Grant Opportunities

What is a Transformational Grant?

• Transformational Grants are designed to support a charitable organization (or a group of organizations) through the expansion of an idea or assist with a work in progress that will lead to organizational advancement.
• Transformational Grantees must focus on the values of their mission and produce measurable results that positively impact the community as a whole.

Transformational Grant Details

• Up to three Transformational Grants will be awarded per year.
• Organizations must apply annually, and are eligible to receive up to $75,000 per year.
• Organizations are eligible to win up to three years in a row for a possible total of $225,000.
• Collaboration among agencies is required and will be considered during the review process. Letters of support from collaborating organizations on their official letterhead will be required to apply.
• Transformational Grantees and The Foundation are partners and will work together on collaborative efforts. As such, there are additional requirements for the application, reporting, and publicity related to Transformational Grants. Details are listed below in the appropriate sections. 

Timeline for Transformational Grants

Transformational Grant Application Process

Detailed instructions for applying to the 2021 Transformational Grants are included in the RFP which can be accessed through The Foundation’s Foundant Grant Portal. Please note this is a new grant application portal. If you need to access previously submitted grant application information, log in to last year’s system, Grant Central.

1. Applicants must attend a Transformational Grant Informational Workshop to be eligible to apply. RSVP HERE
2. A Letter of Intent will be required and select eligible applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal.
3. Applicants invited to submit a full proposal must attend a second workshop outlining Logic Models pertaining to Transformational Grants and should incorporate that information into their grant application. RSVP HERE
4. Finalists will be invited to give a brief presentation to members of The Foundation’s Board of Directors.
5. Transformational Grant recipients will be notified and a site visit will be scheduled to present a check.

Apply for Grant

Note: All applications must be completed and submitted to The Community Foundation for McHenry County by 11:59 p.m. on the day of the deadline. Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

Arts & Culture for Woodstock

This fund was established in 2021 to honor the contributions of Woodstock’s longest-serving Mayor, Dr. Brian Sager, upon his retirement, and the legacy of arts and entertainment made possible through his dedicated leadership and creative talent.

APPLY

Criteria:
The Arts & Culture for Woodstock Fund (ACFW) originated through private donations of a core group of Woodstock residents.  It is promoted and will continue to grow as a Donor Advised Fund under the investment management of Community Foundation for McHenry County.  Competitive applications are welcomed annually, as fund balances allow, from state and federally recognized tax-exempt, not-for-profit organizations and governmental entities only.  Funds of up to $2,500 per organization per year may be requested for:

• Performing or visual arts events including concerts, theatre, spoken word or video productions
• Artistic, cultural or educational programs or exhibitions
• All funded programs and events must showcase Woodstock talent in Woodstock venues open to public enjoyment or otherwise benefitting Woodstock artists

Award Structure and Process:

• Funds will be awarded on an annual grant cycle that will be posted and publicized locally.
• Funds of up to $2,500 may be requested through a formal application process
• Applications may be totally funded, partially funded, or deemed ineligible at the discretion of the ACFW Fund.
• Checks will be issued upon notification of awards.
• Final Reports are required at the end of the grant cycle.

Priorities:
When requesting funds, keep in mind priority is given to projects that:

• Showcase Woodstock’s diverse artistic talent;
• Offer affordable and varied cultural experiences for Woodstock residents and visitors;
• Foster support of Woodstock businesses, restaurants and attractions;
• Attract positive coverage in local, regional and national media;
• Yield benefits to the community for the resources invested;
• Credit Arts & Culture for Woodstock Fund in promotional materials;
• Encourage participation by older or diverse residents, as performers or audience members;
• Promote cooperation among event organizers to reduce costs.

Limitations:
Not every worthwhile project can be funded. In general, the following are not considered for funding:

• Individuals.
• Organizations that influence, promote, or support political candidates or political philosophies.
• Organizations whose primary purpose is to influence, promote, or attempt to initiate legislation.
• Funding for travel outside of Woodstock.
• For-profit ventures.
• Budget deficits incurred prior to application.
• Endowments.
• Fundraising. Funds must be used by the applicant to offer cultural experiences in Woodstock.
• Purchase of permanent equipment.
• Funds must be used by the applicant, and for the general purposes outlined above. Applicant may partner with a sponsoring organization but may not provide funding received to a secondary organization.

Review of Grant Requests:

Additional evaluation criteria considered by the ACFW Fund will include the following:

1. Organization 
   • Is the organization structured and managed to assure successful project completion?
   • Are the resources of the organization consistent to fund its programs?
   • How does the organization’s program/event benefit the Woodstock community?
   • Can the organization’s efforts be monitored conveniently?
   • Has the organization applied for funding before? Was a Final Report submitted in a timely and complete manner? Were funds used as requested?

2. Project 

1. • Why should the ACFW Fund support this project?
   • Does the project enhance Woodstock’s arts & culture appeal?
   • Will funds from ACFW bring about desired program objectives?
   • Does the project duplicate or counteract other interests?

3. Application 

1. • Was the Application typed, signed, legible and presented neatly?
   • Were all questions sufficiently answered?
   • Was the Application received electronically by the designated date/time?
   • Was the previous year’s Final Report (if required) submitted by the designated date/time?

Timeline:

October 31st            Application period opens

December 31st        Completed Applications due

January 31st            Awards announced and checks issued

November 30th        Final Report due

Contact:
Should you have any questions or need additional information, please contact 815-338-4483 or connect@thecfmc.org.

Please review the following criteria for The Foundation’s grant opportunities. If you have questions, please contact us at connect@thecfmc.org or 815-338-4483.

Eligible Organizations

Transformational Grant opportunities are available to charitable organizations that fit the following criteria:

• 501(c)(3) public charities in good standing in the state of Illinois.
• Units of local government.
• Not-for-profit educational institutions.
• Faith-based and religious organizations are eligible to apply, provided that the funded program/project does not promote or require religious doctrine.
• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status must use a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor and must identify their fiscal sponsor prior to submission of their application.
• Organizations are eligible to receive Transformational Grant funding up to three consecutive years through our competitive grant process. After three consecutive years of funding, organizations will not be eligible to apply to receive grant funding through this opportunity for one year. If you have questions about your organization’s eligibility, please contact us at connect@thecfmc.org.

Mission Grant opportunities are available to charitable organizations that fit the following criteria:

• 501(c)(3) public charities in good standing in the state of Illinois.
• Units of local government.
• Not-for-profit educational institutions.
• Faith-based and religious organizations that are registered 501(c)(3) public charities are eligible to apply, provided that the funds are used only for a program/project that does not promote or require religious doctrine.
• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status must use a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor and must identify their fiscal sponsor prior to submission of their application.

Any organization that applies to any of The Community Foundation for McHenry County’s grant opportunities should be located in McHenry County or able to demonstrate significant impact within McHenry County.

Additional Guidelines

• Grants are made for one year only and funded projects must be completed one year from receipt of the check. Reporting is required for all funded projects.
• The Foundation encourages collaboration in both execution and funding of projects.
• The Foundation supports projects which have been planned in light of overall community needs and which do not duplicate existing services.
• Applications that demonstrate a capacity to be sustainable in the future are favorable.

Governmental Compliance

All organizations must be compliant with appropriate government agencies. The Foundation’s staff will verify through the websites listed below. If there is a discrepancy, The Foundation may reach out to organizations to provide proof of compliance.

• Exempt organizations must be recognized as tax-exempt and in good standing with the IRS, with timely filed information returns (federal form 990).
• All organizations must be corporations in good standing with the Illinois Secretary of State.

Your status can be verified electronically, as follows:

• Internal Revenue Service
• Illinois Secretary of State

Number of Submissions

• An organization may only submit one application each for The Foundation’s Transformational Grants and Mission Grants funding opportunities per year.
• Update as of January 28, 2021. Eligible charitable organizations may now receive more than one competitive grant over the course of The Foundation’s fiscal year, October 1 – September 30.
• Update as of January 28, 2021. Organizations that apply and are awarded a Transformational Grant may also submit an application for a Mission Grant within the same fiscal year.

Not to Be Considered

The Community Foundation for McHenry County does not fund:

• Individuals.
• Endowment campaigns.
• Political campaigns or endeavors.
• Programs that require adherence to a particular religious belief or practice to receive services (faith-based organizations serving the community-at-large will be considered).

Applications are reviewed using a standard rubric and scoring system for each type of grant opportunity. The grant scoring systems for Transformational Grants and Mission Grants will be discussed at the associated grant workshops.

Things to Consider:

• Funding in previous years does not imply continued support. Each application is reviewed in the context of current policies and applications.
• Previous reporting will be taken into consideration when determining the eligibility of an organization to apply for a grant and may impact a grant application’s overall score.
• Important factors that will be reviewed include proposed outcomes (impact) and evaluation strategy, a budget specific to McHenry County, collaboration among charitable organizations, and more.

Accurate and complete reporting is required for all grant opportunities. Report forms and reminders will be sent out prior to reporting deadlines for all Community Grants.

Two reports are required for all Community Grants:

1. A mid-term report will be due six months from the receipt of funding.
2. A final report is due one year from the receipt of funding.

In addition to these reports, Transformational Grant recipients will be required to schedule two to three site visits throughout the year for (but not limited to) staff of The Foundation.

As part of the reporting process, all grantees must provide stories of impact and photos to be used by The Foundation to share your missions and activities with the community.

• Please note: All people included in photos must sign a Media Release Form. For individuals under the age of 18, a parent or legal guardian must sign a Media Release Form.
• The Foundation will not accept photos without a signed release form. Reports including photos submitted without signed release forms will not be accepted.
• Click here to download The Foundation’s Media Release Form.

Note: Grants funded through Donor Advised Funds may have the same reporting requirements as Competitive Grants. Please plan to send a thank you note to The Community Foundation for McHenry County, which will be forwarded to the Fund Advisor(s). Additionally, any updates provided to The Foundation will be shared with the Fund Advisor(s).