Description, Funding, and Eligibility
Community Impact Grants (up to $10,000) are designed to address community needs by helping local organizations transform innovative ideas into successful programs or partnerships.
Projects should be responding to a need voiced by the local community.
Projects should also demonstrate a measurable change during the grant period: i.e. forming a new partnership in which both organizations will serve 75 of the same clients OR developing a digital program in which 100 people will be able to participate remotely.
Funding Priorities
This program focuses on supporting organizations who are responding to community needs in the following ways:
- Creating new programs to respond to community needs
- Changing existing programs in response to changing community needs
- Creating new partnerships to better respond to community needs
Organizations may receive up to $10,000 through the Community Impact Grant program within a 365 day period.
In order to receive a grant through this program, organizations must also have:
- An IRS Letter of Determination that shows the organization is a 501(c)3 public charity
- At least one current program with local impact in one of the following counties: Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, or DeSoto
- An approved/current profile in The Giving Partner, a powerful, searchable online database with over 700 profiles of charitable organizations serving Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties.
Eligibility
Review Process
Applications that have been submitted by the 15th of the month will be reviewed in that month’s cycle. Applicants can expect a decision on their application by the 15th of the following month.
Example: An application submitted on September 14 will be notified by October 15. An application submitted on September 20 will be notified by November 15.
- Press Release
- Blogs
- Videos
- Testimonials
- Articles
- Podcasts / Audio Recordings
Please reference our Press Kit to help draft your message and coordinate review with Hunter Carpenter, Manager of Communications and Marketing, at hcarpenter@cfsarasota.org.
Looking for examples? Check out the Stories of Impact below shared by our Community Impact Grantees.
September 15, 2020
Artificial reefs offer mangrove-like nursery habitat. supported by Community Impact Grant
May 14, 2020
Key Chorale receives Community Impact Grant from Community Foundation of Sarasota County
November 26, 2019
Harvey Milk Festival Launches #WeSupport Campaign
November 14, 2019
GLS is expanding its life-planning service to Manatee/Sarasota counties
November 13, 2019
Community Foundation of Sarasota County Awards Community Impact Grant to JoshProvides Epilepsy Assistance Foundation
July 12, 2019