Grants & Support
At the Community Foundation for Monterey County, we believe that a healthy and vibrant nonprofit sector is key to our mission of improving the quality of life throughout Monterey County. As the largest grantmaking foundation on the Central Coast, the Community Foundation is a partner and funder to a wide-range of nonprofits and community leaders doing important, innovative work in our region. We awarded in 2008 a total of $7.2 million to nearly 300 nonprofit organizations in Monterey County and beyond.
In this section, nonprofits can learn more detailed information about the variety of grants and nonprofit support we offer. Please check our website regularly for updated information and instructions for Applying for a Grant and Nonprofit Management Assistance.
- Competitive Grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations that seek to meet an identified community need and provide significant benefits to Monterey County communities. The bulk of competitive grants are our General Endowment Grants for which we accept applications on an annual basis in the areas of community social services, health, arts & culture, education, environment, historic preservation and animal welfare. Grants for special purposes are also offered through the Robert & Virginia Stanton Fund, The Doud Fund for Historic Preservation, and the Fund for the Arts.
- Donor Advised Grants are provided through Donor Advised Funds established at the community foundation by individuals, families and organizations who determine the goals and objectives of the grants from their funds. Donor advised funds are not open to requests for funding.
- Neighborhood Grants support the wide variety of local neighborhood groups working to improve the quality of life at a grassroots level. The Neighborhood Grants Program provides small grants and technical support to neighborhood groups throughout Monterey County that are helping residents help themselves to make a better life for their family and neighbors.
- Women’s Fund Grants are provided by the Women’s Fund of Monterey County in two ways. Each year, the Fund’s donors identify funding priorities and pool contributions for Women's Fund Grants that will make a difference in that area. The Fund’s Leadership Council also designates grantees to undertake program initiatives for women and girls in Monterey County.
- Special Initiative Grants are awarded through certain community initiatives to nonprofit organizations whose proposed projects match the specific initiative’s objectives and outcomes for grants such as the Community Leadership Project, Literacy Campaign, and Communities Advancing the Arts.
- Scholarships and Awards offered through the Community Foundation include numerous scholarships and awards programs administered through local schools and committees and the Lori and Lou Flagg Memorial Youth Fund Awards provided to graduating eight graders and held for their use when enrolling in college.
- Nonprofit Management Assistance includes a robust array of offerings to include: small Technical Assistance Grants to nonprofit organizations and neighborhood-based organizations; an extensive offering of training and professional development services offered by our Management Assistance Program (MAP); the Leadership Education and Development Institute (LEAD) a 12-month professional program designed for the next generation of nonprofit leaders; Social Network Support is a social network mapping program to strengthen relationships and collaboration in the nonprofit sector; and individualized through Consultation with Community Foundation staff and other nonprofit experts and a wide array of print and online resources.
Download our most recent Annual Report to learn more.
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