CFB: Competitive Grants- Brevard

The Competitive Grants program by the Community Foundation for Brevard empowers local nonprofits to address pressing community needs through targeted funding in areas like education, health, and environmental stewardship. With a focus on supporting organizations that enrich community life, this initiative fosters collaboration and innovation. Grants are available to eligible nonprofits that have been operational for at least two years and meet specific criteria. This funding aims to enhance the quality of life in Brevard County and promote sustainable community development.

There’s something powerful about community charity. When channeled, the gifts of many residents can actively meet the most pressing needs of the community, whatever those needs are today, and whatever they may be tomorrow. By offering a competitive grantmaking process, we are able to glean valuable knowledge about our community and its ever-changing needs.
Categories
The Community Foundation welcomes and encourages grant applications that address one or more of the following broad categories:

• Animals:

We value healthy bio-diverse life and ecosystems, and address the ethical treatment of animals, threatened species, habitat conservation and connectivity, invasive species management, among other programs.
Arts & Culture
Community Capacity:
We help nonprofits with strategic planning, board development, financial management, outcome evaluation, fundraising, marketing, and organizational restructuring and mergers/, purchase of office equipment and software programs so they can thrive.
Education:
Promote social, emotional and cognitive development of young children, including programs that support and educate parents and efforts that engage volunteers, expand academic support; mentoring and recreational programs for children and youth, particularly to close the achievement gap; broaden workplace, career and postsecondary experiences and opportunities for youth; improve adult literacy, skill development, education and workforce training
Environment:

• Support stewardship, appreciation, and protection of outdoor spaces and wildlife – on land and in water.
• Opportunity & Empowerment:

Meeting basic human needs, including food, shelter and access to health care. Improve residents’ ability to meet local affordability challenges by helping them secure affordable, stable housing, recover from financial crisis, and/or increase earning potential.Programs reaching vulnerable communities.Activities that maximize the functioning of special needs populations in mainstream society; that protect the public (crime and delinquency prevention, legal administration, legal services); firefighting and police activities, and programs of community centers.
Health & Wellness:
Improve community-based health and wellness; activities that improve and promote health outcomes; general and rehabilitative health services; mental health; crisis intervention; associations or services associated with specific diseases, disorders, and medical disciplines.

Eligibility

Eligible Organizations:Nonprofit organizations serving Brevard County, legally chartered and registered in the State of Florida and in possession of a determination letter from the IRS declaring the organization a public charity, exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3).Organization must have a minimum two-years operating history after the date of receipt of its 501(c)(3) classificationPublic entities (i.e. schools, libraries, etc.).Organizations must be in compliance with or exempt from registration requirements of Chapter 496, Florida Statutes, the Solicitation of Contributions Act.

Ineligibility

While the Community Foundation remains flexible in trying to meet community needs, in general, competitive grants are not made for the following:Endowments or debt reductionCapital campaigns or fundraising eventsEvent sponsorships and advertisingReligious activities of faith-based organizationsClubs, sports teams, cemeteries, or other services limited to a select membershipPolitical activitiesPurposes or services outside of Brevard CountyPublic agencies for mandated servicesResearchScholarships or individual grants or awardsApplicants should be aware that grants for the cost of trips and/or conference attendance are not typically viewed as a committee priority.Ineligible Organizations:
Nonprofit organizations that do not directly benefit Brevard County residentsNonprofit organizations that have been operating as a recognized 501(c)3 for less than two (2) years from the date of grant application.Private non-operating foundationsRe-granting organizations