Program Overview
 

The Large Impact Grant is intended for requests from $10,000 to $30,000.

The programs that are considered for support are those located in Owen County or will directly benefit the citizens of Owen County. Currently we will consider grand awards in five broad areas. Get more detail here: Priority Areas

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1. Civic Affairs

2. Education

3. Health & Wellness

4. Human Services

5. Trails & Parks
    

However, we also welcome good ideas emerging from the community. In these five funding areas, OCCF is interested in working with organizations and associations to build on community strengths and find solutions to community problems. Please contact Janet Rummel at 812-812-1725 if you have questions about whether your idea fits within our funding areas.

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Our goal is to support innovative, collaborative, and transformative projects that support the goals and strategies of the priority areas. Funded projects are also intended to show sustainability over time, as well as leveraging existing community resources.

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Eligible Applicants

To be eligible for funding, an applicant must:

1. Be a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) or a public entity described in Sections 170 and 2055 of the Code, such as school districts and municipalities. Organizations that derive their tax-exempt status from formal affiliation with another organization may be considered.

2. Provide services within Owen County, Indiana. In certain cases, proposals from organizations serving the larger Indiana Uplands Region may be considered, as long as Owen County residents are served too.

3. Be organized and operated so that there is no illegal discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or disability.

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Application Process

1. Upload an Intent to Apply Video by March 8, 2024. Instructions here: Intent to Apply Video

2. Following submission of your intent to apply video, you will be notified by March 15, 2024, whether or not you are invited to submit a full proposal. Uninvited applications will not be considered.

3. Proposals must be submitted by April 15, 2024.

4. Finalists present to the OCCF Grants Committee on May 4, 2024 (time to be announced).

5. Grant awards will be announced on May 22, 2024.

 

Other Guidelines

• Proposal funding requests must be for the same amount requested in your Intent to Apply, unless pre-approved by OCCF.

• Any one organization may submit up to two (2) Intent to Apply videos.

• OCCF will offer the opportunity for multi-year support with consecutive year support requests contingent upon prior year outcomes Please contact Janet Rummel at 812-829-1725 with multi-year requests prior to submitting your Intent to Apply video.

• All grants must be closed out within one year of the receipt of funds, with the exception of multi-year grants.

• OCCF will consider supporting programming or capital expenses up to 10% of the grant amount for indirect costs.

• OCCF reserves the right to pay grants in a single installment or in increments at its sole discretion.

• OCCF requires that all successful applicants obtain three bids for any equipment purchase of $10,000 and above.

• OCCF reserves the right to conduct an independent evaluation of grant expenditures for up to four years. The grantee agrees to provide the information necessary to complete such an evaluation. Failure to submit requested information in a timely fashion may obligate the grantee to refund the grant.

• The use of grant funds for purposes not pre-approved by OCCF or not supported through required documentation will result in a requirement that those grant funds be returned to the Community Foundation.

• The failure of an applicant to properly close out a grant in a timely manner will be a factor in considering new grant requests.

• OCCF will not consider competitive funding for:

  • Higher education scholarships

  • Projects outside of Owen County

  • Religious purposes

  • Attendance at or sponsorship of fundraising events for organizations

  • Field trips, unless they are part of a long-term program or curriculum

  • Annual events or festivals

  • Any partisan political activity

  • Projects and activities that have already occurred