Char and Chuck Fowler Family Foundation: Less Than $5,000 Grant

_NOTE:_

• _Requests of $1,000 – $5,000 may apply to our rolling deadline, where the typical turn-around time is no more than one month._
• _Requests received by the 1st of each month will be reviewed and decided by the end of the month. Requests received after the 1st will be considered the following month._

Overview

The Char and Chuck Fowler Family Foundation (CCFFF) is dedicated to improving people’s lives through criminal justice, AYA cancer support, reproductive health, environmental action, and the arts, The foundation and its trustees have provided millions of dollars in funding for Northeast Ohio nonprofit organizations since 2001.

Less Than $5,000 Grant

This smaller grants process is for unexpected and/or emergency expenses that arise for which you did not plan.

Examples include:

• Emergency funding for an organizational need
• Capacity building (strategic planning, executive coaching, program evaluation, etc.)
• Operating support
• Funding new and exciting ideas you may have!

We recognize that multi-year support allows organizations to better plan for their future and provides a level of long-term stability in their programming. Prior permission is not required to submit a multi-year request. Although our own budget may limit the number of multi-year grants we can approve each year, we will work with our grantees to find a grant structure that works for both of us. We consider this a partnership and we want to work together for the benefit of our community.

You may apply for one smaller/rolling grant and one large grant within a 12 month span. Being approved for one type of grant will not affect your chances of being approved or declined with the other.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

• The Char and Chuck Fowler Family Foundation supports tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organizations.
• The Foundation typically limits awarding of grants to one per 12 month period, per organization.
• To be eligible for support, an organization must be:
  • 501(c)(3) tax-exempt or operate under the fiscal sponsorship of a tax-exempt nonprofit
  • Consistent with one or more of our grantmaking focus areas
  • Operated and organized so that it does not discriminate in the hiring of staff or provision of services on the basis of race, religion, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin or disability
• Organizations and projects most aligned with our priorities will:
  • Demonstrate efforts to achieve inclusive and equitable programming in their work and within the organization.
  • Include stakeholders in relevant aspects of their work and decision-making and elevate existing community assets whenever possible.
  • Incorporate racial justice and equity in their day-to-day operations.
  • Understand the importance of advocacy and policy change to take a systemic approach to promoting justice.
  • Demonstrate the uniqueness of their specific organization’s work in light of the larger landscape.
  • We welcome and prioritize innovation.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the intersectional nature of social problems in the area and take a root-causes approach to addressing them.
• Although we encourage operating support grants, we recognize that you know best what types of funds you need.
  • That being said, we award grants for all of the following purposes:
  • Operating support (encouraged!)
  • Programmatic support
  • Advocacy
  • Capacity building – for both staff and board
  • Capital support – on a limited basis
• Our grantees serve residents of Northeast Ohio, generally those residing in Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties.
  • Requests from organizations that are located outside this area, yet serve the communities within these boundaries, may be considered.

Ineligibility

• We will not fund organizations that:
  • Do not provide services to Northeast Ohio, or whose missions fall outside of our focus areas.
  • Have sectarian religious activity as a requirement for receipt of their programming
  • Have foreign operations or expenditures
  • Are fraternal societies
  • Are local or national offices of organizations whose stated purpose is to combat a particular disease or family of diseases, other than adolescent and young adult cancer
  • Are private foundations or public charities with a non-private foundation status of 509(a)(3).
  • If you are unsure of your 509(a) status, please consult your tax adviser
• In addition, we will not consider requests for:
  • Individual scholarships, even if through an otherwise qualified organization
  • Political campaigns or partisan lobbying
  • Grants to individuals