Building Rural Communities Program
2008 GRANT GUIDELINES

	Grant Application Cover Sheet
	Word Version PDF Version Program Guidelines

The Montana Community Foundation is proud to partner with The Steele-Reese Foundation to provide grants to assist rural communities in Montana.  This grant program benefits residents of rural towns with a population under 5,000. The proposal deadline is Friday, February 15, 2008. We can only accept one application per organization.

Criteria

Grants will be made for projects in the following program areas:

• Rural  Education:
  Assistance to libraries, funding for supplemental programs for preschools and elementary schools, support of literacy programs.

• Rural Welfare
  Programs for the disadvantaged and disabled, including aged, homeless, young, troubled youth and abused women. Also, local fire-protection services, parks and civic improvements, food banks and human rights organizations.

• Rural Health
  Family planning programs, hospices, preventative health programs, EMS and ambulance units, equipment for small hospitals and clinics.

• Rural Humanities
  Local arts groups and historical projects.

• Rural Conservation
  Composting programs, wildlife projects, ecosystem protection, water projects, all of which must be locally, not regionally focused.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be either: 1) a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization (IRS designation, not State of Montana designation);  or 2) an exempt governmental unit

About the Grants

• Grant size is $500 to $5,000.
• Grants must be used for projects benefiting rural residents of communities with a population of fewer than 5,000. Smaller communities immediately adjacent to an “urban” area are not eligible.
• Recommendations for funding are made by a grants review committee with final approval by the Montana Community Foundation’s Board of Directors.
• Only 10-15 grants will be made during the 2008 grant cycle.  This process is VERY competitive. Do not apply if your organization or project does not meet the criteria exactly.

Other Criteria

Eligible Projects:

• Help people help themselves.
• Enjoy financial support from community members.
• Address important, unmet needs.
• Provide a direct, rather than a remote, benefit to local residents.

Ineligible Projects:

• Conferences and workshops
• Planning, research or untested projects
• Recreational facilities (including swimming pools), athletic competitions or related travel
• Academic contests
• Computers, other technology used for instruction in schools
• Partisan or sectarian activities

Application Package

• Grant Application Cover sheet
• Proposal Narrative (see description below)
• One-page project budget
• Copy of IRS 501(c)(3) designation letter (REQUIRED)
  Note: Nonprofit status from the State of Montana does not qualify!  Without an IRS designation letter, your application will be automatically denied.
• Roster of board members

Important Note:  10-20% of the application packages we receive are incomplete. If your application package is incomplete, your application will be automatically denied.

Proposal Narrative  

Please address the following (2 page maximum):

• Briefly describe the proposed project.
• Describe the constituency that will benefit from this project.
• What will be the tangible impact of the grant in the community?
• How many people will benefit from this grant?
• How will this project help the community address its future?

Where to Send the Application

• Application packages must be postmarked by Friday, February 15, 2008. 
  We cannot accept any incomplete packages or any HAND-WRITTEN application cover sheets or narratives. The application and narrative must be typed.
• Mail TWO copies of the package to:

  Montana Community Foundation
  P.O. Box 1145
  Helena, MT  59624

Grant Cycle Schedule      

Date                                                                Action
February 15, 2008                                       Applications Due
February 15 – April 18, 2008                     Grant Review Process
April 21-25, 2008                                          Notification of Applicants
May 5-16, 2008                                             Grant checks sent

For Additional Information

For questions, please call or email Cathy Cooney, Program Director, at (406) 755-4525 .

For further clarification of the granting priorities, please check the website of the Steele-Reese Foundation at www.steele-reese.org for more information and for a description of past grants.

Final Checklist before mailing:

1. Are your materials typed?  (No hand-written applications are accepted.)
2. Is your application package complete?
3. Did you submit your current IRS 501(c)(3) designation letter?
1. Please make sure that you are NOT submitting an expired advanced ruling letter.
2. Please do not substitute paperwork from the State of Montana or copies of by-laws, articles of incorporation or other inappropriate materials.
4. Will the application package be postmarked no later than Friday, February 15, 2008?  Late applications are not accepted.

If you are unsure of whether you are completing the application process correctly, PLEASE call or email and ask. 

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