Frequently Asked
Questions

Complete the grant application in its entirety and submit by the posted deadline.

Our Community grants typically fund capital items – such as furniture, HVAC units, computers, etc. On occasion, the NOW grants committee will fund compelling new program or start-up projects only in the NOW grant cycle. The Field of Interest grants can be used for capital or program expenses, according to the terms of each endowment agreement.

The Community Foundation generally does not use grant funds for:

• Endowments
• Individuals
• Ongoing operating expenses
• Religious institutions
• Political organizations or candidates
• Programs or capital projects already completed
• Sponsorships

The Community Foundation has three funding cycles.

• Spring – Proposals requesting more than $10,000
• Fall – Proposals requesting more than $10,000
• NOW – Proposals requesting less than $10,000

We also have a category called Field of Interest. These grants are used to fund those requests that align with a specific purpose. (literacy, community beautification, etc)

All of our grant applications are reviewed by staff members to ensure they are eligible and that the proposal is complete. An incomplete proposal will not be submitted for review. If your application is complete and the requested item meets our guidelines, the grant application is passed onto the Grants Committee.

The Community Foundation Grants Committee consists of local business and community leaders who have expertise in a variety of areas.

The Grants Committee takes many criteria into consideration when reviewing grant applications. Some of them include:

• Has the organization partnered with any other organization to fund the project?
• Will the funding of this grant significantly impact the Greater Lafayette community?
• What community needs does this project address?
• Does the proposal meet one of our six priority areas?
• Will the organization be able to sustain the requested project?

• Arts and Humanities
• Education
• Environment and Animals
• Health
• Human Services
• Public Society/Benefit

You will generally hear back from us within 4 weeks after the deadline. You will receive either an “approval” or “decline” email from the Grants Director.

There are many reasons a proposal might get declined, but the biggest reason is that we receive many more requests than grant monies are available. Increased need and reduced funding in our community have made the process even more competitive.