FOCUS GRANT GUIDELINES

The purpose of the Focus Grant Program is to support organization-changing initiatives that have the promise of enabling an organization to move to another level of service and sustainability.

Applications must include full documentation of both the need and the anticipated and measurable outcome. In making grants, we give priority to organizations with relatively modest financial resources where a Focus Grant between $2,000 and $5,000 will have a significant impact.

Grant Duration and Amounts
• The Foundation typically awards one-year grants that range from $2,000 to $5,000 and may make a total commitment for up to three years not to exceed $10,000.
• We consider multi-year grants applications, when an organization needs more than one year to reach the goals or stated outcomes of a project. Multi-year grant applications are reviewed annually. Grant recipients must submit a Grant Follow-Up Report enabling the foundation to determine whether the grant should be renewed and upon what basis. Given that the three-year total may not exceed $10,000, we look for proposals that include a viable plan for assuming the on going cost of the project in the operating budget.

Focus Grant Applications must describe the direct impact upon at least one of the foundation’s five priorities
• Fire and Safety
• Health and Social Services
• Recreation and the Environment
• Education
• Community and the Arts

In each proposal, we look for evidence of
• well developed plans
• strong support (staff, volunteers, financial) from the organization itself
• a resourceful approach to increasing interest and financial support from the community served by the project and the organization
• committed and skilled leadership

Five Categories of Focus Grant Review Criteria
1. Community Need
• The application should have a target area of need that encompasses several towns we serve
• Is the need clearly articulated?

2. Project Viability
• Does the project propose an effective strategy to address the need?
• Is the proposed budget reasonable to accomplish the project goals?
• Is adequate staffing proposed for the project?
• Are the project goals reachable?
• What additional funding will be available if project is beyond the scope of the Foundation’s support?

3. Organizational Capacity
• Does the organization have the capacity to carry out the proposed project?
• What is the past funding history, if any, with the Foundation?
• Does the organization demonstrate the fiscal capacity to handle the grant?

4. Measurable Outcome
• How well do the measurable outcome(s) correlate well with the project goals?
• Will the project outcomes have a meaningful impact?

5.How will the organization be different after the completion of the project? For example will
• A new level of service for the organization be realized?
• The project or organization be in a stronger position to sustain its goals?

Click here to download the application.

STRATTON MOUNTAIN & VALLEY COMMUNITY BENEFIT FOUNDATION
P.O. BOX 431· BONDVILLE, VT · 05340

TELEPHONE: 802-297-2096