Program Fund

Purpose
The Program Fund supports new, innovative programs and sustains current and/or ongoing programs that impact the quality of life in Linn County, Iowa.

• This fund is intended to target the programmatic work of an organization and is not intended to assist with capital infrastructure projects (bricks and mortar), but may be used for historic preservation projects that aim to restore cultural and natural resources.
• Awards are not intended to replace public dollars, but may be used to supplement public funding for specific initiatives.

Organization Eligibility

• The Community Foundation accepts applications from nonprofit organizations with a 501(c)(3) status, governmental organizations, and non-501(c)(3) organizations that have completed arrangements to obtain a fiscal sponsor.
• Multiple organizations may submit a joint application for a collaborative project. Contact a program officer to discuss.

Ineligible Activities

• Fundraising events and activities
• Religious activities: contact program officer for clarification
• Scholarships for primary and secondary education and post-secondary degree programs
• Expenses for projects and programs that have already occurred or will occur during the grant review process

Low Priority Activities

• Travel out of the region

Maximum Request Amount and Duration of Grant
The Grant Opportunity Chart outlines award ranges and durations which vary based on organization age and organization budget size. The chart also provides information regarding frequency of application limitations.

• Multi-year grants may not exceed $60,000 over the duration of the request. For example, a three-year request is limited to $20,000/year.
• The Community Foundation does not generally fund more than 20% of an organization’s budget.
• New initiatives are always limited to a maximum of $15,000.

Application and Forms
Download Program Fund Application Packet
Download Program Fund Project Budget Form

Questions? Contact:
Elizabeth Cwik, Program Officer, at elizabeth.cwik@gcrcf.org or at 319.774.2372.

NOTE: The Community Foundation maintains strict standards to uphold the integrity of the grantmaking process. Our conflict of interest policy applies to grant committees, board and staff requiring recusals in cases of conflict of interest. The Community Foundation review processes are methodical and transparent, with scoring tools for competitive grant applications available in the online applications.