Competitive Grants Criteria

Proposals are requested from IRS designated 501(c)(3) organizations with 509(a) status, for projects that serve the residents of Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties. (If an organization is headquartered outside of the Pioneer Valley, the project must directly benefit residents of these counties.)

Competitive Grants are made in the areas of arts, culture, education, environment, health, housing, and human services. The Community Foundation encourages creative and collaborative responses to existing or emerging problems or opportunities, and projects that leverage additional support for programs from other private and public funding sources.

The competitive grant program does not usually support requests for:

• endowments
• the same project less than one year apart
• projects that influence specific legislation or election campaigns
• academic or medical research
• requests for multi-year funding
• private education and religious organizations except for programs that serve broad community needs
• retroactive funding for projects that have been completed or will be completed prior to the grant award date
• fundraising events, the purchase of tickets for benefits, courtesy advertising
• replacement of governmental or other public funding except for grants, bridging periods before anticipated funding
• ongoing program costs except for limited support of critical programming. Applications may be considered provided there is documentation that the program has been successful and there is a plan for continued funding. If funding is recommended for support of ongoing programs, the approval of additional funding would be subject to a positive review of the program by the Distribution Committee at the conclusion of the previous year.

There may be rare instances where a nonprofit organization or program finds itself in a position where its very existence is in danger due to diminishing resources. Those which have carefully assessed their situation and have developed a strategy to assist in ending a program or generating the funds to remain active may be eligible to apply for funding. Organizational leadership seeking assistance should contact the Program Officer at 413-732-2858.