What you need to know about the new application cycles
For several months, our Grantmaking & Community Leadership staff have been hard at work trying to answer a single question – how can we make our grants processes more efficient at Coastal Community Foundation?
Part of that discussion entailed competitive grants. With dozens of competitive grant programs running year-round with different deadlines and applications, and many organizations applying for multiple funding programs, how could we make the process more efficient for both CCF staff and applying nonprofits?
To answer that question, starting in 2017, CCF competitive grant programs will run through two primary grant cycles in January and June. Most of our grant applications will run through these cycles.
How did we get here?
Our staff analyzed which programs had overlapping application criteria, which funds saw the same nonprofits applying and when in the year these programs were already running. We also looked at which staff members were managing each program and how that fit in with other work, like scholarships.
How does it work?
Programs with January deadlines are part of our Specialized Grant Cycle. These are funding programs with specific criteria based on issue served, nonprofit size and/or geographical focus. Although each program will still require a different application, our research found that most nonprofit applicants would only qualify for one program in this cycle.
January programs include:
- Charles Webb-Ed Croft Endowment Fund
- Griffith-Reyburn Lowcountry Artist of the Year Award
- The N.E.W. Fund
- Winthrop Family Fund
June is when things might look most different for nonprofit applicants. Home to our new Regional Grant Cycle, this is an open cycle for which most nonprofits in our service area will be eligible to apply for a grant.
We did this by creating a common grant application that will automatically consider each nonprofit applicant for the programs it is eligible for. Most of our geographically-based funding programs support this grant cycle, and include:
- The Beaufort Fund
- Dorchester County Fund
- Home Community Fund
- Giving Back to Berkeley County Fund
- Open Grants
Horry County nonprofits can apply for funding through Waccamaw Community Foundation’s July grant cycle. Although most Georgetown County nonprofits are not eligible to apply through our Regional Grant Cycle (they may qualify for one of the Frances P. Bunnelle Foundation’s grant cycles), Georgetown County arts organizations do qualify to apply.
How can I learn more?
January cycle applications will be made available on the online portal starting Monday, November 7, with applications due Friday, January 27. If you have additional questions about our new grant cycles, we encourage you to look at our Grant FAQs, List of Grants page or contact us at grants@coastalcommunityfoundation.org.
