Wythe-Bland Community Foundation Improving life in Wythe & Bland Counties

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Grant Guidelines Downloads ABOUT WYTHE-BLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANTS Wythe-Bland Community Foundation (“Foundation”) formerly known as “Wythe County Community Hospital Foundation” was originally formed in 1991 to support the charitable needs of Wythe County Community Hospital (the “Hospital”). On May 31, 2005, the Hospital leased its buildings and related real property and sold substantially all of its assets to a subsidiary of LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. (“LifePoint”).  As part of the LifePoint transaction, the Foundation entered into a long-term lease with LifePoint for a parcel of unimproved real property adjacent to the Hospital’s main facility.  Subsequent to the LifePoint transaction, the Hospital made a substantial contribution to the Foundation. The Foundation was re-organized on June 1, 2005 and is no longer affiliated with the Hospital. The Foundation is a Virginia non-stock corporation exempt from income taxation under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.  It is managed by a Board whose members are community leaders residing in Wythe and Bland Counties, Virginia. Board members serve without compensation. Qualified organizations may apply for grants for new programs, current programs or establishing or investigating new programs. No grants will be awarded if the Foundation Grant Application and other requested information described in these guidelines are not provided. Verbal or written letters of request or other inquiries cannot be considered as or substituted for a formal grant application. MISSION STATEMENT The Foundation provides opportunities to improve the health, education and welfare of the citizens of the Wythe and Bland communities, with an emphasis on health care needs. AREAS OF INTEREST The Board of Directors of the Foundation will only make grants to qualified 501(c) (3) organizations (or government entities)  serving Wythe County and Bland County, Virginia that support, promote and/or further the Foundation’s mission. The Foundation awards grants to organizations meeting its eligibility criteria for projects that improve life in Wythe and Bland communities.  These projects include, but are not limited to, the following: • Projects that directly serve persons unable to afford basic healthcare • Projects that serve the general public through the provision of health education • Projects that promote or improve the health of citizens in Wythe and Bland Counties • Projects that promote or improve the education of citizens in Wythe and Bland Counties • Projects that promote or improve the general welfare of citizens in Wythe and Bland Counties GRANT PRIORITIES-GENERAL GUIDELINES The Board, in making grant decisions, will place the greatest priority on projects that: • Directly provide health services to low-income or uninsured citizens of Wythe and Bland Counties • Are accompanied by matching funds from other sources • Have little or no administrative overhead expenses as the Board believes these expenses should be provided by the requesting organization through matching funds • Are not of a recurring nature unless the project and the need(s) it serves requires otherwise • The Board recognizes the need for and encourages new projects (i.e., projects not traditionally funded via other sources such as United Way, etc.) GRANT PRIORITIES-SPECIFIC GUIDELINES As the Board evaluates the merits of grant applications, areas of specific interest and high priority will include projects that address, in specific ways: • Obesity • Health and Nutritional Issues • Substance Abuse Prevention • Environmental Health • Mental Health • Healthcare Needs of the Underprivileged and Uninsured • Health Education • Education of Future Generations • Support for First Response Units (Rescue, Fire, etc.) • Improving the Quality of Life in Wythe and Bland Counties GRANT RESTRICTIONS To comply with federal guidelines and WBCF legal requirements, WBCF will not fund the following types of grants. All grant requests for these purposes will be denied: • Grants to individuals • Grants to religious organizations for religious purposes • Grants to organizations for projects outside of Wythe or Bland County, Virginia • Grants to endowments or other discretionary funding pools • Grants for dinners, fund-raisers, or other ticketed special events • Grants for political purposes or for lobbying activities • Grants for projects unrelated to the Foundation’s purpose • Grants for debt reduction Funding Levels At the present time the Foundation has not set limits on the size of grants. The Foundation does, however, reserve the right to set upper or lower limits on the size of grants in order to promote efficiency in grant administration, provide for financial stability, and to ensure that there are adequate funds to support both current and long-term projects deemed worthy by the Board. Grants will normally be awarded on an annual basis; however, the Board will consider multiyear grants. Grant applications seeking matching funds must provide written documentation from the other contributor(s) or the Board may make the Foundation’s grant contingent on receipt of such matching contribution(s). The documentation may include a letter or resolution from the other contributor(s). The Board reserves the right to request additional documentation of expenditures, including, but not limited to cancelled checks or expenditure certifications and to require project status reports and periodic updates. Grant Review Cycles The Grant Review Committee will convene two times per year to review grant applications and to consider recommendations for funding. All grant applications must be submitted or postmarked on or before the Grant Application Due Date. The grant application and all requested information must be complete prior to the Application Due Date to be considered in the current Grant Review Cycle.  Applications which are not timely submitted for the current Grant Review Cycle will not be considered in the next Grant Review Cycle unless a new application is timely submitted by the Grant Application Due Date for such subsequent Grant Review Cycle.                                        Grant Application Due Date                  Grant Review Cycle            Grant Award Dates                                                       February 1                                     February/March                              April                                                        August 1                                     August/September                        October The grant review process includes a thorough review of the merits of each application. To be fair to all applicants and to permit adequate time for the review process, any grant applications received after the due date will be returned to the submitting organization. If the Grant Application Due Date falls on a weekend or holiday, the due date will be extended to the next business day. Grant Review Process When Grant Applications are received by the Foundation, the information will be reviewed by the Foundation staff to determine whether the Foundation Grant Application Guidelines have been met. • If the application is deemed to be incomplete, the Foundation staff may request additional information. If the information is received in the time specified by the Foundation staff, the application will be considered in the current Grant Review Cycle. If the information is not received or the application is still considered incomplete, the application will not be returned to the submitting organization or considered in any subsequent Grant Review Cycle unless an new application is timely submitted by the Grant Application Due Date for such subsequent Grant Review Cycle. Applications will be collected and maintained by the Foundation Executive Director for submission to the Grant Review Committee shortly after the Grant Application Due Date. Depending on the number and nature of the grant applications, members of the Grant Review Committee will review the applications either as a committee of the whole or will review the applications through subcommittees. The Grant Review Committee members reserve the right to ask for additional information or to make a site visit during the review process. Upon completion of the Grant Review Process, the Grant Review Committee will make a recommendation to the full Board of Directors regarding each grant. The Grant Review Committee will evaluate grant applications based, in part, on the following guidelines. Applicants are encouraged to use the most current guidelines in preparing the grant application. 1) Is the proposed project consistent with the Foundation’s mission? 2) Has the applicant included all information required by the Foundation in the grant application? 3) Has the applicant clearly stated the need to be addressed? 4) Is the constituency to be served clearly identified? 5) Does the proposed project clearly state how the project will address both the defined need and the constituency? How will the applicant measure success? 6) Are the short and long-term goals and objectives clearly stated? Can progress be measured?  If so, how will progress be measured? 7) Has the proposing organization clearly documented its capacity and experience to develop and implement the proposed project? 8) Is the proposed project consistent with the applicant’s historical mission? 9) Have the organization and project leadership demonstrated the skills and experience required for success? 10) Is the project timetable realistic? 11) Does the budget clearly reflect the project description and describe the resources needed? Have all funding resources been identified? Once the project is completed, has the applicant presented a plan to sustain the efforts? 12) Has the applicant developed a broad base of support for the project? After the Staff and the Grant Review Committee have reviewed the Grant Applications, the Staff will prepare a Summary of the Proposals and the recommendation of the Grant Review Committee to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will review the grant applications and the recommendations of the Grant Review Committee. The Foundation will normally act on or prior to the Grant Award Dates. After the grant review process is completed, applicants will be notified in writing by the Executive Director regarding the final outcome of their request. If the grant is approved, the Executive Director will issue a letter advising the applicant of the award and of any conditions, restrictions, payment terms, and reporting requirements (which may include on-site visits) connected with the grant award.  The applicant will be required to agree in writing to the terms of this letter and agree to hold harmless and indemnify the Foundation from any claim, loss or expense related to the applicant’s activities or use of the grant. All communications with the Foundation should be directed to the Executive Director. Applicants are discouraged from contacting individual Directors, either before or after a grant application has been made and acted upon. The volume of applications and the subjective considerations involved in the Grant Review process do not permit the Executive Director, Board members, or staff to critique unsuccessful applications. The Board may periodically host grant-writing and other informational seminars designed to assist potential applicants. The number and amount of requests, community needs, Board priorities, federal and state laws and regulations, and available funds will require the Board to carefully evaluate the merits of each application. In some cases requests may be declined because of timing or because the application did not rank as high as other proposals. Rejection of the proposal does not mean that the application was without merit nor should it be taken as a rejection of the proposing organization. All grant applications become the property of the Foundation and will not be returned to the applicant. FUNDS ACCOUNTABILITY AND CERTIFICATION Each organization receiving funds from the Foundation may be required to provide periodic financial reports and project reports.  Additionally, photographs may be requested for inclusion on the Foundation’s newsletters, press releases and/or web sites. Failure to provide a complete, accurate, and timely accounting of awarded funds may prohibit the organization from receiving future funding from the Foundation and may result in the Foundation seeking restitution of misspent funds. PROJECT ACCOUNTABILITY AND CONTINUITY The Foundation makes grant awards based on the program or services described in the grant application or a final agreement that may be required due to the unique characteristics or size of the grant. Some projects, particularly those of considerable duration or size, may encounter changes in key personnel, funding partners, or resource requirements. Whenever possible, the Foundation will work with the grant recipient to address unforeseen events. Grant recipients must inform the Foundation immediately if significant events occur that may impact the project. Examples may include, but are not limited to, a change in the project director or in the organization’s key personnel; the organization’s priorities, Board members, or operations may change; or other funding resources or project costs may change. Failure to notify the Foundation of issues that may adversely impact the project may result in a temporary or permanent cessation of payments or possible legal action to reclaim funds. PUBLICITY The Foundation requires each organization receiving grants from the Foundation to publish an acknowledgement of the grant. The publicity may be in the form of a press release, an annual report, a brochure or materials related to the project or in some other means of communication. All public recognition should be in the name of the “Wythe-Bland Community Foundation”. The organization should send a copy of the press release or other information to the Foundation Executive Director for review and comment prior to the release to the public. A copy of any public acknowledgement should be submitted with the final grant report. GRANT APPLICATION GUIDELINES All grant applications must be submitted by the Grant Application Due Date.  Applications must be in writing and should be based on the most current grant guidelines. Grant applications must be mailed or hand-delivered. Faxes are not acceptable. Once the grant application is completed by your organization, the application must be signed and dated by an individual authorized to do so by the organization. If any sections of the grant application are not completed, a written statement must be submitted explaining the reason(s).  Each grant application must include an original and thirteen copies. Applications must be no longer than 10 double-spaced pages including a Cover Page and the Evaluation Plan Form in 12-point or larger font with a very limited number of attachments.  Applications should be made on one side of the paper only.  The Grant Committee will take agency priorities into consideration when reviewing the grants. However, it does not mean that the committee will fund the grants in that priority.  1) A cover page (Attachment A) is required indicating the Grant Application Due Date, a summary of the project, the total dollar amount of the grant request, and approval by the board of the submitting  organization.  A copy of the board minutes may be requested. 2) A brief description of the organization, its history and purpose, current programs and services, the constituency served, and the geographic area(s) the organization serves. 3) A concise, but specific, description of the project or activity proposed, including: a) the specific purposes for which the grant is requested; b) the benefits to be provided; c) the needs to be met; d) the proposed measures of success/progress milestones; e) the constituency expected to benefit from the project ; f) the geographic area(s) where the project or activity will take place or location of the individuals who will benefit from the project or activity; and g) a timetable for project completion. 4) A detailed financial plan for the project that includes: a) a detailed budget listing sources of revenue, all direct costs, a breakdown of compensation by position if the application requests funds for staffing, and projected volume of services to be provided; b) the specific amount requested and the specific use being proposed; c) the amount raised to date; d) plans for procuring the remainder; e) other funding sources; and f) a provision for contingencies and on-going support. 5) A brief biographical background of the person who will conduct or supervise the proposed program. 6) Plans for evaluation of a project's results and for sustaining the project after grant funds expire. (See Attachment B for sample Evaluation Plan Form.) Each grant application must also include one copy of the following: 1) The names, titles, city of residence, and affiliations of the organization's trustees, directors, advisors and principal staff. 2) A current annual report of the organization. 3) Financial statements (audited statements should be provided if available) for the two most current years and a year-to-date unaudited financial statement for the current year. Organizations with less than two years of operating history should submit financial statements since inception and a two year budget.  Major sources of organizational support and endowments, if any, must be shown. 4) A signed copy of the most recent IRS Form 990 Tax Return, if required to be filed by the applicant.  City, state, and federal government agencies or subsections should submit their tax letter or affiliation letter signed by the appropriate supervisor or financial officer in lieu of IRS Form 990. 5) Qualified public charities must submit a copy of their most recent letter of determination from the Internal Revenue Service a certification that tax exempt status has not changed and there are no facts or circumstances known that may result in a change of status. The letter should state: a) That the organization is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or government entity); and b) That the organization is “not a private foundation” under Section 509 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code. Please do not include letters of general endorsement for the project or your organization. Each grant application should be bound with document clips. Please do not use paper clips, rubber bands, three-ring binders or commercial binding services. Copies must be delivered on or before the due date or mailed to the physical address and postmarked no later than the due date to be considered. No exceptions will be made. Applications arriving past the due date will be returned to the organization. Inquiries, completed grant applications, and correspondence concerning grants should be made in writing and addressed to either of the following locations: Mailing Address:     Dr. Gail Catron, Executive Director   Wythe-Bland Community Foundation   P.O. Box 90   Wytheville, Virginia 24382 Physical Address:   Dr. Gail Catron, Executive Director   Wythe-Bland Community Foundation   150 West Main Street, Suite D   Wytheville, Virginia 24382 Please make sure you download Attachments A & B for your grant.   AMENDMENTS  These Grant Guidelines may be amended at any time by the Foundation.  You should check with the Executive Director or the Foundation’s web site to be sure you have the current version.   Final Grant Guidelines 4-1-2008   Downloads   Grant Guidelines               Attachment A               Attachment B

Wythe-Bland Community Foundation
150 West Main Street, Suite D - P.O. Box 90
Wytheville, VA 24382