YSCF: General Discretionary Grants

The Yellow Springs Community Foundation offers General Discretionary Grants to enhance community life in Yellow Springs and Miami Township. These grants support projects, programs, and events that address community needs. Applications are accepted quarterly, with deadlines at the end of March, June, September, and October. The Foundation prioritizes one-time projects, collaborations, and reasonable compensation. Eligible applicants include registered nonprofits, while individuals and ongoing operational support are typically not funded.

General grants (also called Standard or Discretionary) are awarded for projects, programs, and events that enhance life in Yellow Springs and Miami Township.
The grant-approval process is quarterly, and grant applications must be submitted by the last day of March, June, September, and October. The Grant Review Committee (GRC) will review the grants in the month following their submission with awards announced in May, August, November, and February.

Eligibility

Registered 501c3 nonprofit in Yellow Springs or Miami TownshipIf the request comes from a non-501c3 organization, an agreement must be in place with a fiscal sponsor that is a qualifying 501c3 organization before the application is submitted.As a general rule, the Foundation will consider the following elements when reviewing grant requests:The project serves an obvious community need or clearly benefits the community of Yellow Springs or Miami Township.The project is a one-time effort. We typically do not fund operational support and generally do not provide more than 1 standard grant to an organization within a 12-month period.We encourage collaboration with local groups. Letters of support/participation from other community organizations add value to the proposal.Any compensation (fees, stipends, honorarium, etc.) must be reasonable.Capacity building grants (computers, software, etc.) are generally one-time requests.Requests associated with a local nonprofit organization should have written approval and support from that organization.Each project will be considered according to its own merits.Core funding areas, but not entirely limited to:ArtsAffordable housingCollaborations Among Nonprofit OrganizationsCommunityEducationEnvironmentFarmland preservationHealth & WellnessPeacekeepersSeniorsSocial justice, Food Security, etc.Village and Collage collaboration

Ineligibility

What We Generally Do Not Fund:Projects that are narrowly focused in impact and number of participantsGeneral organizational operations and ongoing programsIndividuals (for personal benefit)Operational deficits or reduced or lost fundingSectarian activities of religious organizationsAnnual fundraising drives, ceremoniesHospitals, universities, and colleges for internal programsMatching grants (unless local dollars are needed to fulfill a condition for a state or federal grant)Multi-year or large-dollar requests (unless they are Grants Committee and Governing Board initiatives)Publications, books, reports, research papers