I. General Information

Organizations serving residents of Dearborn County that are recognized as tax-exempt by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) under IRC section 501(c)(3) or under section 501(c) are eligible to apply for grants from DCF.
If a tax-exempt organization is not a 501(c)(3), then the purpose of the grant request must be charitable as defined by the IRS.  Grants awarded to non-501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations will be proportionate to the charitable purpose of the grant request.

The Dearborn Community Foundation, Inc. (DCF) awards grants that are considered “investments in our community.” Each grant program has unique criteria and guidelines.    Please read all of the information including the DCF grant policies prior to submitting a completed grant application.

The grant review process for some grant programs takes up to three months from the grant application due date. Applicants should plan accordingly when considering the date of the project and the date of the grant submission.

It is strongly suggested that all applicants consult DCF prior to submitting a grant application to ensure eligibility.

It is not recommended to apply to several grant programs for the same project in the same cycle.

Any school corporation or school sponsored organization wishing to apply for funding through any of our grant programs must first apply for funding through the school’s respective Endowment Corporation/Education Foundation.  A letter from the Schools Endowment Corporation/Education Foundation with their decision must accompany the completed grant application.

II. Grant Evaluation Criteria

The following questions will be taken into consideration when evaluating the request and in making decisions:

  • Is there an established need for the project for which the grant is requested?
  • Is it appropriate to make a grant for the requested purpose, or are there other more suitable sources for potential funding?
  • Are there adequate resources available to effectively respond to this need?
  • Does the information in the grant application possess the capacity necessary to insure the success of the project?
  • Does the organization have adequate accounting and financial policies?
  • Is the organization seeking additional funding from other sources?
  • Does the project have the potential to continue beyond the Foundation’s funding?

III. Grant Policies

  • Grants are awarded only to organizations:
    • whose programs benefit the residents of Dearborn County; and
    • which provide for a responsible fiscal agent and adequate accounting procedures.
  • Generally, grants are not made:
    • to individuals, except for educational scholarships (which are paid to the educational
      institute for the benefit of the individual);
    • exclusively for endowment creation (with the exception of endowment matching programs);
    • to fund travel expenses;
    • to sustain ongoing programs/projects; and
    • to fund salaried/contracted positions.
  • No grants are made:
    • to support political parties, campaigns or issues;
    • specifically for sectarian religious purposes, but can be made to religious organizations for programs that benefit the general public;
    • for debt reduction of recipient organization;
    • for any property improvements (buildings, fencing etc. …) to land not owned by the organization seeking the grant funds; and
    • to provide for programs, expenses and/or equipment committed to prior to grant award date.

habitat-2_200IV. Grant Review Process

  1. All grant applications are reviewed by the DCF staff and evaluated by a grant and/or advisory committee.
  2. The grant and/or advisory committee may discuss the application with knowledgeable individuals outside the DCF and may visit applying organizations to obtain supplemental information
  3. Grant applicants may be required to submit additional information prior to a grant decision.
  4. Recommendations will be presented to advisory committees when applicable and then to the DCF board of directors where final grant decisions are made.
  5. The grant review process may take up to three months before a decision is made. Applicants should plan accordingly when considering the date of a project and the date of the grant submission.

V. Grant Awards

Foundation staff will notify applicants, in writing, of grant decisions.  Applicants that are awarded grants will receive a grant agreement.  Grant payment will be made to an organization after the Foundation receives a signed grant agreement and conditions specified in the agreement are met.

All grantees must submit a final grant report within 30 days of completion of the project or by the final grant report date.  Failure to submit a final grant report will affect future eligibility.