Community Impact Grants
Since 1972, the Community Foundation has powered nonprofit services and solutions that elevate our area’s people, places and possibilities. After its first grant of $2,500 to the local 211 Helpline, the Foundation has since placed over $200 million in the hands of more than 3,400 nonprofit partners to close opportunity gaps, address our most pressing needs and improve life for us all.
Donor-Driven Grantmaking
Last year, donors recommended about 85% of the more than $17 million awarded to nonprofit organizations from charitable funds managed by the Foundation. We award grants from charitable funds created by individuals, families, businesses and organizations to benefit nonprofit organizations doing personally meaningful work in our region, statewide, nationwide and even globally.
Donors can give through their funds to accomplish a great variety of charitable goals including:
- Make an annual gift to a place of worship
- Provide scholarships to high school students
- Improve a park or provide access to health care and arts opportunities
- Benefit a college alma mater
- Enhance job training programs, help a library, build affordable housing
- Support a child’s or grandchild’s school — public or parochial
- Give to charities in other states
- Support local charities when living elsewhere
Competitive Grantmaking
We are proud of our rich grantmaking history to over 3,400 local nonprofit partners. Our competitive grantmaking priorities are defined by our community’s greatest needs. We encourage organizations located within Palm Beach and Martin Counties, or that directly benefit our residents, to apply for competitive grants that support these critical areas of need:
Youth and Education
Programs that will lead young people to their fullest potential.
Economic Opportunity
Programs that focus on job training and workforce development that lead to greater economic success and an improved quality of life.
Thriving Communities
Programs that address a broad range of issues aligned with current community needs (e.g., arts and culture, environment, housing, mental health, community revitalization, etc.)
Crisis Preparation and Response
Direct-response grants to urgent needs within communities facing disaster or threat to safety and life.
Information For Grant Applicants
Are you interested in applying for a Community Impact Grant from the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties? Prospective grantees are encouraged to join one of our information sessions to hear from our Community Impact Team and ask questions about our upcoming grant cycle:
2022-2023 Information Session Dates
- Thursday, December 8 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Delray Beach - Click here to register
- Monday, December 12 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in West Palm Beach - Click here to register
- Tuesday, December 13 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - Virtual - Click here to register
- Wednesday, December 14 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Belle Glade - Click here to register
- Thursday, December 15 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Stuart - Click here to register
Our Timeline
Our timeline for nonprofits with year-round or summer programs is as follows:
- Letter of Inquiry (LOI) opens December 5, 2022
- Letter of Inquiry (LOI) closes January 6, 2023
- Full Proposal invited late February 2023
- Full Proposal due late March 2023
- Summer Program Awards in April
- Site visits in Mid-March/Early April 2023
- Grants awarded in June 2023
If you missed last year's Virtual Grant Seeker workshop, you can view the recorded session here.
For both year-round and summer programs we offer:
- Mini Grants of $500-$15,000
- Community Impact Grants of $10,001-$75,000
Application and reporting requirements will reflect the size of the grant. We suggest mini-grants for organizations that are newly established or have an annual budget of $250,000 or less.
Grant Timeline is subject to change.
Connect with us on social media to stay updated on our grant cycles.
Meet Our Community Impact Team
Who We Fund
The Community Foundation considers requests from charitable organizations that are tax exempt under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501(c)(3) and public charities under IRS Section 509 (a). Organizations operating under a fiscal sponsor with tax exempt status under IRS Section 501(c)(3) may also be considered.
We consider requests from organizations located within Palm Beach and Martin Counties or that directly benefit residents of Palm Beach and Martin Counties.
The Foundation welcomes organizations of all sizes to apply, and is dedicated to building the growth and capacity of small- and medium-sized nonprofits.
We do not consider competitive grant requests for any of the following:
- annual appeals
- capital campaigns or capital projects
- deficit financing
- for-profit, parochial, charter, private, or individual public schools
- fundraising events
- open space purchases
- nonprofit endowments
- requests for a specific individual
- requests to support religious or political causes, or to organizations organized for religious or political purposes
The Community Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, age, sexual orientation, or national origin. Applicants must hold similar standards. Grant applications from organizations known to have discriminatory policies are not considered.
