How to Apply The Freeport Community Foundation announces two grant cycles for 2012. Grant submission deadlines are: March 1 and October 1 at 4:00 pm. Grant applications will not be accepted after the deadline. Guidelines for Grants: Freeport Community Foundation support’s 501©3 organizations serving citizen’s in northwest Illinois, primarily Freeport. The size and number of grants are directly related to the amount of money available each grant period and to the restriction’s donors have placed upon the use of certain funds. The Freeport Community Foundation is particularly interested in funding initiatives that are collaborative, inclusive and responsive to current and emerging needs of the community. Programs and/or activities should: Present innovative, creative and practical approaches in dealing with community needs Strengthen the capacity of the community to solve problems or seize opportunities in the future Encourage partnerships and collaborative efforts to reduce duplication of services Demonstrate vision, action, effectiveness, good management and quality The philanthropic fields of interests include, though are not limited to, initiatives that will: Address current and emerging needs Foster civil and community betterment Meet human and health service needs Provide reform and innovation in the schools and new approaches to learning Support the advancement of arts and literature In general, grants are not awarded for the following: Annual project/program support and ongoing operating support Annual fundraising drives Capital campaigns (this does not exclude grants for emergency capital needs) Endowments Grants to individuals, fraternal organizations, bands, booster clubs Travel or conference expenses Religious purposes (this does not exclude grants to religious organizations for nonreligious purposes) Fundraising expenses Grant proposals are reviewed and recommended by the Foundation’s Grant Committee with the full Freeport Community Foundation Board of Director’s making the final grant award determination’s. Awards will be announced by the 1st of the following month. A letter to the awardees announcing the award and a detailed grant agreement will be sent to the grantee to be signed and returned. At that time the grant amount will be remitted. A follow-up report on the results of the project or program funded is required. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your program or project prior to submission, please contact our Executive Director at fcf@aeroinc.net or 815-801-3035. To download the Freeport Community Foundations current application and forms, click here.