Knox County Foundation: Major Grant

The Knox County Foundation, active for over 72 years, focuses on enhancing the quality of life in Mount Vernon and Knox County through charitable giving. It supports diverse projects, prioritizing those that address unmet community needs, foster volunteerism, and promote collaboration among nonprofits. The foundation encourages innovative solutions and aims to make a significant impact on the community's well-being, while also developing a permanent endowment to sustain its efforts.

Mount Vernon/Knox County Community Trust, has awarded grants and scholarships from a variety of unrestricted, donor-advised and designated funds. As a group, these awards reflect the diversity of charitable interests defined in the Foundation’s mission statement:

• To improve the quality of life in Mount Vernon and Knox County through charitable
• giving; To provide a vehicle for donors of varied interests to support charitable and community

Foundation Priorities
The Foundation seeks to maximize its impact in the community
and has adopted the following strategic priorities to guide its grantmaking. Proposals that address one or more of these priorities have a greater likelihood of receiving funding. They are listed here in no particular order of importance.
A pilot project which can serve as a model of excellence in the community;
A project which proposes a creative solution to an identified, but unmet need, in the
community;
A project or program which encourages volunteer involvement;
A project that is a collaborative effort among nonprofit organizations in the community
and will eliminate duplication of services; A project which is likely to make a clear difference in the quality of life for a substantial
number of people; or A project which promotes economic vitality in the community.

Eligibility

Grants are made to tax-exempt private agencies classified as 501(c)(3)
organizations, and to public charities as defined by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.Public schools, governmental entities and Knox County colleges and universities are also eligible to apply for Foundation grants.

Ineligibility

Certain projects and organizations are generally not eligible for funding, including but
not limited to: Grants to individuals or projects where facilities or equipment of non-qualifying entities are improved or benefited
Routine operating or payroll expenses
Projects/Programs that are restricted to members of a particular faith community or promote a specific religious doctrine
Purchase of computers, unless proven to be used solely for the project/program
Travel (when it is the proposal’s primary focus)
Projects which have been completed prior to allocations decisions
Organizations that do not operate programs in Knox County, or for the benefit of Knox County residents
Political campaigns
Capital improvements to privately held property, including property held by a religious organization