Knox County Foundation Small Grant

The Knox County Foundation Small Grant aims to enhance the quality of life in Mount Vernon and Knox County. With a legacy of over 75 years, the Foundation prioritizes charitable giving that addresses education, health, and community development. It supports innovative projects that fulfill unmet needs and encourages collaborations among local nonprofits. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations and public entities. The Foundation prefers to act as a funding partner rather than the sole source.

For more than 75 years the Community Foundation of Mount Vernon/Knox County, formerly the 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:
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
• Paying off existing obligations, debts or liabilities
• 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