Grants & Programs
Quick Links in this section
Communities Advancing the Arts General Endowment Grants
Grants from Donor Advised Funds The Doud Fund
Fund for the Arts Literacy Campaign for Monterey County
Neighborhood Grants Program Non-point Source Pollution Grants Program
Grants from Restricted Purpose Funds Scholarship Programs
Robert & Virginia Stanton Endowment Fund Technical Assistance Grants
Welcome Grant Seekers
Many of you already know us, and, for those of you who don't, we're happy to be of assistance in making your grant application process as easy as possible. We are committed to strengthening the infrastructure of the nonprofit sector in Monterey County. We also help form and support a wide variety of neighborhood groups that improve the quality of life at a grassroots level.
Grant seekers mainly know the Community Foundation through our competitive grants, which we are able to make through funds from our General Endowment. We also make Technical Assistance grants and Neighborhood Grants. Information on how to apply for each type of grant can be accessed from the links below.
The Community Foundation offers numerous services for both nonprofit organizations and local neighborhood groups within Monterey County.
Please review the appropriate guidelines before submitting your application. Note that if you have already received a grant from the Community Foundation, you must complete and submit the evaluation form before your organization is eligible to apply again.
Questions? Email Us! Or phone our Monterey office (831) 375-9712 and ask to speak with our Director of Grants.
COMMUNITIES ADVANCING THE ARTS
The Community Foundation for Monterey County is proud to have been selected by The James Irvine Foundation to receive a three-year grant, as part of the Communities Advancing the Arts initiative. Through this initiative, the Community Foundation for Monterey County will work with local communities to improve the capacity and sustainability of arts organizations representing a wide range of cultural traditions in Monterey County, to increase their visibility among diverse audiences and donors, and to develop new donors and audiences for their work.
The regranting component of the initiative will focus on fostering community-wide participation in the arts throughout the County, thus ensuring that arts organizations representing diverse artistic and cultural traditions achieve countywide visibility and recognition, and have a strong base of support among traditional and new art audiences. Funding could also be requested for technical assistance aimed at strengthening the organization’s ability and capacity to reach and engage a wide cross-section of the community.
The technical assistance component will provide training and other professional support to ensure that arts organizations achieve a deeper understanding of organizational self-assessment and improvement processes, and that they increase their capacity to strengthen their organizations and secure their long-term sustainability.
A Request for proposal for the Communities Advancing the Arts Grant program will be published this summer.
If you have any questions, please contact Executive Vice-President, Judy Sulsona, judy@cfmco.org or (831) 375-9712 x112.
THE DOUD FUND FOR HISTORIC PRSERVATION IN THE CITY OF MONTEREY
Grants from the Doud Fund are available for preservation of art, history, architecture, and culture within the City of Monterey.
Doud Fund applicants should relate the projects or programs for which they are requesting funding to the Community Foundation's "Historic Preservation Grant Guidelines."
The application process has changed considerably in 2008, and involves submission of a required Pre-Application Form that may result in an invitation to make a presentation to the Committee. The deadline for Pre-applications is April 1, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. at grants@cfmco.org. Full applications using the Common Grant Application Form will be due on July 15th for those invited to apply following a successful presentation of their projects to the Committee.
Please contact the Community Foundation to discuss your proposal before submitting an application, Director of Grants and Donor Advisor Services, (831) 375-9712 x111.
ROBERT AND VIRGINIA STANTON ENDOWMENT FUND
This fund is open to proposals from agencies and programs of special interest to Virginia and Robert Stanton. These include:
- The Stanton History Center and the Allen Knight Maritime Museum
- The repair and maintenance of public buildings designed by Robert Stanton, especially the King City High School Auditorium and the Monterey County Court House in Salinas
- The Monterey County Symphony Association
- The Monterey Museum of Art
- The Carmel Chapter of the American Red Cross
- The Salvation Army - Monterey Peninsula Corps
- The Monterey History and Art Association
The Fund may also consider proposals from similar organizations in Monterey County. The committee generally gives priority to one-time special or capital projects, rather than funding on-going operating support. The next annual application deadline is July 15, 2008.
If you have questions or wish to discuss your proposal before submitting an application using the Common Grant Application Form, please contact the, Director of Grants and Donor Advisor Services, (831) 375-9712 x111.
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GRANTS FROM DONOR ADVISED FUNDS
Grants are made from Donor Advised Funds at the Community Foundation based upon donor recommendations.
Individuals named as advisors on Donor Advised Funds make recommendations based on their knowledge of non-profit organizations and the services they provide. The Community Foundation encourages Donor Advisors to become familiar with a wide variety of organizations in their areas of interest and programs operating within Monterey County.
There is no application or proposal process for Donor Advised Funds. However, organizations are welcome to send the Community Foundation a copy of their current newsletter or a brief, one-page description of their programs and needs.
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FUND FOR THE ARTS
The Fund for the Arts, established in 1991, has a multi-faceted Mission:
- To build a permanent endowment to provide long-term, ongoing support to a variety of arts agencies in Monterey County
- To supplement the grants made in the Arts by CFMC's General Endowment
- To highlight the cultural and economic contributions of the performing and visual arts to the quality of life in both developed and rural areas of Monterey County, and
- To create a flexible, future oriented fund that will grow through gifts and by will and bequest from donors with broad interests in the Arts.
- The Arts Council for Monterey County for their re-granting program for small and emerging arts agencies
- The Monterey Museum of Art
- The Monterey County Symphony
- The Carmel Bach Festival
- The Carmel Music Society
- Youth Music Monterey
- Pacific Repertory Theater
- The Western Stage
- A complete Evaluation Report for the prior year's work must be received before a new request is made.
- Each Spring desginated agencies will receive notification of that year's grant amount along with application instructions.
- To request a grant, the designated agency must submit a letter and project budget requesting funds for specific activities that will have a substantial or long-term impact on its programming, fundraising, audience development, or other institutional need.
- The next annual deadline for designated agencies to submit letters of request is May 5, 2008..
- Mail Evaluation Reports and letters requesting grants to:
Fund for the Arts
Community Foundation for Monterey County
2354 Garden Road
Monterey, CA 93940
Each year, the Community Foundation for Monterey County, through its staff and Board of Directors, operates several grant programs that are open to application from nonprofit, public benefit organizations (with 501(c)(3) status) operating in Monterey County.
The largest grant program is supported through the Foundation’s General Endowment Fund as well as numerous other unrestricted and restricted purpose funds. The competitive process involves submission of a required Pre-Application Form that may result in an invitation to submit a full proposal.
If you are interested in applying for a grant from the General Endowment, please review the guidelines (see below) for information regarding qualifications, timelines, and current Community Foundation funding priorities.
Pre-Application Form-Check back after September 1, 2008 for the next pre-application deadline and the revised Pre-Application form.
Evaluation Form - for grants awarded in 2006 or before
Evaluation Form Impact Plan and Report - for grants awarded in 2007
If you have any questions, please contact the Director of Grants and Donor Advisor Services at (831) 375-9712 x111.
GRANTS FROM RESTRICTED PURPOSE FUNDS
Restricted Purpose Funds make grants to non-profit organizations for purposes that were specified at the time a Fund was created. They are not open to grant applications from non-profit organizations or individuals.
Check List of Funds for a complete list of current Restricted Purpose Funds.
The Community Foundation encourages donors and/or agencies to consider establishing Restricted Purpose Funds. Please contact the Community Foundation to learn more.
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LITERACY CAMPAIGN FOR MONTEREY COUNTY
Summary of Literacy Initiative (PDF)
Media Release - January 17, 2007 (PDF)
Salinas Californian Editorial - January 19, 2007 (PDF)
Monterey Herald Sam Farr Commentary - June 24, 2007 (PDF)
Salinas Californian Article Literacy Week-August 31, 2007 (PDF)
Salinas Californian Article Volunteers - September 7, 2007 (PDF)
Monterey Herald Article - September 8 , 2007 (PDF)
Monterey County Weekly Article Workplace- November 21 , 2007 (PDF)
In 2005 and 2006, the Community Foundation studied the status of literacy among people of all ages in Monterey County by researching published reports and talking to residents, literacy experts, literacy educators, and employers. The Foundation observed that too many people between the ages of 18 to 35 years have low literacy skills. This fact is holding back progress for these individuals, their families, their communities, and our county. These years, 18 to 35, embrace the important period of young adulthood when people choose careers and become self supporting, usually through employment in a workplace. Many people also become parents during these years and gain the added responsibility of helping children become literate and successful members of the community.
Analysis of Literacy in Monterey County (PDF)
Summary of Audience Research 2006 (PDF)
What Employers Want (PDF)
Knowing that it cannot be expert in all things and needs the wisdom and commitments of others to serve the community well, the Community Foundation and its growing list of partners invite everyone to be part of the countywide, multi-year, multi-million dollar Literacy Campaign for Monterey County. In March 2006, the Community Foundation convened the Steering Committee for the Campaign. The Committee will guide a five-year effort to measurably improve literacy among young adults. By giving people ages 18 to 35 years the opportunities to improve their literacy, we place in their hands the power to open doors of opportunity. Beyond those doors they can find fulfillment for themselves and their families.
Continuum of Literacy Services 2005-2006 (PDF)
Best Practices for Adult Literacy (PDF)
Adult Literacy Baseline Data 2006 (PDF)
In June 2006, local non-profit and public agencies joined with the foundations and Steering Committee in the ongoing collaborative process of shaping the goals, objectives, funding process, activities, and evaluation of the 2006-2010 Literacy Campaign. The application materials below are designed to help agencies think about, focus, and communicate answers to a series of questions and other information that will help the foundations decide which activities to fund during each year of the Campaign.
Grant Application Forms
2008 Literacy Campaign Grant Pre-application Form and Guidelines (MS Word)
Professional Development Application Forms
2008 Professional Development Reimbursement Guidelines (MS Word)
2008 Professional Development Reimbursement Pre-application Form (MS Word)
If you have any questions regarding the Literacy Campaign, please contact the Program Associate or the Senior Program Officer, (831) 375-9712.
The Neighborhood Grants Program is one of the most popular and successful programs at the Community Foundation. Small grants and workshops are provided to help neighborhood groups throughout Monterey County. Started in 1997 with a grant from the Packard Foundation, the Neighborhood Grants Program is now fully integrated into the ongoing operations of the Community Foundation.
Our upcoming grant deadline is March 7, 2008. See Neighborhood Grants Program 2008 Pre-application Form.
Interested community members are encouraged, but not required, to attend an informative session about the Neighborhood Grants Program. See the Information Session dates.
For more information, please contact the Neighborhood Grants Staff at (831) 754-5880.
El Programa de Becas Para Vecindarios es uno de los programas más populares y exitosos de la Fundación Comunitaria. Se provee becas pequeñas y talleres de asistencia técnica para apoyar grupos vecindarios en todo el Condado de Monterey. El Programa empezó en 1997 con una beca de la Fundación Packard y ahora está completamente integrado a los programas de la Fundación Comunitaria.
La próxima fecha límite es el 7 de marzo de 2008. Ver la forma de Pre-solicitud del 2008.
Miembros de la comunidad interesados son invitados, pero no requeridos, a participar en una sesion informativa. Ver las fechas de las sesiones informativas.
Para mas información, comuníquese con el personal del Programa de Becas para Vecindarios al (831) 754-5880.
NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION GRANTS PROGRAM
The Non-point Source Pollution (NSP) Grants Program is a PG&E Special Environmental Project (SEP) of the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board of the California Environmental Protection Agency.
The NSP Grants Program consists of two funds: The Non-point Source Pollution Projects Fund, which seeks applications from capable organizations wishing to develop and implement projects to reduce runoff of sediment, fertilizer, nutrients, pesticides, herbicides, and other pollutants from commercial agriculture and other activities into Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing Harbor, and tributary watersheds, including the lower Salinas River, Moro Cojo Slough, Reclamation Canal, and Tembladero Slough; and The Non-point Source Pollution Monitoring Fund, which seeks applications from capable organizations wishing to evaluate implementation and effectiveness of activities funded by the NSP Projects Fund and other non-point source pollution abatement activities in Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing Harbor, and their tributary watersheds, including the lower Salinas River, Moro Cojo Slough, Reclamation Canal, and Tembladero Slough.
THIS FINAL SCHEDULED GRANT CYCLE for these funds was completed in 2006. If you have any questions regarding these funds or possible future grant cycles, please contact the Program Associate or the Senior Program Officer, (831) 375-9712.
Non-point Source Pollution Projects Fund Documents:
Non-point Source Pollution Monitoring Fund Documents:
Recent Grants - Monitoring Fund
Scholarship Funds at the Community Foundation are administered through local schools and committees. They benefit students from eighth grade through the graduate and professional levels. Scholarships may be established with $10,000 or more and are considered endowment (permanent) funds. Many are created and named as a memorial.
Individual awards range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per scholarship. Students apply to their schools and professional associations. Committees from these institutions choose the winners based on criteria defined by the donors at the creation of the Fund. The most common criterion is financial need.
The Community Foundation provides relatively small Technical Assistance Grants to non-profit agencies and neighborhood or community-based organizations to help fund efforts to build their organization’s internal capacity. Requests for up to $4,000 may be made once per calendar year. Private businesses or individuals are not eligible.
Non-profit agencies that apply for and/or receive a Technical Assistance Grant may also request a larger grant through the Community Foundation's General Endowment Grants program in the same year.
Normally, however, agencies do not receive Technical Assistance Grants for workshops that the Community Foundation provides through its Management Assistance Program.
If you have any questions, please contact the Management Assistance Program Officer at (831) 375-9712 x124.
Please e-mail completed applications or Evaluation forms to grants@cfmco.org .
