Quarterly HCF Grants

The Hamilton Community Foundation's Quarterly HCF Grants aim to address unmet charitable needs in Hamilton County, supporting various projects that enhance the community's well-being. Eligible organizations include those with 501(c)(3) status and community groups demonstrating a clear need for funding. Grants focus on improving educational, recreational, and healthcare initiatives, fostering a positive impact regardless of race or creed.

The Hamilton Community Foundation grant program was created to help address unmet and emerging charitable needs in Hamilton County. We use a set of general guidelines to help in the allocation of funds since requests generally exceed the amount of funding available.
The Hamilton Community Foundation is a public foundation which is considered a
501 (c) (3) organization under the Internal Revenue Code. This designation allows taxpayers to deduct from their taxable income as a charitable deduction, amounts given to the Hamilton Community Foundation that are within the limitations of the Internal Revenue Code. In this way, contributions to the Hamilton Community Foundation are beneficial to the contributor as well as to the inhabitants of HamiltonCounty,
Contributions to the Hamilton Community Foundation can be in many forms. Cash is the most common form, but also, securities such as stocks and bonds, life insurance contracts, real estate, or personal property may be contributed. Contributions of appreciated assets can provide substantial tax advantages for the contributor. Contributors should seek competent tax counsel regarding deductibility of contributions.
To receive, administer and disburse funds for such charitable or educational purposes as will, in the discretion of the Board of Directors, make for the mental, moral, intellectual, and physical improvement, assistance and relief of the inhabitants of Hamilton County, Nebraska, regardless of race, color or creed. Effort is made to solicit and support charitable projects and organizations throughout all areas of Hamilton County.
Without limiting or restricting the forgoing paragraph but rather as an enlargement and extension thereof, the Foundation will consider grants for the following purposes:

• For assisting charitable institutions (including educational institutions not
• operating for profit) whether supported by private donation or by public taxation.
• For the care of children and care of sick, aged and helpless.
• For providing facilities for recreation.
• For the encouragement of sanitation and measures for the prevention or suppression of disease.

Eligibility

Guidelines for considerationOrganizations with 501(c)(3) tax exempt status under the IRSCommunity groups working for public benefit projectsA demonstrated need for this project/program in the communityProject has a direct impact on Hamilton County residentsRequests from organizations which have operated successfully for at least one year and demonstrate an ability to enlist financial support from the publicFunding for the project is limited or unavailable from other sourcesOne grant may be awarded per organization per calendar year.

Ineligibility

The Foundation does not provide grant funding for the followingExpenditures incurred prior to formal grant approvalTax supported school systems or municipalitiesMore than 50% of a project (this includes all HCF grant applications combined for one project)Ongoing operating expensesEventsOrganizations with unused funds from a prior grantFunds spent prior to grant approval do not qualify as an eligible grant expense.