Adams County Community Grants Program

Overview:
The Adams County Community Foundation awards competitive grants to qualified nonprofit organizations serving Adams County residents. The grant program addresses community needs identified through recent needs assessments and focuses on three primary funding areas.

Geographic Scope:

• Adams County, Pennsylvania
• Organizations serving Adams County residents

Eligibility:

• Qualified nonprofit organizations serving Adams County
• Tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations
• Organizations with projects/programs addressing identified community needs

Funding Focus Areas (2018 Program):

1. Build Nonprofit Capacity: Grants up to $15,000 to build the capacity of nonprofits that address needs of most vulnerable residents, with special consideration to organizations addressing:
   • Affordable housing
   • Transportation
   • Youth programs
2. Promote Self-Sufficiency: Grants up to $15,000 to nonprofits helping low-income residents move toward self-sufficiency with meaningful, sustained impact
3. Collaborative Community Building: Grants up to $15,000 for collaborative projects addressing:
   • Youth activities
   • Transportation
   • Affordable housing
   • Workforce development and economic development

Award Statistics:

• 2017: $127,913 awarded to 33 nonprofits
• 2018: $148,712 awarded to 14 nonprofits
• Awards support both operational expenses and specific projects/capital investments

Funding Sources:

• Thomas E. & Florence B. Metz Fund
• Margaret Trew Cline Youth & Families Fund
• Community Impact Fund
• Rita & Fred Diehl Endowment Fund
• Ben Franklin Fund
• Donald H. & Mildred C. Hershey Fund
• M.C. Jones Fund
• John R. White Fund
• George H. & Roberta B. Wood Fund
• Gail and Peter Hull Fund
• Fund for Adams County
• Charles Ritter Family Fund
• And other designated funds

Review Process:

• Distribution Committee reviews all proposals
• Committee includes Community Foundation board members and community-at-large representatives
• Community Foundation staff and committee members meet with applicant organizations
• Assessment of organizational capacity and community impact
• Approximately 44-50 proposals reviewed from 40+ nonprofits annually

Contact:

• Adams County Community Foundation
• Phone: 717-337-0060
• Email: info@adamscountycf.org
• Address: 25 South 4th St, Gettysburg, PA 17325

Application Process

1. Attend Grant Information Session:
   • Mandatory: Nonprofit representatives must RSVP and attend the Grant Information Session
   • Location: Adams Electric Cooperative, 1338 Biglerville Road, Gettysburg, PA
   • Duration: 1.5-2 hours
   • RSVP Required: Limited space available
   • RSVP Deadline: Typically 2 days before session (check annual timeline)
2. RSVP for Information Session:
   • Email: info@adamscountycf.org
   • Include:
   • Organization name
   • Representative name
   • Phone number
   • Email address
   • Confirmation of attendance
3. Prepare Grant Proposal:
   • Review 2018 Adams County Grants Program guidelines (available on website)
   • Identify which of the three funding focus areas your proposal addresses:
   • Build nonprofit capacity
   • Promote self-sufficiency for low-income residents
   • Collaborative community building projects
   • Develop proposal aligning with one of these areas
4. Submit Proposal:
   • Submit through online portal or as directed by ACCF
   • Proposals evaluated for alignment with funding focus areas
   • Assessment of organizational capacity and community impact
5. Review and Award Notification:
   • Distribution Committee reviews all proposals
   • Committee meets with organizations (meetings with staff and volunteers)
   • Decisions announced at annual grants announcement event (typically July/August)

Key Requirements:

• Nonprofit must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization
• Located in or serving Adams County, PA
• Information session attendance mandatory
• Proposal must address one of three focus areas
• Demonstrate capacity and community impact