2023 Impact Grants – The Application is Now Closed for 2023.

Impact Grant Funding Priorities: Description and Goals

The Foundation for Delaware County’s 2023 Impact Grants Request for Proposals launches our fourth competitive grantmaking cycle. While we make some grants from Donor-Advised Funds as well as restricted and specialized funds, the grants awarded through this competitive grant process will advance the Foundation’s goal to improve the health and quality of life of children and families in Delaware County.

For the current funding cycle, the Foundation will consider awarding grant funds in the following funding priorities designed to address many social determinants of health:

Children’s Health and Well-Being (Infants to ages 18)

Behavioral Health. The Foundation will consider awarding grants to organizations that offer education, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and supportive services to help families and children experiencing mental health and substance use disorders in Delaware County.

Children’s Health and Nutrition. The Foundation will consider awarding grants that expand and improve services to low-income children and their families in areas such as: primary preventive care, lead screening, asthma treatment, immunization, oral care, nutrition, vision care, and developmental services in Delaware County. In addition, grant funds may be used to support advocacy efforts to benefit children and for children’s programming.

Crime and Violence Prevention. The Foundation will consider awarding grants to organizations with the primary focus of reducing crime and violence and improving youth well-being. Programs or initiatives should employ evidence-based, comprehensive approaches to address the multiple factors impacting crime and violence.

Education

Early Childhood Education and Development. The Foundation will consider awarding grants to support early childhood programs that promote early development (formally and informally) from birth up to the age of six.

Elementary and Middle School. The Foundation will consider awarding grants to support programs and initiatives that provide academic support to elementary and middle school-age students. Efforts may include out-of-school-time (OST) academic programs.

Vocational and Job Training. The Foundation will consider awarding grants to organizations that help prepare youth for further education and successful careers. Funding requested can include specific classes offered to learners to train for a job or career.

Maternity and Prenatal/Postnatal Care. The Foundation will consider awarding grants that expand quality services to vulnerable mothers and infants, early entry into prenatal care, routine prenatal and postpartum care, pregnancy spacing, and other supportive services that decrease maternal mortality and infant mortality/morbidity and increase early childhood growth and development.

Preventive Health Care. The Foundation will consider awarding grants to organizations that improve/expand preventive healthcare services to low-income and vulnerable children in Delaware County.

Youth Development. The Foundation will consider awarding grants to support initiatives and interventions that enhance strengths, promotes positive outcomes, and prepare young people to reach their full potential.

Community and Economic Development

The Foundation will consider awarding strategic investment grants to enhance community and economic development strategies in Delaware County. This could include arts and culture initiatives that catalyze community and economic development. In addition, the Foundation will support impact assessments and other strategic planning efforts to attract public/private investments to support an increase in affordable housing and the supply of stable housing in low-income communities.

Community Mental Health Services

The Foundation will consider awarding grants to organizations that offer education, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and supportive services to help adults experiencing mental health challenges in Delaware County.

Food Security

The Foundation will consider awarding grants to organizations that strengthen the emergency food safety net in Delaware County. Proposals should enhance the availability, quality, variety, or desirability (culturally appropriate) of food and involve coordinating emergency food services.

Hospice and Home Care

The Foundation will consider awarding grants to organizations providing hospice and home healthcare services for low-income, disabled, and vulnerable senior citizens in Delaware County. Unfortunately, multi-year grants are not available for this funding priority.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Types of grants to be funded

There will be a limited number of multi-year grants (up to 3 years) available.

Organizations can apply for only ONE grant per year or a multi-year period.

Types of grants that will be considered:

1. Core Support to nonprofits working in one or more of the Foundation’s priority program areas.

2. Program or Project Support to start, advance, operate, expand, and/or improve programs or projects that meet one or more of the Foundation’s priority program areas.

• Capacity Building grants to organizations for one-time projects to improve organizational capacity within the funding priorities of the Foundation. Examples include but are not limited to: strategic, business, or succession planning; software research, selection, implementation, and training; projects to enhance evaluation and data collection; and similar projects.
• Advocacy and Awareness addressing issues of importance within the funding priorities of the Foundation. Note that this area’s grants will be available for advocacy and public awareness expenses, not for lobbying or political campaigns.
• Capital Expenditures within the Foundation’s funding priorities for equipment or facilities needed to better serve vulnerable residents in Delaware County.

Grant preference will be given to agencies that:

• Have completed their organization’s GuideStar (Platinum level Seal of Transparency)
• Demonstrate efficient use of philanthropic dollars.
• Have a strong and proven record of collaborating with other entities serving the residents of Delaware County.
• Have a demonstrated commitment to diversity and cultural competency in staff and board composition, including employing bilingual staff where existing and potential clients are non-English speakers.
• Have embedded or are in the process of embedding a trauma-informed care approach to services and programs.
• Can provide evidence of a commitment to capacity building and succession planning where appropriate.
• Preference will be given to agencies located in Delaware County and agencies that address the most vulnerable populations’ needs, including families living in poverty, immigrants, non-English speakers, and minority-led organizations.

Timeline:
Application Opens – December 30, 2022
Application Due – February 3, 2023
Site Visits (Virtual and On-Site) – February 9 – March 3, 2023
Award Announcements – April 28, 2023

Eligibility:

Who Can Apply:

• Tax-exempt organizations under any part of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
• Grassroots organizations, collaboratives, or coalitions may apply under the auspices of a tax-exempt fiscal sponsor.
• All grant proceeds must be used to provide programs and services in and for Delaware County residents.

Note: Applicant organizations must comply with local, state, and federal regulations.

Questions? Contact grants@delcofoundation.org or schedule a meeting with the foundation’s Director of Nonprofit Services, Mischico Warren for more information.