Mccune Foundation: Project & General Operating Support Grants

Mccune Foundation: Project & General Operating Support Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: McCune Foundation
Amount: Up to US $50,000
Last Updated: June 18, 2025

Summary

The McCune Foundation provides funding to grassroots organizations in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties that empower economically and politically marginalized groups. Their grants support community-led initiatives focused on creating systemic change and enhancing social capital. Eligible applicants must demonstrate inclusive leadership and engage affected populations in project planning. The Foundation prioritizes projects that mobilize communities to address root causes of social issues, fostering collaboration and action for social justice.

Overview

The Foundation supports grassroots groups with a strong community base that are addressing critical issues in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties through community organizing strategies. We fund projects that mobilize affected populations to create social and economic justice. Projects should be initiated and led by economically and politically disenfranchised groups including low-income, working poor, and marginalized individuals. Empowerment of the economically and politically marginalized and inclusion of such people in an organization’s leadership structure is a requirement for funding. Project & General Operating Support grants are offered for projects that grow social capital and enhance a community’s capacity to mobilize residents to solve problems. Grant Guidelines The McCune Foundation was established in 1990 by George D. McCune and Sara Miller McCune, the founders and principal management team of SAGE Publications, Inc. Our mission is to be an agent of productive change in society by supporting the growth of social capital in communities. The Foundation supports projects and community-based organizations that are addressing critical issues in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties through community organizing strategies. We are especially interested in funding grassroots groups which seek to empower excluded populations. Social Change The Foundation is interested in creative grassroots projects which address the causes of a problem, rather than treating symptoms. We support organizations that see their work in the context of whole systems and causes, and exhibit solution-oriented approaches to addressing critical issues and creating social justice. (The Foundation does not fund the provision of direct services or purely educational programs.) Empowerment A core value for the Foundation is the empowerment of the excluded populations and inclusion of such people in an organization’s leadership structure. We support groups which are “doing with others” rather than “doing for others” – grassroots, bottom-up organizations in which the “clients” are the initiators and involved in the decision making. Social Capital & Community Capacity The Foundation supports grassroots organizations with a strong community base and efforts to grow social capital and enhance a community’s capacity to mobilize and solve problems. We support a focus on community capacity building rather than personal growth or development of leadership skills in individuals, except where such training is directly linked to community action and participants are committed to remaining in the community and using their skills to affect public policy. We also wish to encourage networking and coalition building within communities.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Funding is available to applicants in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties that have IRS 501(c)(3) tax status or operate under the sponsorship of a qualified organization.To be eligible, applicants must demonstrate that they:Include the affected population in the planning and implementation of the project. Work to create systemic change. Build social capital and community capacity by engaging and empowering new participants in action for social change.GeographyAre you mobilizing residents of Santa Barbara & Ventura Counties in California? If YES, consider submitting a request.Inclusive LeadershipEconomically and politically marginalized individuals are the leaders of the group and are directly involved in decision making and planning. If YES, consider submitting a request.Systemic ChangeThe project is focused on creating systemic change by addressing the causes, not symptoms, of social problems through influencing policy reforms, institutional changes, etc. If YES, consider submitting a request.Social Capital & Community CapacityThe project strives to build social capital and community capacity through community organizing – bringing people together to jointly act in their self-interest. Engaging and empowering new participants is an ongoing priority. If YES, consider submitting a request.

Ineligibility

Grants will not be awarded for direct support to individuals, budget deficits, religious organizations for religious purposes, construction or renovation of buildings, or general fundraising drives or events.We usually will not consider proposals from schools.In general, we do not fund projects implementing model programs from elsewhere, but will consider funding the expansion of locally-initiated projects to other parts of the region. Grants generally will not be made for more than 50 percent of a project budget.The Foundation does not fund the provision of direct services or purely educational programs.GeographyDo you work exclusively with residents of other regions? If YES, your project will not be considered.Inclusive LeadershipEstablished community leaders not necessarily representative of the targeted population predominate on the Board and drive decision making. If Yes, the organization is not likely to be eligible.Systemic ChangeThe organization’s primary strategy for reaching its mission is to provide services (basic needs, mentoring, education, etc.) If Yes, the request is not likely to be eligible.Social Capital & Community CapacityThe project is primarily concerned with personal development and growth and achievement for the individual. If Yes, the request is not likely to be eligible.