Ask Us Anything
We are your premier partner in Giving for Good. With our donors and nonprofits, we lead philanthropy locally to close the gaps on current and chronic challenges. We work to strengthen every corner of our counties through transformative grantmaking and scholarships. And we have been helping our region rise for over 50 years.
We require that all applicant organizations are designated as current 501(c)(3) organizations from the IRS and are in good standing with the State of Florida. An organization who does not have 501(c)(3) status to apply using a fiscal sponsor with tax exempt status.
Applying for a grant is simple on our new Online Grant Interface.
Yes. Our current priorities include:
Economic Opportunity
Organizations that improve human capital by creating opportunities for strategic and effective workforce preparation leading to economic sufficiency.
Education and Youth
Organizations that provide youth with the opportunity to reach their fullest potential.
Thriving Communities
Organizations that address a broad range of community needs so that residents can live healthy and vibrant lives.
Capacity Building
Organizations that support, develop, and promote a network of services and resources that strengthen the quality and impact of the local nonprofit sector and community.
No. Nonprofit organizations are only allowed to apply once under one area.
For year-round requests, the Community Foundation staff will review all Letters of Inquiry (LOI) and invite a select number of applicants to submit a full proposal. Summer requests follow a one-step application process. Community Foundation staff will review and rate all proposals and may arrange site visits as needed. Final grant decisions will be recommended by the Community Impact Committee and approved by the Board of Directors.
Throughout the lifecycle of the grant, the Community Impact team will make regular contact or visits with grantees to communicate on the success of the project. Grantees are required to give periodic progress updates and reports, as specified in the grant agreement.
Yes, each application is considered on its own merits. Our competitive process is typically open only once a year so contact Community Impact staff to check on the current grant cycle.
An organization can apply once during the competitive grantmaking cycle.
Grants from donor-advised funds are made to nonprofit organizations based on the donor’s areas of interest. For many of the donor-advised funds, there is no formal application process. Our staff may request a brief proposal from specific organizations that meet donor intent.
Staff often work with our fundholders to identify opportunities which match their interests for philanthropic investments. Because of this, we highly recommend that you keep the Community Impact staff abreast of current projects or events you may be having.
We do not consider competitive grant requests for any of the following:
Fundraising
- Annual appeals
- Capital campaigns or projects
- Event underwriting
- Agency endowments
- Debts and budget deficits
Programs
- Intended for regranting
- Programs that received a competitive Community Foundation grant for three consecutive years
- Note: Organizations that have receive 3 consecutive years of competitive funding may reapply after 1 year, and/or apply with a different program
Organizations and Individuals
- Support to pay off loans and debts
- General operating support for organizations with HQ located outside of Palm Beach and Martin Counties
- Parochial schools or programs, charter schools, private school, and individual public schools
- Specific individuals
- Discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, disability, gender, veteran status, sexual orientation, or age
- Religious organizations that require religious activity for participation, employ staff based on certain religious beliefs, or seek funding for religious activities (still being reviewed by legal)
- Anything outside of the organization’s general course of goods and services
Yes, provided the funds are not used for religious purposes.
The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, age, sexual orientation, or national origin. Applicants for grants from the Community Foundation must hold similar standards. Competitive grant applications from organizations known to have discriminatory policies will not be considered.
In order to better support nonprofits, we have adjusted our timeline to ensure that award notifications and payments are sent out prior to mid-May. Summer grant applications will be evaluated with the same timeline described above.
We do not provide assistance with writing proposals. We recommend checking out the resources available on Nonprofits First’s website and contacting them if you are in need of grant-writing assistance.
Staff time is quite limited due to the sheer volume of requests. However, we are happy to talk over the phone to clarify eligibility questions or technology issues provided there is adequate time. We do not review or critique individual proposals or answers.
No. However, if you are a graduating high school senior, please refer to our scholarship page to learn more about that program.
