ACCF rolls out new grants process with Grants 2.0
ASHLAND – Ashland County Community Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of a new grants process to better fit the needs of donors, nonprofit agencies and the community.
Nonprofits will now be applying for grants through a more streamlined, more flexible grants process called Grants 2.0, which will launch July 1.
In restructuring grantmaking programs, ACCF sought input from nonprofit leaders through a series of listening events. Quick grant turnaround, deadlines to better meet nonprofits’ needs, simpler applications and clearly defined language of what ACCF funds were among the suggestions from community stakeholders.
“We listened to what our nonprofits told us and made it a reality, with the revamping of the current program as a result,” said COO/CEO-Designate Kristin Aspin. “We don’t want them to jump through hoops to get funding.”
Grants 2.0 offers grants in two categories: Quick Action Community Grants and Quarterly Community Grants, depending on the needs of the nonprofit organization.
Quick Action Community Grants up to $10,000 will be offered year-round, with funding decisions made more quickly than quarterly grants. These grants can assist with needs such as projects, programs, or equipment.
These grants will be listed in ACCF’s new online grant catalog, where donors who have donor advised funds held at ACCF can easily access grant requests that match their areas of interest. If a request is not fully funded by donor advisors, then ACCF staff will review it for possible support through other available funds. These grants give nonprofits multiple paths to funding through a single, streamlined application, with the catalog allowing donors to respond to needs as they arise.
Quarterly Community Grants include any request over $10,000 and will be offered four times per year. These will help meet the needs of larger initiatives such as new programs, capital needs, or collaborative projects requiring more than $10,000. This application is more detailed, but still simpler than previous applications.
For Quarterly Grants, an ACCF grant decision committee will initially review the request. Whatever is not funded through ACCF grant dollars will be put in the online grant catalog to be shared with donor advisors.
A single applicant may apply for up to two Quarterly Community Grants and two Quick Action Community Grants per year.
This overhaul not only simplifies the process for nonprofits but will allow donors more opportunities to fund areas that align with their passions and be more effective with their grant making.
“Grants 2.0 gets dollars activated more quickly and invested into our community sooner,” said President and CEO Jim Cutright.
Both donor advisors and nonprofit organizations have been notified about Grants 2.0 and will continue to receive updates in the coming months.
“The ultimate benefit of this change will be greater community impact, which is truly the purpose of our grantmaking,” Aspin said.
About Ashland County Community Foundation: Ashland County Community Foundation advances philanthropy and improves the quality of life in Ashland County by connecting people who care with causes that matter. ACCF has awarded over $40 million in scholarships, grants and distributions.
