Grant Criteria & Principles

Interested parties are encouraged to contact the Foundation to discuss their organization projects or needs. Foundation staff members are available to provide further details on the grantmaking process and can provide information needed to submit a proposal.

Grant applications are accepted from organizations recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code and that serve the greater Muskegon area.

Applications deadlines are February 15 (serving projects that begin after May 1) and August 15 (serving projects that begin after November 1).  

Criteria for Grantmaking

Grant applications will be evaluated in part on the following organizational characteristics:

  • Staff capacity/organizational capacity to complete project
  • Sound fiscal policy and responsible financial management
  • Board of Directors and staff composition that reflects the organization’s constituencies and ability to complete the proposed project
  • Capacity to measure results and conduct program evaluation
  • Evidence of collaboration and cooperation with other organizations where appropriate
  • Understanding of and ability to describe the relationship between the proposed project and other services and service providers within the community
  • A base of community and organizational financial and program support
Foundation staff and Grant Review Committee volunteers carefully review all applications. The Board of Trustees makes all final funding decisions.

The Community Foundation for Muskegon County accepts and administers gifts from many sources to help meet the needs of the community. Some Foundation grants are discretionary, while other grants are competitive with applications reviewed by independent grantmaking committees. Some grants are made from Funds designated by donors for specific organizations and institutions.
 
The Foundation serves two important constituencies: support for donors to optimize their charitable interests, and not-for-profit organizations to support a wide range of services that benefit the community.
  

Grant Making Principles

Core Grantmaking Principles of the Foundation include the following:
  • To encourage programs which are collaborative, comprehensive and have potential for sustainability
  • To encourage leveraging and matching grant opportunities from multiple funding sources
  • To provide start up or “seed” funding for innovative projects
  • To focus on the prevention of problems where possible rather than the cure
The Community Foundation for Muskegon County generally makes one-time grant commitments. Longer term commitments may be considered for initiatives that show exceptional promise for community impact.

The Community Foundation generally will not fund:
  • Routine operating expenses
  • Capital equipment, computer hardware, software and motor vehicles
  • Conferences, camps, publications, videos, films, television or radio programs
  • Conference speakers
  • Special events and endowment campaigns
  • Individual schools or districts
  • Religious programs that serve, or appear to serve specific religious denominations
  • Individuals
We encourage you to read our grant priorities and call and talk with a member of our Program Staff before you prepare and submit a proposal. All proposals are accepted via our online grant application process, eGRANT. For more information on eGRANT, click here.

To discuss your grant application interests, please contact Janelle Mair.


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