within the grant priorities of the Foundation. Third, if you determine that the project does align with our priorities, follow the instructions provided in the How to Apply section.

The application can be submitted by using the Foundation’s online system. Visit the How to Apply page for information about the online system and registering your organization.

Organizations applying for a Basic Human Needs Fund grant may request general operating support.

Yes, it is possible that your organization may be awarded a smaller grant than requested.

The Foundation does not currently offer multi-year grants, but hopes to in the near future.

The Foundation funds nonprofit agencies with evidence of tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that are not classified as private foundations. The Foundation also accepts applications from agencies that operate under an eligible nonprofit fiscal sponsor. Our staff verifies the nonprofit status of all applicant nonprofits and fiscal sponsors using Guidestar.

If your agency has completed the requirements of all previous Foundation grants, including the final grant report, you may be eligible to submit an application. Please review the Foundation’s current funding opportunities to be sure your program fits within our priorities.

Any material change that may affect the Foundation’s evaluation and decision should be brought to the attention of the staff as soon as possible.

Organizations may not apply directly to donor advised funds. Grants from these funds are made at the sole discretion of the donor, whose areas of interest may be very different from the Foundation’s grant priorities.

While the Foundation does not expect every grant recipient to invest in publicizing the grant, the primary responsibility for publicizing a grant award rests with the grant recipient. The Foundation greatly encourages recipients to publicize their award and their good work. Any publicity of or reference to a Foundation grant must be approved by Foundation staff. Grant recipients will receive a copy of the Grant Recipient Toolkit, which provides helpful information regarding publicity of your grant and work. Any questions regarding publicity, logo or press releases should be emailed to [email protected].

In addition, all grants made by the Foundation will be noted in the Foundation’s publications and may be subject to additional publicity by the Foundation.

Any proposal submitted for consideration by the Foundation must fit our grant guidelines and requirements. Staff will be available to provide feedback regarding project declination. An eligible organization may re-apply by submitting a new application.

The Foundation’s evaluation of an organization and/or its proposed projects may, on occasion, be shared with other funding sources, including donors.

Please contact [email protected].

A key component of the Foundation’s mission is to support philanthropy by assisting current and prospective donors in identifying appropriate giving vehicles, finding worthy charitable recipients and planning an efficient and effective way to reach their philanthropic goals.

Please visit our resources for donors for more information about how the Foundation can help facilitate your desire to improve the future of Lake County.