Community Fund Grants Guidelines

Community Fund Grants Purpose 

Park City Community Foundation strives to create an enduring philanthropic community to benefit all the people of greater Park City. To this end, the Community Foundation established the Community Fund with the goal of providing unrestricted funding to local nonprofit organizations that support the health of our community.

Areas of Support 

Arts and culture, education, sports and recreation, children and families, physical or mental health and human services, youth services, conservation and environment, housing security, and other community-based efforts.

Types of Support 

Grant requests are for unrestricted support, including but not limited to operating, equipment, startup costs, consulting services, technical assistance, research, measurement & evaluation, demonstration, capacity building, and matching grants. An application may be submitted as a joint request from multiple organizations.

Community Fund Grants Timeline 

June 3: Application period opens.

July 3: Deadline to submit online application.

August 16: Applicants notified Grants Committee decision.

September 18: Annual Community Fund Celebration.

Grant Amounts 

Grants will fall in the range of $2,500-$15,000, depending on the amount available for distribution. The Steering Committee has authority to award grants outside of this range.

Steering Committee

The Community Fund Steering Committee is composed of eight members, at least one of which is a Community Foundation Board Member.  View the 2024 Community Fund Steering Committee >> 

Staff 

Community Foundation staff process and prepare grant applications for review by the Steering Committee. They serve and assist the committee and do not advise on grant award decisions. After grants are awarded, staff, committee members, and/or donors will participate in the grantee reporting process by way of virtual or in-person site visits (see reporting requirements below).

Eligibility  

Park City Community Foundation will consider grant applications from organizations meeting all the following eligibility requirements:

  • Serve people living or working in Summit County (Wasatch County will be considered, although grant making decisions will emphasize organizations based in Summit County that serve Summit County).
  • Qualify as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization under the Internal Revenue Code.
  • Applicants without 501(c)(3) status, but which have applied to the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) for such status, may apply. Receipt letter from the IRS of application is required at time of application to Park City Community Foundation.
  • Applicants without 501(c)(3) status, but which are operating under an organization qualified as a 501(c)(3) organization, may apply separately if they have the written consent of the qualified organization. In that case, the application must contain a letter of agreement between the two organizations, which sets forth the responsibilities of each organization.
  • Applicants that are not 501(c)(3) organizations but are implementing charitable activities for the benefit of the citizens of Summit County, should contact Park City Community Foundation before applying. Under some circumstances, they are eligible to be considered for funding but may be required to adhere to separate reporting measures and disbursement processes.

Only one application per organization or alliance per grant cycle will be considered. An alliance may be a collaborative effort between two or more nonprofit organizations. The alliance would then submit one application.

Restrictions

Grants will not be awarded for:
debt reductions or retiring past operating deficits
sponsorships, dinners, or one-time events
fellowships or other grants to individuals
loans
litigation
political campaigns
endowment funds
graduate and post-graduate research
purposes that further political or religious doctrine

Community Foundation’s Grantmaking Due Diligence Policy 

The Community Foundation will not make grants to organizations known to support, or who engage in activities, or who publish language that incites or engages in violence, intimidation, harassment, threats, or defamation targeting an individual or group based on their actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or physical or mental ability. These activities are contrary to Community Foundation’s mission and its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Review Criteria 

Once applications are screened per the Eligibility, Restrictions and Grantmaking Due Diligence Policy, the Community Fund Steering Committee will use the following 6 criteria to review applications. These criteria are not exclusive, and the committee reserves the right to use its own best judgment when making final grant awards.

  1. Mission Alignment: Proposal clearly communicates how the organization is aligned with Community Fund objectives to support thriving community and local nonprofit sector.
  2. Narrative: Applicant demonstrates how programs address a significant community challenge and will meaningfully serve members of the community.
  3. Potential Impact: Applicant clearly demonstrates goals and objectives and how they will lead to positive local impact (outcomes).
  4. Evaluating Success: Applicant provides a clear picture of how success will be measured.
  5. Access for Underrepresented Communities: Proposal clearly supports or gives access to underrepresented communities (e.g., Latinx community, people with physical or mental disability, non-native English speakers, LGBTQ+, etc.)
  6. Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Applicant demonstrates how racial equity is addressed within the organization and informs program development and implementation.
  7. Organizational Budget: Budget indicates organizational capacity and includes costs that are necessary and reasonable.

Multiyear Grants 

Park City Community Foundation makes a small number of multiyear Community Fund Grants. The Community Foundation will specifically invite selected organizations to submit applications that cover two- or three-year periods. Invitation is based on organizational alignment with the Community Foundation’s critical priorities and values, the organization’s demonstrated impact, and limited access to alternative Community Foundation funds. Award is determined by the Community Fund Steering Committee. Organizations not invited to submit a multiyear proposal should submit a regular annual grant proposal. Any multiyear grants awarded will be subject to annual renewal based on the results of annual site visits, funding availability, and any other factors at the discretion of the Steering Committee.

Organizations with an active multiyear grant may submit, before the annual grant application deadline, a simple letter requesting grant continuation, rather than submitting a full application. Please submit Community Fund grant continuation letters no later than July 3, 2024.

Application Information May be Shared with the Public 

Select information from applications may be shared. Any organization not wishing to have their information shared should contact minda@parkcitycf.org to request that their information not be shared.

Reporting Requirements 

Community Fund grantees may participate in a site visit in the spring following grant awards or submit a short grantee report. Site visits are a robust and engaging way to share your successes, lessons learned and vision with the Community Foundation and community members.

Publicity Guidelines 

As a recipient of a grant from Park City Community Foundation, it is important to the Community Foundation, our donors, and the community that the grantee publicize and recognize the philanthropic support that a grantee receives. Park City Community Foundation requires the following of grant recipients:

  1. Grantee agrees that a notice will be included in all announcements, promotional and other appropriate material stating: “This [activity/event/organization] is supported by a grant from Park City Community Foundation’s Community Fund.”
  2. Grantee agrees to include Park City Community Foundation’s Community Fund logo in all brochures, notices, signs, and plaques that recognize funders at events or on facilities. Please contact staff for a copy of the logo.

How to Apply 

Apply online beginning June 3, 2024 at https://www.grantinterface.com/Process/Apply?urlkey=parkcitycf

Only applications received through our online application system will be considered. Please do not submit applications via email or in hard copy. For technical questions or issues with the grants management system, including first time login assistance, feel reach out to Minda Boland (minda@parkcitycf.org).