ORLF: Bright Ideas Community Enrichment Fund Grant

The Bright Ideas Community Enrichment Fund, established by the Ottumwa Regional Legacy Foundation in 2011, supports innovative projects that enhance the quality of life for residents in Ottumwa and Wapello County. This grant prioritizes 501(c)(3) organizations offering unique programs that address basic human needs, promote inclusivity, and foster community connections. Applications are welcomed for single-year funding, with larger requests encouraged to include a funding match, ensuring sustained impact and collaboration.

The Legacy Foundation’s Bright Ideas Community Enrichment Fund was established in 2011 to support charitable intentions of the various 501(c)(3) not for profit organizations that serve to enrich the quality of life for the residents of the City of Ottumwa and Wapello County.
We are always looking to support new and innovative ideas and efforts that can have measurable impact on the residents and communities in Wapello County. Further purposes of the Bright Ideas Community Enrichment Fund include, but are not limited to, providing for the promotion of and expanding access and distribution of human services, recreational programming, art, cultural, and humanities needs and issues of the City of Ottumwa and Wapello County. Thank you for considering us as a prospective partner in your work!
In reviewing grant applications, the foundation gives careful consideration to:

• Programs and projects that are unique, creative and without duplicative services
• Programs and projects which are responsive to basic human needs
• Programs and projects which promote inclusiveness and diversity

Programs and projects which connect individuals and families to our community; particularly those programs and projects that advance the Foundation’s strategic priorities of economic prosperity, educational opportunities, quality of life and housing availability.
Potential impact of the grant and the number of individuals in the area who will benefit
The ability of the organization to obtain the necessary additional funding to implement the project and to provide or obtain ongoing funding after the grant has been expended
The possibility of using the grant to match funds from other sources

Eligibility

The applying organization must be an IRS designated 501(c)(3) not for profit providing services in Wapello County.The Legacy Foundation will fund only single year grantsLarger grant requests (those above $20,000) are recommended to have a minimum of a 25% funding match Applicants may not apply more than once per cycle and may not apply more than twice in a calendar yearOrganizations that are a 501c(3) not for profit may apply.

Ineligibility

No multiple year grants will be funded through this programApplication submission to the Bright Ideas Community Enrichment fund will not be considered:To individuals or for profit organizationsFor event sponsorshipsTo organizations that do not have a 501(c)3 statusTo organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, creed, gender or sexual orientationTo programs that do not fall within the specified geographic regionTo sectarian religious activities or direct political lobbyingFor debt reductionFrom organizations that have not completed a requested follow-up report or evaluation form from a previous grant awardFrom organizations whose values do not align with those of the Foundation