NWCTCF: Cycle Grants

The Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation (NCCF) offers Cycle Grants to enhance community life through arts, education, environment, health, and social services. Grants are available for small projects up to $1,500 and traditional projects over $1,500, with an average award of $5,000. NCCF encourages innovative, collaborative projects serving residents in its 20-town area, fostering local philanthropy and volunteerism.

Areas of Concentration
When considering how much to request in traditional applications, be aware that the Foundation’s average grant amount is $5,000. It is not uncommon for a grant award to be lower than the amount requested. The amount awarded may be greater for major capital expenditures, significant new programs with a solid plan for long-term support, bold expansion of existing programs, or large capacity building efforts.

Eligibility

​You must complete a Nonprofit Profile with the Community Foundation before applying for a grant. To qualify for a grant from the Foundation, an applicant must:Qualify per the Internal Revenue Code as a tax-exempt organization. Most grantees qualify under Section 501(c)(3), although there are other eligible nonprofits such as schools or governmental agencies, for certain projects. Organizations may contact the Foundation to discuss eligibility;Serve residents in one or more of the 20 towns within the Foundation’s service area:Barkhamsted, Bethlehem, Canaan (Falls Village), Colebrook, Cornwall, Goshen, Hartland, Harwinton, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, New Hartford, Norfolk, North Canaan, Salisbury (Lakeville), Sharon, Torrington, Warren, Washington, and Winchester/Winsted. Provide a service that meets one of the Foundation’s five focus areas of concentrationThe Foundation is also interested in funding innovative projects and/or programs that promote collaboration among nonprofit organizations within its service area.

Ineligibility

The Foundation will not contribute to a capital campaign once the building or other construction project is complete. The Foundation will not consider requests to fund the following:Organizations that, in their constitution, bylaws or practice, discriminate against or show favoritism toward a person or group on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status;Grants to schools for programs that would be included in the operating budget of most schools;Grants to governmental agencies for programs that should be part of their operating budget;Debt retirement;Endowments or other reserve funds (with the exception of applications to the Edwards Community Endowment Project);Membership or affiliation campaigns;Grants that further political or religious doctrine;Grants to individuals;Individual medical procedures;Grants requested for the purpose of re-granting;Activities, projects, or programs that will be completed before funding becomes available (in general, no retroactive funding);Staff positions for which long-term funding has not been established or planned.