The Park City Foundation is a nonprofit, community foundation committed to preserving and enriching the quality of life of the residents, visitors and workforce of the Park City region by fostering private giving and strengthening service providers. To this end, The Park City Foundation awards grants to local nonprofit organizations involved in the arts, education, athletics, health and human services, youth services, environmental preservation, minority programs, and other community-based efforts. The Foundation will provide program/project, general support, research, demonstration, capacity building and matching grants.
The Park City Foundation connects private philanthropy with the greater Park City community by optimizing the impact of each charitable gift. As a community foundation, we offer professional strategies and services for our donors, and support to strengthen local nonprofits for the betterment of the community.
Our business practices and decisions are lead by our values:
- Vision – looking beyond today to meet the needs of the community by guiding and advising our donors, nonprofits and other partners
- Integrity – earning the respect of our donors, our partners and the community at large by performing at the highest level, beyond reproach, in an efficient, sustainable and transparent manner
- Collaboration – facilitating partnerships by aligning and leveraging community resources to address community needs
- Sophisticated philanthropy - optimizing the value of each gift through quality donor services, consolidation of resources, and combining our in depth knowledge and understanding of greater Park City with effective community enhancement strategies
Grants Timeline
- Friday, July 30: Submit 300-400 word grant proposal via email to Katie@theparkcityfoundation.org
- Friday, August 13: Select applicants will be invited to submit a Community Fund application
- Friday, October 1: Community Fund Application deadline. Submit via email, mail or in person.
- December 2010: Decision announcements
On occasion, the grants committee will consider an out of cycle grant. Please see Appendix A.
Grants Committee
Grants Committee is composed of at least four members selected from the Board of Directors. This committee evaluates the grant proposals and applications and provides recommendations to the Board for final review and approval. Our 2010 Grants Committee includes Chair, Emily Scott Pottruck, Honorable Judith Billings, Jim Hill, Susan Graham Mayo, Susan Pearlstine and Stephen Tyler. To learn more about our Board and the committee members, visit our website: http://www.theparkcityfoundation.org/About/BoardStaff/tabid/211/Default.aspx
Board of Directors
The Foundation Board of Directors consists of up to 30 members who meet four times a year. At the early winter meeting, the grant requests are reviewed and final action is taken on the recommendation made by the Grants Committee.
Staff
Foundation staff processes and prepares the grant applications for review by the Grants Committee and Board of Directors. They serve and assist the Grants Committee, but do not vote on grant awards. After grants are awarded, foundation staff will participate in the monitoring and evaluation process of all grant projects and programs through site visits and brief reports.
Current Types of Support
The Grants Committee will emphasize support to organizations serving the Park City region (Summit County) in the following areas: General existing and new programs/projects; operating support; equipment; conferences and seminars; consulting services; matching funds; technical assistance; start-up funds; and joint requests from multiple applicants.
Current Restrictions
Grants will not be awarded for debt reductions or retiring past operating deficits; sponsorships & dinners (or special one-time events), fellowships or other grants to individuals; loans; litigation; political campaigns; endowment funds; graduate and post-graduate research; or for grants that further political or religious doctrine.
Applicant Eligibility Requirements
The Park City Foundation will consider grant applications from organizations meeting all of the following eligibility requirements:
- Conduct activities and programs consistent with The Foundation’s mission.
- Serve people living or working in Summit County (Wasatch County will be considered, although grant making will primarily emphasize organizations based in Summit County).
- Qualify as a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization under the Internal Revenue Code.
- Applicants without 501 (c) 3 status, but which are operating under an organization qualified as a 501 (c) 3 organization may apply separately if they have their own advisory board and have the written consent of the qualified organization. In that case, the application must contain a letter of agreement between the two organizations, which sets forth the responsibilities of each organization. In no case shall the organization holding 501 (c) 3 status charge the other organization a fee of more than 8% of the total grant awarded, for acting as the fiscal sponsor.
- Applicants without 501(c) 3 status, but which have applied to the IRS for such status, may apply. Receipt letter from the IRS of application is required at time of application to The Park City Foundation. However, if awarded a grant, funds will not be released to the organization until the 501 (c) 3 status has been conferred.
- Applicants that are not 501 (c) 3 organizations, but are implementing charitable activities for the benefi of the citizens of Summit County should contact The Park City Foundation before applying. Under some circumstances, they may be considered for funding but will be required to adhere to seperate reporting measures.
- Organizations awarded a grant in the prior year’s grant cycle that have participated in a site visit by the required deadline, are ineligible for the current year grant cycle. Organizations are ineligible for all future Community Fund grants until the delinquent progress report is submitted and an agreement is made with The Foundation staff.
- Organizations awarded a grant must publicize the grant in any press release, publications, or brochures. See Appendix B for further information and guidance.
Grant Amounts
Grants will fall generally in the range of $500-$10,000, depending on the amount available for distribution. The grants committee does have authority to authorize smaller grants.
Review Criteria
The Grants Committee will use the following criteria to review applications. These criteria are not exclusive, and the board reserves the right to use its own best judgment when making final grant awards. Special consideration will be made for newly formed nonprofit organizations.
- Needs Assessment:
- Need for Assistance
Indicator: Applicant demonstrates a need for the funding sought.
- Organization’s mission addresses a current and proven public need for people living, visiting and/or working in the Park City region.
Indicator: Project/program addresses current need in the Park City Community
- Strategically Planned Approach
Indicators: Goals, objectives, activities/services and timeline that reflect the applicant’s ability to conceptualize the project and offer a realistic plan for its completion
- Significant Results & Benefits
Indicators: Plan to measure and evaluate project/program outcomes (quantitative and/or qualitative) is well articulated
- Organizational Capability & Staff Qualifications
Indicators: Well-run, financially sound organization, strong board participation, stable management, diverse source of revenues, history of clean audits, evidence of good stewardship of funds
- Strong community support for organization and projects (e.g. diversity of funding sources, community resources, volunteers, number of diverse participants in the program/project, including local residents on their boards)
- Organizations that show an effective and efficient delivery of program services
- Qualified, experienced staff
- Project Budget
Indicators: Budget reasonableness, demonstrates that funds will be spent primarily on programs and services, leverages other funds/funding sources
Technical Assistance Grants
The Foundation is pleased to offer applicants the opportunity for both a traditional grant and/or a technical assistance grant award. We encourage nonprofits to apply for a technical assistance grant as these grants provide an easy, effective way for nonprofit organizations to improve their operational efficiency through a proven, turnkey program for assessing and addressing individual organizations’ needs. The Grants Committee reserves the right to offer the applicant organization a technical assistance grant rather than a cash grant award. See Appendix C for more information.
Checklist for Application
- Proposal
- Application
- Updated Nonprofit Directory submission, if necessary
- List of governing board
- 2009 budget versus actual
- 2010 budget versus actual to date Note: If there are any numbers that are easily identified as discrepancies, please explain.
- If available, please include 2009 and 2010 cash flow reports
- Previous year's IRS 990
- Copy of IRS determination letter
- Copy of the State of Utah Nonprofit Solicitation Permit
Appendix A
Out-of-Cycle Grants
Out-of-cycle grants are requests that fall out of The Foundation’s annual cycle of granting because of timing issues or emergencies. These grants are intended to address needs that arise through external or uncontrollable emergencies, present a compelling story of an unmet and necessary need, or are driven by other entities’ timelines or deadlines. Organizations are encouraged to contact The Foundation prior to applying for these funds.
Types of Needs:
- Timing – These funds address issues arising because of timing or organizational conflicts on the part of the nonprofit. For instance, if the leadership of the organization has changed between the deadlines and the organization was not in a position to submit an application, they may request to apply for these funds. In this case, The Foundation will examine closely the reasons for the re-organization or change of leadership and ask whether the organization has the capacity to properly execute the grant.
- Human emergencies – For instance, if a social service organization which shelters the homeless faces an extremely cold February and is trying to shelter an unprecedented number of homeless, the organization might submit an out-of-cycle application for emergency funding.
- Natural disasters – Needs which arise because of an unexpected natural disaster such as flood, earthquake, avalanche, etc.
- Other entities’ timelines – If an organization would be positively positioned to receive other funding, participate in a special activity, or address a community need which was unknown or not available at the prior application date, they may be eligible for an out-of-cycle grant.
Appendix B
Publicity Guidelines
As a recipient of a grant from The Park City Foundation, it is important to The Foundation, our donors and the community that the grantee publicize and recognize the philanthropic support that a grantee receives. The Park City Foundation requires the following of grant recipients:
- Grantee agrees that a notice will be included in all announcements, promotional and other appropriate material stating – “This activity/event/organization is supported by a grant from The Park City Foundation.”
- Grantee agrees to include The Park City Foundation logo in all brochures, notices, signs and plaques that recognize funders at events or on facilities. Advance written approval by The Park City Foundation for use of the logo is required. Please contact staff for a copy of the logo and approval.
Appendix C
Technical Assistance (TA)
The Grants Committee of The Park City Foundation may offer a Technical Assistance Grant to a local nonprofit instead of funding a cash grant, or a nonprofit may request a technical assistance grant in addition to a cash grant. The objective is to provide the nonprofit with a professional third party assessment of their current needs. The assessment may identify the need for an updated business plan, strategic plan, marketing plan, Board of Directors development, etc. The nonprofit consultant will assist the organization’s staff and Board through the development of the improvement plan. The assessment will be conducted by a non-profit consultant and will be shared with The Park City Foundation. The Park City Foundation will pay for assessment and will fund part of or the entire consultant fee. If selected for TA, the nonprofit will not be eligible for future funding from The Park City Foundation until it has completed the TA process. If applying for a TA grant, please follow the regular grant guidelines when applicable. In addition, please include a discussion of specific organizational needs that will be met if the grant is awarded.
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