FSCF: Mini Grant

The FSCF Mini Grant program, established in 1996, supports five communities: Lucan, Seaforth, Vesta, Wabasso, and Wanda. Each year, up to $1,000 is awarded to one or two grants per community for projects that benefit residents. The brief application process allows for year-round submissions if fall allocations are unawarded. Grants focus on community development, promoting education, wellness, and civic opportunities, with a preference for projects that demonstrate long-term benefits and community engagement.

The Mini Grant program will annually award one or two grants to each of the Five Star communities, Lucan, Seaforth, Vesta, Wabasso, and Wanda, with a total award amount of up to $1,000 to each community.
The Mini Grant application is to be brief and require only that information necessary to inform the foundation of the purpose and goal of the funded project. Mini Grant Applications will be accepted during an application period designated by the Advisory Committee in the fall of each year. If the $1,000 grant allocation to a community is not awarded as a result of the fall application process, applications may be submitted at any time throughout the year with awards made in a timely manner. Any allocation to a community that is not awarded prior to the begining of the subsequent year application period is cancelled.
The Five Star Community Foundation Advisory Committee shall approve any necessary additional criteria and rules for implementation of this grant program.
Grant Objectives:

• Applicants for funds, and the program funded, must serve residents of the Five Star communities and the surrounding area.

The policy of the Foundation is to provide grants for community development projects and programs, which are responsive to the changing community needs in promoting quality education, cultural, wellness, recreational, social service, environmental and civic opportunities.

Eligibility

Grants are restricted to nonprofit organizations that have 501(c)(3) tax exempt status;
educational, school, and religious organizations (for non-sectarian projects open to the community), and governmental agencies.

Ineligibility

Grants generally will not be made
to individuals. Grant Program Limitations:

• Grants are not usually made to support operating expenses of well-established

organizations or ongoing programs, or in response to annual fund drives for sustaining support. On occasion, the Foundation may provide operating expense support on a shortterm basis when such support is critical to the survival of a key agency or program, which has been placed in jeopardy by changes in funding patterns. A grant for operating funds to revitalize or expand an existing program may be made only if the applicant demonstrates the program can become self-sustaining. Grants are not usually made to establish or add to endowment funds.
Grants from discretionary funds will not ordinarily be made for the general use of
churches or for sectarian religious purposes except from designated portions of the Foundation, which have been established for such purposes.A grant may be made to a church, including a school operated by a church, for non-religious and non-sectarian programs that meet the needs of the entire community and are open to the entire community, provided there is a well designed process for reaching beyond the church membership for participants in the program.