Operations and Program Grants

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Operations and Program Grant program is to provide general operating support or program support for successful ongoing efforts. General operating support is crucial to the long-term success of nonprofit organizations. This grant program aligns with the Community Foundation’s strategic effort to use effective grantmaking practices including:

• Flexible Funding: requests for general operating support are eligible for funding, and are given preference.

• Reliable Funding: One-year or Two-year requests will be considered.

Nonprofit organizations may apply for a grant from several different Community Foundation funds through the Operations and Program Grant program. To save time and effort, applicants submit one application and are considered for multiple funding sources.

The Operations and Program Grant program continues to follow the original purposes of each fund and the intent set up by its donors. All specific fund purposes fall into one or more fields of interest: Animals & Environment; Arts & Culture; Community Development; Education; Health; and Youth Development.

FUND FOCUS AREAS

Amy Helpenstell Foundation Fund: General Operating and Program requests only. Non-501(c)3 organizations and K-12 schools not eligible to apply for these funds. Must be located within a 60-mile radius of Rock Island, IL.

Basic Human Needs—Iowa: Grantee must be located in Iowa.

Chip Sunderbruch Memorial Risk Management Fund: Focuses on risk management and safety in Scott County, IA.

Children at Risk Fund: Focuses on youth programs.

Health & Wellness Fund: Focuses on health and wellness.

John J. Quail Fund: Focuses on arts and culture.

Roy E. Murray Fund: Focuses on youth.

APPLICATION PROCESS

An organization may submit one application. The organization will select which of the 6 fields of interest their application is eligible to apply for funding to. An organization may select multiple fields of interest. Organizations submitting a 2-year grant request should request between $5,000 and $20,000 for each year (so a total request amount of between $10,000 and $40,000).

All applications are accepted through our online grants database. No paper or emailed copies of applications or reports are accepted. You may also preview the application.

Eligibility

An organization must:

• Be located in Scott County, IA or Rock Island County, IL (Organizations that are not in those counties but are located within a 60-mile radius of Rock Island, IL are eligible for a grant from the Amy Helpenstell Foundation Fund only.)

• Organizations must NOT have received a two-year grant from the CFOI process in the prior calendar year.

• Organizations must comply with our Diversity and Non-Discrimination Policy.

Additional Eligibility Information:

• 1-Year and 2-Year requests will be accepted

• Requests must cover the grant period of October 1– September 30

• Requests must be between $5,000 and $20,000 ($40,000 total for 2-year requests)

• Applications from nonprofits that do not have 501(c)3 status and K-12 schools are not eligible for funding from the Amy Helpenstell Foundation Fund

• Please follow the link to our webpage What We Look For to read information on "general grant program eligibility requirements" and "areas not funded by grant programs."

Evaluation Criteria

• Preference will be given to applications requesting general operating support.

• Preference will be given to applications supporting existing successful organizations or programs.

• Organization/program meets an identified community need in at least one of the six fields of interest.

• Organization/program demonstrates effectiveness in achieving its goals relative to the dollars used.

• The grant will contribute strongly to organization/program’s overall success.

• Organization/program advances racial and other forms of equity in the Quad Cities region through its actions and its leadership.

• Organization/program has a track record of success and a positive community impact.

• Funds that are part of the Operations and Program Grant opportunity will still be awarded in the name of that fund, and according to their individual purposes, eligibility requirements, and evaluation criteria (listed briefly above).

RECENT NEWS

HAVE QUESTIONS?

We’re here to help you to be as successful as you can with your grant application. To discuss if your project is the right fit, contact:

Kaleigh Trammell / email

Call (563) 326-2840

WATCH the info session

Did you miss our recent info session? Watch the recording here! You can also view the content as slides here.

What is a Field of Interest Fund?

Field of Interest Funds allow donors to support an area they are passionate about in perpetuity. For this grant program, we will be pooling resources from eleven of our field of interest funds. Some of these funds have awarded through application based grants in the past, and some are newly available to apply to. The fields of interest are:

• Animals & the Environment

• Arts & Culture

• Community Development

• Education

• Health

• Youth Development

We believe most nonprofits are doing work in at least one of these fields of interest.  However, if you are not sure which fields of interest your organization/program aligns with, please contact Kaleigh Trammell to discuss your options.

Final Reports

All grantees must submit a final report through the online grants system when their grant is complete. Final reports are due on the same date as the next year's applications. 

Click here to submit a final report.

The assigned final report will be a part of the application you submitted in the previous year.