Clay County Impact Grants

Clay County Impact Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Wabash Valley Community Foundation
Amount: US $2,000 - US $25,000
Last Updated: March 15, 2026

Summary

The Clay County Impact Grants, managed by the Wabash Valley Community Foundation, aim to fund visionary projects that yield measurable benefits for the community. The foundation prioritizes grants that prevent issues rather than addressing symptoms and encourages collaboration among local institutions. While they seek to meet community needs, certain expenses like operational costs and political activities are excluded. This initiative reflects a commitment to long-term positive change, ensuring that donor contributions lead to impactful, sustainable outcomes.

Overview

Grant Guidelines As you and your organization begin the process of applying for a grant from the Wabash Valley Community Foundation, we feel it is important to share with you our philosophy about grants. When you see our logo, you also notice our tagline: For good. For ever.® The fulfillment of this goal lies at the center of the grants which we fund. The Community Foundation seeks impactful, visionary grants that serve as investments in our community — investments whose results are measurable and permanent (not transitory). Grant applications should reflect collaborative efforts, organizational commitment and the ability to benefit a large segment of the community. They also should focus on the desire to improve our community “For good. For ever.®” The many generous donors who have given over $49 million since the Community Foundation was established in 1991 have trusted us with the permanent endowment of those contributions. As varied as our donors are, one thing they all have had in common is the desire to invest in the Community Foundation so their dollars will be used forever to achieve good things in our communities. Like all investors, they have contributed with the expectation of realizing much gain from their investment. It is this same philosophy that guides our grant-making process. We want to invest in projects that are going to create the greatest return in bringing about positive changes that impact our communities. We look at grants as “investments” that are being made in partnership with your organization. As such, together we can focus on investing in solutions that over time will lessen and eliminate chronic problems. Robert D. Lupton, author of Toxic Charity, points out that “When we do for those in need what they have the capacity to do for themselves, we disempower them…..If we are serious about significant impact, the missions we invest in must produce measurable results.” We have a fiduciary responsibility to our donor-investors to evaluate our grants by focusing on the outcomes of the projects in which we invest. This is why it is important that your organization identifies the potential outcomes of your project, particularly if your group is chosen to submit a full proposal for a Community Foundation grant. In our view, a clearly defined and focused vision for your organization’s missions and efforts is critical to producing lasting and impactful outcomes. To this end, we have developed procedures to be followed if your organization seeks to submit a grant proposal to us for consideration. Grant distribution committees, comprised of volunteers from our local communities, will carefully review and evaluate a one (1) page “Letter of Intent” from each grantee organization. Projects that the committee identifies as ones addressing significant needs with the potential for positive outcomes will be invited to submit full proposals for consideration. All proposals will be submitted in writing. High Priorities With the limited unrestricted funds available, it is necessary to determine which grants can best be awarded to have the greatest impact on the needs and growth of the Wabash Valley. The priorities are as follows: To focus on the prevention of problems rather than on the symptomsTo maintain both a proactive focus and an ability to respond to creative ideas from grant seekersTo assist grant seekers to better respond to the changing needs of the communityTo encourage programs that enhance cooperation and collaboration among institutions within our communityTo leverage funds through the use of “seed money,” “match” and “challenge” grantsTo fund projects that will make a significant improvement to our community

Eligibility

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

Ineligibility

While the Community Foundation remains flexible in attempting to meet community needs, the following items generally are not funded:Operational expenses of existing programsEndowments or deficit fundingFunds for redistribution by the granteeConferences, publications, films, television and radio programs unless integral to the project for which the grant is soughtReligious purposesTravel for individuals or groups such as bands, sports teams and classesAnnual appeals and membership contributionsCommonly accepted community services, which are tax supported such as fire and police protection, welfare and library service, etc.Political campaigns or lobbying activities