CF Lowcountry: Organizational Development Grants

The Community Foundation of the Lowcountry offers Organizational Development Grants aimed at enhancing the capacity of nonprofits in Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper Counties. Grants up to $5,000 cover 70% of a consultant's fees, facilitating strategic planning, governance training, and other capacity-building initiatives. Organizations must meet specific eligibility criteria, including nonprofit status and attendance at an information session. These grants foster sustainability and operational effectiveness within the nonprofit sector.

NOTE: Attendance at a Impact Information Session is required within the 12 months prior to application.  See more information, schedules, and registration process here.
Organizational Development Grants are available to organizations throughout the Community Foundation’s four-county service area of Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper Counties. Their purpose is to help organizations increase their capacity to govern and achieve long-term sustainability. Grants are made up to $5,000 and may cover up to 70% of the total cost of the consultant’s services.
These grants may be used to address issues such as:

• Strategic planning
• Organizational structure
• Board/staff relations
• Governance training
• Board/staff policies and procedures
• Asset development planning
• Marketing/public relations/communications planning
• Merger and/or consolidations
• Fiscal management
• Social Justice Planning
• Limitations
• The grant can be used only to retain a consultant.
• Organizations may only apply for an Organizational Development grant once during our fiscal year, which runs July 1 – June 30.
• Organizational Development Grants can only be approved once for each development area.
• Your grant application must include a detailed proposal from the consultant with budget and payment schedule.

The grant is paid to the organization.The grant award may cover up to 70% of the consultant’s proposal. For example, if the consultant’s total project cost is $6,500, the grant award would be $4,550, or 70% of the request. The organization is required to cover the balance of the project cost with their funds.

Eligibility

Grant funds may not be used for previous commitments or contracts/agreements already incurred with a consultant.To be eligible for funding an organization must:Be a nonprofit organization with a tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code, and are not classified as a private foundation;Serve the people who live and/or work in the Foundation’s four-county service area;Attend a Impact information Session within 12 months of application;Have a current, up to date profile on The Giving Marketplace;NEW: Have a social justice statement in place;Additional eligibility requirements may apply.

Ineligibility

Grant funds may not be used for previous commitments or contracts/agreements already incurred with a consultant.