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Proposals Welcome

Although funds are limited, groups engaged in charitable projects are invited to review these guidelines for grant proposals. Proposals are due on the first weekday of January, April, August, and October, so inquiries should be made and letters of intent should be submitted a few weeks beforehand. Payments to grantees are not made until after Board approval each quarter, usually the last week of February, May, September, and November.

The procedures for requesting support for a charitable project or program from the Tipton County Foundation are outlined below. The same information can be downloaded as a Microsoft Word document. (http://www.tiptoncf.org/TCF Grant Guidelines.doc) One can also obtain these instructions by fax, email, or visiting the Office.
 

Annual Grants Program Policies & Procedures

The Tipton County Foundation, Inc. is a tax-exempt public charity governed by a volunteer Board of Directors broadly representative of the Tipton County community. The Foundation holds a variety of funds that make grants to a broad range of charitable agencies and programs. These grants are made from the investment income earned on permanently endowed funds.

The following grant program policies and procedures apply only to the general or field of interest philanthropic funds in the Foundation and not to those funds (Agency Funds, Donor-Advised or Designated Funds, Scholarship Funds) for which donors have directed the use of a particular fund to a specific charitable purpose. Those funds are administered separately.

Only nonprofit charitable programs and projects that serve the Tipton County community are considered for funding. The Annual Grants Programs may change from time to time. Potential grant seekers are encouraged to contact the Foundation prior to submitting a proposal to be certain the project qualifies for funding.

Preference will be given to proposals that:

• Address priority community concerns

• Are change-oriented and problem-solving in nature

• Assist grant recipients to achieve certain objectives that are measurable and have a transformational impact on their clientele

• Will have the greatest benefit per dollar granted

• Have the potential of encouraging donations from the general public through a match by the Foundation

• Have the potential of leveraging additional grants from other sources such as government and other foundations

Eligibility

Grants will be made only:

• To groups which are nonprofit and charitable.

• To organizations that document their responsible fiscal management and adequate accounting procedures.

• For projects or programs that are proposed in writing by the organization’s governing body.

Grantees must submit final grant evaluations reports in a timely manner. If reports are delinquent from a previous grant, new proposals will not be considered.

The Foundation DOES NOT make grants to Individuals or for the following:

• Political purposes

• Programs or equipment that were committed to prior to the grant proposal period

• Debt reduction

• Annual appeals or membership contributions

• Building of Endowments, unless located at TCF

• Projects that benefit only a few persons

• Travel expenses for individuals or groups

Special Circumstances

Incorporated social service agencies may submit proposals covering a portion of their general operating expenses, but must still describe the major programs they provide and the benefits the community derives from them. Preferably, however, agencies are encouraged to allocate their management and general expenses proportionally to their various community benefit projects, presenting a more accurate and favorable picture to the Foundation and other donors of the priorities they have established, and avoid an unrealistic and misleading view of “overhead”.

Government agencies, including tax-supported entities such as volunteer fire departments public educational institutions, may submit proposals for special resources or new initiatives. Their proposals must:

• explain why the requested support is not covered by tax revenue

• tell how it will be renewed or sustained in future years

• describe what collaboration with other towns, schools, or agencies is intended, in order to control costs and to make similar services available in all jurisdictions of Tipton County

• provide information about how such programs are funded in other counties.

Decision-making Process

A committee of community volunteers and members of the Foundation’s Board of Directors evaluates each proposal. Members are selected to represent the broad geographic and professional diversity of the Tipton County community. The Board of Directors makes every effort to appoint committee members who will be unbiased and fair in evaluating proposals. The committee is made up of ten to twenty people, chaired by a member of the Foundation Board.
 

Committee members visit the proponents at their facilities or location where a project or program will occur, and may contact others familiar with the organization and the need that the proposal addresses. The proponents may also be asked to discuss the project briefly with the full committee to at its quarterly meeting.
 

The Board approves the budget for the grantmaking committee yearly, out of the proceeds from the Foundation's general endowment and field of interest funds. The committee chair reports to the Board those proposals that have been approved for the Board to review. Additionally, the grantmaking committee may postpone a decision on a proposal, or decline to recommend funding.

Conflicts of Interest

Because Board and committee members are active in the community, potential conflicts of interest may arise from time to time. It is the Foundation’s policy to deal with any conflicts of interest as openly as possible. A conflict of interest is defined as any activity or interest that may cause bias for or against a particular grant being considered. Committee and Board members will disclose potential conflicts in writing, and answer relevant questions. Once a conflict is disclosed, members may, if appropriate (as determined by the Board or committee), abstain from further consideration of a particular grant.

Evaluation

In evaluating grant proposals, the Foundation gives consideration to:

• Project Quality: established community need, expected benefits, planning, similarity to other programs, reasonableness of budget and grant request, other expected funding sources, potential to leverage other grants.

• Community Impact: number of people affected, potential impact, demonstrated community need or desire for the project, collaboration with other organizations, volunteer commitment to the project.

• Project Management: staff and Board experience, organizational ability to carry out the project, mission-appropriate, long-range plan for the project and the organization, future of the organization.

• Foundation Resources: can the Foundation adequately and effectively respond to the request in the context of grantmaking priorities and budget.

United Community Fund • Schram Education Fund • Findling Legacy Fund • Women’s Fund

Incorporated social service organizations with tax exempt status under IRS Code Section 501(c)(3), that commit to a cooperative fund-raising process and other standards similar to those of the United Way, may have their grants funded in part by donations contributed in the annual United Community Fund campaign. Such agencies should submit a single annual proposal to the Foundation for the projects for which they seek funding, and the Foundation will determine what proportions of a grant may be paid from the United Community Fund or the Foundation’s other grants budget sources.
 

One of these other sources is the Education Fund, named in honor of the Foundation’s first executive Robert Schram and his wife Ibby Ann. Potential grantees need not specify this fund or any other in their proposals; the Foundation will use its discretion in determining whether an educational project should be supported by the education field of interest fund, or the other grant budget sources.

Another field of interest is the particular cause of “the neediest children,” which the Foundation seeks to benefit through grants from the John B. Findling Legacy Fund. Traditionally, this fund has made small grants to sororities, service clubs and other organizations for special child-oriented programs, especially at holiday time. Such projects need not take place just at the Christmas holidays, but may be considered in any of the quarterly grantmaking cycles of the Tipton County Foundation. Agencies receiving a major grant from TCF should include any Findling-qualifying projects in their main annual proposal. Organizations seeking funding only for a project to benefit the neediest children should submit their letter of intent and proposal as early in the calendar year as possible to ensure Board approval in time for their event.
 

Women and girls with roots in Tipton County unite their charitable giving through the Women’s Fund of the Tipton County Foundation. Their grantmaking creates a stronger, healthier, and more vibrant community where women are empowered to reach their full potential. The Women’s Fund has separate guidelines and procedures for considering proposals for grants. Contact the office for updated information.
 

Submitting a Proposal

The procedures for requesting support for a charitable project or program from the Tipton County Foundation are outlined below. Rather than printing them directly from this web page, the same information can be downloaded as a Microsoft Word document. Download the instructions for a grant proposal as a Microsoft Word document. You can also obtain these instructions by fax, email, or visiting the Office.

STEP ONE… the Letter of Intent
 

If you are interested in submitting a grant proposal to the Tipton County Foundation, the first step is to send us a Letter of Intent. Please include the following information in your letter:

1. What you would like to do.

   1. The nature of the project, no more than 200 words.

   2. Who will benefit (both the target population and number to be served).

   3. When a decision will be needed, when the project will begin, and when the project will end.

   4. Total project cost.

   5. Portion of project cost you are asking TCF to fund

2. Who you are.

   1. Name of organization, website if any.

   2. Contact Info (contact person, phone, mailing address, email address).

   3. Mission of organization.

   4. IRS classification, 501(c)(3) or other.

Please mail the completed letter to Tipton County Foundation, PO Box 412, Tipton, IN 46072. You may also email the letter as an attached document, NOT incorporated in the body of your email. Please feel free to contact us with questions, 765-675-8480 or grants@tiptoncf.org.
 

STEP TWO… the Narrative

After we respond to your Letter of Intent, please draft your own word-processed document when writing your grant proposal. You must include ALL of the following information, in the order it appears, for your proposal to be considered for funding.

1. Rationale.

In this section, you should first incorporate the information from your Letter of Intent with any appropriate updates. This is also where you should explain in detail (1) the need for your project, (2) how the project will be implemented, and (3) how the success of the project will be measured.

2. Collaboration.

Please tell the committee (1) who else is involved in this kind of project in or for the Tipton County community, (2) how their work is like or different from the project you are proposing, and (3) what other agencies/organizations are likely to work with yours in fulfilling your plan.

For example, be sure to communicate with the Tipton County Extension Education Center on adult education or training projects. Or, if your project is school/education related, please explain how your project might benefit students in the other school system or those who are home-schooled or privately-schooled.

3. Organizational Strength.

Please analyze the internal and external strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that your organization might face. Include your findings in this Narrative.

STEP THREE… the Attachments

Please include the following documents with your proposal in the order they appear.

1. List of Board members, including business affiliations if any, and identification of Board officers.

2. Financial statements of the organization, both year-end and most recent period.

3. Organization budget, including planned fundraisers (month to be held, and net dollars anticipated).

4. Detailed project budget.

• Revenue

• Expenses

• In-kind revenue/expenses

• Indicate whether revenue is pending, received or approved.

Please indicate the portion of the project budget you are asking TCF to fund, whether it is a specific item in the budget or a percentage of the total. Your project budget may include an appropriate portion of your organization’s administrative expenses. For example, if staff is needed for oversight of the project, the corresponding portion of his/her salary and benefits could be allocated to this project budget.

5. Evidence that this proposal has the approval of your Board of Directors or governing body.
   For example, if you are a teacher, you must obtain a statement of support from your principal and the superintendent/board of education. If you have a proposal from a public safety or other government agency, you must obtain a statement from your supervising elected official.
    

The Annual Grants Programs may change from time to time.  Applicants are encouraged to contact the  Foundation prior to submitting a proposal to be certain the project qualifies for funding.

Boys & Girls Club Members Thank TCF for a Helping Hand

Some young members of the Boys & Girls Club of Tipton County visited the Foundation's Office and Conference Center to express appreciation for grants that support the Club's recreational and character-building programs. Click on the "thumbnail" pictures below to see a larger view, then use your browser's "Back" button to return here. The delegation brought their "hand"-made thank you poster, and enjoyed some cupcakes and milk.

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Last modified: Tuesday, June 15, 2010