Is there a financial cap for the award amount requested?
There is no financial cap. However, all requested budgets must be reasonable and aligned with the scope of the proposed project.
What should be entered as the Applicant Name?
The Applicant Name must be the legal name of the applying organization.
Does the County provide partial awards?
Yes. Partial awards may be granted.
For the Primary Contact Information address, should applicants enter a personal or business address?
Applicants should enter the business address associated with the organization’s 501(c)(3). The application allows for a secondary address if needed.
Is there a required number of years a 501(c)(3) must be established?
No. Organizations may be newly formed or have been established for multiple years.
When entering start and end dates for the fiscal year, should this reflect the grant’s fiscal year?
No. Dates should reflect the fiscal year of the organization applying for the grant.
If an organization operates multiple programs, should it submit more than one application?
No. Organizations should submit one application and clearly describe all programs within that submission.
Should the requested funding cover the entire organization?
Yes. Funding requests should reflect all programs. Applicants must provide a clear breakdown of each program within the narrative section.
What is a Tier 3 County?
A Tier 3 County is designated as one focused on Fostering Economic Prosperity, including:
- Increasing overall county population and household income
- Reducing the unemployment rate
- Increasing property tax base per capita
Is there a scoring rubric?
Yes. Applications are evaluated using a scoring rubric. Final funding decisions are based on the County Manager’s recommendation.
How should applicants explain how their program will reach Cumberland County residents?
Applicants may describe outreach and engagement strategies such as:
- Social media campaigns
- Newsletters or listservs
- Post-project evaluations
- Data collection related to website and program access
If an organization (e.g., United Way) distributes micro-grants and is also applying, should it still submit an application?
Yes. Organizations that distribute micro-grants should still submit an application and any agency that applies for the micro-grant should still apply for the community funding.
How much General Liability Insurance coverage is required?
There is no minimum requirement; however, coverage is typically around $1 million.
How often is this grant offered?
The Community Funding Grant is offered once per year.
Does the requested award amount need to be exact?
The requested amount should closely align with the organization’s program in which the funding will be used.
In the Program Expenses section, should applicants list only future expenses?
No. This section should reflect the organization’s overall budget.
Can awarded funds be used to pay organizational staff?
Yes. Funds may be used to support staff positions if included in the funding request.
If an organization did not generate a profit, is it still required to complete a Form 990?
Yes. Organizations must complete and submit Form 990-EZ.
Budget Form: If grant funds are subcontracted, should expenses be itemized?
No. Subcontracted expenses should be listed as a single line item, with additional detail provided in the description.
On the Proposed Budget Expense Report, how should a partially funded position be shown?
For staff working a portion of the time, applicants should use the Direct Cost Calculation and enter the rate based on the percentage of time worked.
Is it appropriate to include emergency funding in the request?
No, this funding does not allow requests for future or potential emergencies. The budget should reflect the amount needed to operate programs for the applicable year.
Can the same application be used for future grant cycles?
Requirements may change annually; however, applicants may download and reference their previous application.