What is the Wyoming Community Foundation? THE WYOMING COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, established in 1989, is entrusted with the responsibility, through philanthropy, to ensure and enhance the quality of life for present and future generations of Wyoming people. As a community foundation, the Wyoming Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that attracts and holds in perpetuity charitable funds. Income from those funds is distributed primarily through grants to charitable nonprofit organizations, and is also used to support technical assistance to other nonprofits, provide leadership on select community issues, and advance the cause of organized philanthropy throughout Wyoming. The Wyoming Community Foundation strives to promote community building by supporting organizations, programs and initiatives that strengthen their communities by networking, bridging social capital, addressing local needs issues and sustaining valued Wyoming lifestyle qualities. The Wyoming Community Foundation realizes the importance of strengthening community infrastructure. The Wyoming Community Foundation makes grants from several types of funds, including, but not limited to: • • • Discretionary funds enable the Community Foundation to respond with maximum flexibility to emerging and future charitable needs within our communities. No restrictions are placed by donors on how these funds are to be used. Geographic or Field of Interest funds support charitable organizations and activities within a specific geographic area or within a particular charitable field such as arts and culture, conservation and natural resources, education, civic projects, and health and human services. Donor-Advised funds enable donors to recommend distributions to specific charities and activities. While such recommendations cannot be binding, the Community Foundation is pleased to have the opportunity to consider those recommendations when grants are decided upon. A Community Foundation for all Wyoming communities: From its beginning, the Wyoming Community Foundation has included local affiliate boards and advisory committees throughout the state to assist in evaluating area grant applications and seek out proactive grantmaking opportunities. Affiliate Boards Casper Area Community Foundation Community Foundation for Park County Community Foundation for the Sheridan-Johnson Area Rock Springs Area Community Foundation Evanston Community Foundation Kemmerer Foundation Fund Advisory Board Wyoming Women’s Foundation Advisory Board WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR FUNDING? Grants are made to nonprofit organizations exempt from federal taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and, on occasion, to public/governmental agencies. Grants are not made to individuals. WHAT ARE THE GRANTMAKING CRITERIA? The Wyoming Community Foundation focuses its grantmaking around the theme of community building. The Community Foundation gives priority to projects or organizations that promote: • • • • • Strengthening the capacity of nonprofit organizations to do their work. Leveraging dollars received from the WCF to obtain additional or future funding Collaboration with other non profits or programs to enhance services without duplication Raising the effectiveness of an organization or particular service to a higher level Focusing on or addressing a community issue or meeting a community need In addition to evaluating each proposal against the above priorities, the Community Foundation asks the following questions about each grant request: • • • Does the organization operate with optimal staff and make maximum use of volunteers? Does the organization demonstrate sound fiscal management practices? How will the work of the organization be evaluated? Awards generally range in amounts between $500 and $5000; grants of greater or lesser amounts may be considered. Please Note: Low priority is given to block grants, capital campaigns, annual campaigns, debt retirement, and government programs. Activities or programs for lobbying are ineligible for Community Foundation funding. Generally, an organization may apply only once within a twelve month period, and applications from organizations with outstanding final reports from prior grants will not be considered. WHAT IS THE APPLICATION PROCESS? ALL PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED, COMPLETE WITH ALL ITEMS, AT THE WYOMING COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OFFICE NO LATER THAN 5:00 P.M. ON THE DAY OF THE DEADLINE. PLEASE DO NOT BIND YOUR PROPOSAL. PROPOSALS SENT BY FAX OR E-MAIL WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. WHAT IS THE REVIEW PROCESS? The review process includes an initial staff screening, followed by an affiliate board or advisory committee review, an outside independent reader review, and a possible site visit. This process culminates with a distribution committee recommendation. Applicants are notified by mail of an award or decline within four months of an application deadline. WYOMING COMMUNITY FOUNDATION APPLICATION Please review the guidelines and eligibility criteria thoroughly prior to completing the application. Print or type your responses below. Complete the application in full and include required attachments. Please mail the completed application with ten (10) copies to the Wyoming Community Foundation. Applications must reach the Laramie office by 5: PM on one of the three annual deadline dates. Questions? Call us at 866-708-7878. Application Cover Sheet Date of Application: ORGANIZATION INFORMATION Legal Name of Organization (as it appears on your IRS exemption letter) Address City, State, Zip Telephone Fax Email Website Executive Director Phone Geographic Area Served by Organization Organization Description Other area organizations offering similar service Is your organization recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit? Tax ID# Date filed OR an applicant for 501(c)(3) status Yes Yes If not, is your organization a public/government agency? No No Yes No PROPOSAL INFORMATION Project Name Project Contact Phone Address Program/Project Support Type of support requesting Charitable Field General Operating Arts & Culture Civic Education Health & Human Services Dollar amount being requested Conservation & Natural Resources Total anticipated project budget Annual organization budget Proposal Summary (2-3 sentences): REQUIRED SIGNATURES Signature of Executive Director, President or Board Chair Name (Print or Type) Capital Date Narrative ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION Briefly describe the history and/or expertise of the organization: include your mission statement, objective and whom you have traditionally served (i.e. geographic area, ethnicity, income bracket, etc.) Relationship with other organizations providing similar services: describe your working relationship with these agencies or associations including any collaborative efforts and what makes your organization unique PURPOSE OF THE GRANT The problem or opportunity to be addressed and how that focus was determined Specific activities for which you seek monies, including: What you plan to do? Who will carry out those activities? When you plan to carry out those activities? Other organizations participating in the activity, if any Briefly describe the project activities or steps you will take to carry out your project. Include a timeline, key staff/or volunteers responsible for the main portions of the plan. EVALUATION What results or outcome do you believe you will achieve with the proposed project? How will it address the issue or need indicated in your grant purpose? How will you evaluate the progress and success of your project? Please include an explanation of how you plan to measure achievement toward your goals. Describe the strategies and tools you will use. If your project costs more than you are requesting from WYCF, how do plan to cover those costs. Please explain steps that have been or will be taken, to secure additional funding or in-kind support. (This section should offer explanation of items listed in the Income/Expense sections of the project budget form) Is this a one-time or a continuing project? If continuing, how will you support the project after the Community Foundation funding ends? FINANCIAL INFORMATION A. Budgets 1. Agency budget for the current fiscal year and the previous fiscal year - please use the Agency Budget Form below 2. For general operating support requests: expense and revenue budget for the year for which funding is requested (in addition to the agency budget) - please use the Project Budget Form below 3. For program/project requests: expense and revenue budget for program/project (in addition to the agency budget) - please use the Project Budget Form below B. Financial Statements 1. Based upon total annual revenues, the proposal must include one of the following: • For annual revenues greater than $300,000, an audit or financial review by a Certified Public Accountant, which includes an Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Statement of Cash Flows for your organization’s most recently completed fiscal year. • For annual revenues less than $25,000, an Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Statement of Cash Flows prepared by your organization for your most recently completed fiscal year. 2. The proposal must also include an Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Statement of Cash Flows, prepared by your organization for the year-to-date through the most recently completed operating month. Note: if applying through a sponsoring agency, please include appropriate financials. ATTACHMENTS ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ List of board members and their professional affiliations List of key employees, including position and length of employment Letters of support from any cooperating organizations Copy of 501(c)(3) determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service Final report for previously funded grant, if applicable Wyoming Community Foundation Project Budget Form Applicant Project Time period this budget covers Project Expenses: List expense items for this project in the table below. Expense Item Amount Requested from WCF In-kind Donations $ from other sources Total Budget Salaries/Fringe Benefits $0.00 Payroll taxes $0.00 Consultant & Professional Fees $0.00 Insurance $0.00 Travel $0.00 Equipment $0.00 Supplies $0.00 Printing & Copying $0.00 Telephone & Fax $0.00 Postage & Shipping $0.00 Rent $0.00 Utilities $0.00 Maintenance & Repairs $0.00 Training $0.00 Marketing $0.00 Other (specify) $0.00 Total Project Expense $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Project Income: List each actual and/or anticipated source of funding for this project. Funding Sources Wyoming Community Foundation Grant Grants/Contracts/Contributions Government Foundations (itemize) Corporations (itemize) Individuals Other (specify) Earned Income Events Publications & Products Membership Income Other (specify) Amount Funds Committed Funds Requested Wyoming Community Foundation Agency Budget Form Applicant Current Fiscal Year Previous Fiscal Year Agency Expenses: Expense Item Current FYE Previous FYE $0.00 $0.00 Current FYE Previous FYE Salaries/Fringe Benefits Payroll taxes Consultant & Professional Fees Insurance Travel Equipment Supplies Printing & Copying Telephone & Fax Postage & Shipping Rent Utilities Maintenance & Repairs Training Marketing Other (specify) Total Expense Agency Revenue: Funding Sources Grants/Contracts/Contributions Government Foundations (itemize) Corporations (itemize) Individuals Other (specify) Earned Income Events Publications & Products Membership Income Other (specify) APPLICATION CHECKLIST ______Application cover sheet with authorized signatures. ______Proposal narrative and all financial information. ______Attachments: list of board members and their professional affiliations, list of key employees, including position and length of employment, letters of support from any cooperating organizations, copy of 501(c)(3) determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service, final report for previously funded grant, if applicable ______Original and ten(10) complete copies of the application, including all attachments (PLEASE DO NOT BIND). SEND APPLICATION TO: Wyoming Community Foundation 221 Ivinson, Suite 202 Laramie, WY 82070-3038 307-721-8300 (Laramie) 307-577-0648 (Casper) APPLICATIONS SENT BY FAX OR E-MAIL WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED IN OUR STATEWIDE OFFICE IN LARAMIE BY 5:00 P.M. ON THE FOLLOWING DATES: Applications are due: July 1 November 1 March 1 For written notification by: October 15 March 15 June 15 Wyoming Community Foundation 221 Ivinson Avenue, Suite 202 Laramie, WY 82070-3038