Community Building Grant Program

Geographic Scope: VyStar Credit Union service areas including Georgia, North Florida, and Central Florida

Focus Areas:

• Cultivating financially strong communities
• Culturally vibrant communities
• Interconnected communities
• Community vitality and strengthening

Strategic Pillar: Community Building - Cultivating financially strong, culturally vibrant and interconnected communities

Eligibility Requirements

General Criteria:

• Must be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity
• Located or provide benefits to communities within VyStar Credit Union service areas
• Must align with at least one of VyStar Foundation's strategic giving pillars
• Must clearly articulate organizational impact with measurable outcomes
• Must demonstrate ability to measure, track, and report program outcomes
• Minimum of one full year of program services and outcomes required

Exclusions:

• Religious denominations or congregations (unless serving diverse, nonsectarian populations)
• Organizations that discriminate based on race, creed, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, citizenship status, disability, or veteran status
• Political action committees, political causes, or candidates
• Organizations with conflicts of interest due to employee/board member affiliations
• Organizations posing reputational risk to VyStar

Funding Information

Total Pool: To be determined when cycle opens

Selection Criteria

Grant decisions made by Foundation staff and Board of Directors based on:

• Review and alignment with VyStar Foundation's Strategic Giving Pillars
• Program innovation and design
• Impact in the community
• Method to measure and track program outcomes
• Clearly articulated sustainability plan beyond Foundation funding
• Evidence of financial stability
• Evidence of collaboration to leverage resources

Contact Information

Mailing Address: VyStar Foundation, P.O. Box 45085, Jacksonville, FL 32232-5085

Tax ID: 87-2247208

Background

The Foundation operates on a semi-annual grant cycle schedule with Military (spring) and Youth (fall) programs currently active. The Community Building program represents the third strategic pillar but has not yet had an open cycle as of April 2026.