MCF: Community Impact Grants

The Madison Community Foundation's Community Impact Grants aim to enhance the quality of life for residents in greater Madison. They support innovative nonprofits and initiatives across five key areas: Arts & Culture, Community Development, Environment, Learning, and Organizational Capacity Building. Grants are available for program development, capital projects, and endowment challenges, fostering a vibrant, equitable community. Organizations must meet specific eligibility criteria, including being located within Dane County and operating without discrimination.

Building a Stronger Community
Madison Community Foundation plays a vital role in local philanthropy, working to have a meaningful impact on our community. MCF uses its deep knowledge of the community, its opportunities and challenges, and the organizations working here to help create a more vibrant and equitable community.
Types of Community Impact Grants
MCF’s grantmaking supports opportunities to strengthen innovative or high-performing nonprofits, and invest in the initiatives and natural and cultural assets that create a thriving community. Community Impact grants will be used to provide grants in five focus areas that improve the quality of life for residents in greater Madison:

• Arts & Culture
• Grants build and support Dane County’s vibrant arts scene.
• Community Development

Grants enhance the quality of life by strengthening the unique natural and cultural assets found in Dane County, investing in neighborhoods, enhancing equity and building bonds among residents.
Environment
Grants preserve natural spaces by supporting conservation, restoration, education and policy-making.
Learning
Grants support public K-12 academic achievement and learning, out-of-school-time programs, GED-equivalent and transition-to-adult programs.
Organizational Capacity Building
Grants strengthen the infrastructure and long-term impact of Dane County nonprofits.
These grants fall into three broad categories
Program Grants- support new programs or the expansion of existing programs that have a track record of success.
Capital Grants- support the construction, purchase and renovation of facilities, land acquisition, and occasionally the purchase of vehicles or equipment.
Endowment Challenge Grants- build capacity and sustainability by helping nonprofits leverage additional funds and incorporate endowment fundraising as a regular part of their ongoing development program. Typically, endowment challenge grants are two-to-one matches but may vary by the size of the grant awarded. Learn more about endowment challenge grants.

Eligibility

Organizations must meet the following criteria:Public charities, exempt from federal income taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or governmental bodies, including schools and municipalities, as long as the project is above and beyond regular budgeted items and does not fill budget gaps.Organizations must be located, and projects must take place, within the borders of Dane County. The one exception is endowment challenge grants, for which there is no geographic limitation. But the resultant endowment fund must reside at MCF.Conduct business without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual preference, age, marital status, disability or national origin.Repeat grant applicants who are in good standing with MCF and propose a new project that fits within the focus areas are welcome to submit subsequent proposals. However, when having to choose between projects, an applicant that has not been funded regularly may have an edge over one that has.Local communities with community or education foundations that are unaffiliated with the Madison Community Foundation must submit a letter of support from the local foundation as part of the application process.

Ineligibility

Substance abuse treatment
Health care services, including mental health and capital campaigns for health
Capital grants to support ongoing maintenance or annual operations
Sports and recreation, except in the case of those using sports programming for academic purposes
Short-term events such as conferences, festivals, fundraising functions and celebrations, except in the case of a special celebration or major anniversary of an organization offering programmatic content that fits MCF's focus areas. (Preference will be given to MCF Agency Fundholders.)
Multiple project requests from the same organization simultaneously, unless the projects differ significantly (often when projects take place in different facilities or communities).
The University of Wisconsin, although projects sponsored by other nonprofits in which the University of Wisconsin is a partner agency will be considered.