York County Community Foundation Grant Cycle

The York County Community Foundation Grant Cycle aims to enhance community welfare by supporting local initiatives. This competitive grant program prioritizes measurable outcomes and effective strategies across various sectors including arts, education, environment, health, and human services. Grants are available to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits, educational institutions, and governmental organizations serving York County, SC. The foundation seeks impactful investments to foster community development, ensuring funds are utilized effectively for the greatest benefit.

Description
The mission of the York County Community Foundation is to inspire philanthropy and strengthen our community by supporting initiatives that address local needs and providing quality services to donors and constituents.
The Board of Trustees supports their mission through the annual competitive grantmaking program. The Foundation is an investor in the community and is interested in creating the highest possible levels of community gain, focused on improving the lives of York County citizens.
Community Investment Guidelines
To decide how to invest the limited dollars of the Foundation, the Board will look for effective programs and strategies that strive to support the Investment Areas listed below. The success of a grant is predicted by reviewing the expected results of the proposal and results tracking approaches. Programs that are capable of attaining measurable results receive higher consideration. Grant requests are reviewed with the following questions in mind:

• What results are we investing in?What are the chances we will get results?Is this the best possible use of money?
• Result and Investment Areas:

The York County Community Foundation advises and awards grants from two different funds: the York County Community Foundation Endowment Fund and the York County Environmental and Conservation Endowment Fund. In 2019, the York County Community Foundation awarded $51,212 to 15 organizations in the community. Grant awards ranged from $1,000 to $10,000 and the most common award amount was $1,000. Eligible organizations are expected to address one of the following target areas:

• Arts & CultureEducationEnvironmentHealthHuman Services

Eligibility

Grants must be awarded to eligible organizations including 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, congregations, governmental and educational institutions for projects that will serve the residents of York County, SC. If the organization conducting the project is not an eligible organization, a grant can be applied for under the fiscal sponsorship of an eligible organization.

Ineligibility

The following areas do not fall within York County Community Foundation’s current funding priorities:Capital campaign requestsDebt retirement/deficit funding or expenses incurred prior to grant award decisionsDirect support of individuals (e.g. scholarships, hardship)Duplication of existing programs or servicesEndowment fundsGeneral operating supportTravel and conferencesPublication of booksProjects that are typically the funding responsibility of federal, state or local governmentProjects that promote political or religious viewsPolitical or lobbying activitiesSponsorships or fundraisers