Grants provide a maximum of $1,500 to enable nonprofit organizations and their leaders to develop competencies and skills that can make them more productive and sustainable, thus increasing the potential for them to enrich lives and to continue to carry out their mission.

Due to the COVID - 19 pandemic requests can include anything that would increase your ability to operate.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Strength of proposal for capacity building training - 40%

Projected improvement in organizational participation - 25%

Impact on organizations fundraising capacity - 25%

Reasonableness of proposed budget - 10%

Micro-grants are awarded to organizations providing service in Southeastern Illinois Counties. The 2020 application submission deadline is September 21, 2020. Awards will be announced by the end of November 2020, BUT grant money will not be sent until late January 2021. All grant activities must take place in 2021.

REQUIREMENTS

To be considered for a grant from the Nonprofit Capacity Building Micro-grant Program, organizations must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements:

1. The location(s) where you are located or provide services must be in Southeastern Illinois.
2. Your organization must pay no less than 20% of the total cost of the capacity building request.
   
3. Micro-grants will only support FUTURE opportunities between January 1 and December 31, 2021, not activities that have already occurred.
   
4. Organizations that received a micro-grant in 2020 are asked not to apply for 2021 funding. Those organizations may apply again in 2021 for 2022 funding.
   
5. Preference is given to organizations with an annual budget of less than 1 million dollars.
   
6. Organizations must be a public charity with tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Under certain circumstances, applications from public entities such as school districts, municipalities or unincorporated groups or associations may be considered. In all cases, the applicant organization must have a clear charitable purpose. Please contact our program staff if you have questions regarding eligibility.
7. Grants will NOT be made for program activities.
8. Reports for funded grants should be completed within 60 days of activity completion. You can copy and paste the following grant report link to your browser to complete your online report: https://app.smarterselect.com/programs/23114-Southeastern-Illinois-Community-Foundation 

Applying for a Micro-grant:

1. Identify an activity or product that meets the specific development needs of your organization. Requests can be in response to needs that have arisen due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Usual capacity building services include but are not limited to strategic planning, auditing, board and staff training, analysis of programs, cost centers, technology, and fundraising potential.
2. Complete the application no later than September 21, 2020.
   
3. The maximum grant is $1,500. The volume of grant requests usually exceeds the number of requests we can fund. Therefore, not all organizations that are eligible will receive funding, or at the level of funding requested.
   
4. Grant decisions will be made by the end of November 2020, BUT the money will not be available until late January 2021. Make sure that all grant requests are for activities in 2021.