Organizations that are recognized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or that have a fiscal sponsor that is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and serve Kalamazoo County may submit funding requests. Religious institutions and governmental agencies that serve residents in Kalamazoo County may also submit requests. Organizations must affirm that their inclusion policies and/or practices align with our Inclusion Statement.
We believe agencies benefit from diversity in perspective at all levels of the organization (including paid staff, board, committees and volunteers). We value diversity, equity and inclusion to the fullest extent, so we only invest in organizations that do too. Read our Diversity Policy to learn more about what this means.
Our community investment priorities are equity and education.
As a community foundation, we take a broad approach to community impact, investing in the community in a number of ways using a variety of resources: scholarships, program- and business-related investments, donor-directed grants and traditional grants. Most of those resources support broad community issues. However, when it comes to granting our unrestricted resources, which represent just a fraction of those available, our supporters have tasked us to address the greater Kalamazoo areas most pressing needs.
We want our community to be one in which all children enter school ready to learn, are supported through their academic career and are prepared for life after high school. We want our community to be one in which all adults have the skills they need to live their best life and be able to support themselves and those who may depend on them. We want our community to be one in which attributes like race, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, gender identity or sexual orientation are not predictors of a person's opportunities.
This is why investments will be in efforts that increase equity and improve educational outcomes.
The first time your request is reviewed we do it as a team. This helps us leverage the collective knowledge and experience of each team member and reduce bias in the decision-making process. After the team review, we assign your request to a member of our team who serves as your one point of contact throughout the grant cycle. If we need more information than what is provided in your letter of inquiry, we may set up a meeting, have conversations with people from your organization or arrange a site visit.
For each request, after we determine it aligns with our priorities, we consider if your organization:
- Has effective leadership to carry out the work as outlined;
- Demonstrates cultural competency in its programs, policies and procedures, thereby ensuring access and quality service for the full diversity of the community;
- Uses data and best practices to guide strategies;
- Demonstrates an ability to learn and adapt;
- Leverages the strengths and resources of partnerships and works in collaboration towards shared outcomes;
- Involves people you serve in shaping programming or in formal leadership roles;
- Carries out ongoing evaluation;
- Has measurable outcomes;
- Has a sustainable fund development strategy; and
- Understands and seeks to improve the sector you are in through technical support, collaboration or advocacy.
We consider all of these factors, but our team also is committed to providing guidance and support to organizations that are still building their capacity in these areas.
The first step in the process is to complete our online letter of inquiry.
Letters of Inquiry may be submitted at any time throughout the year. Funding requests of more than $25,000 have specific due dates. If you've gotten a grant from us in the past, you must submit your final report for that grant before submitting another request. If you plan to request funding for more than one program/project, you should only submit one comprehensive request. Submit your LOI as soon as you know what your needs will be for the coming year.
There are two grant cycles: the first has a deadline in January and the second has a deadline in July.
Click here for more information about our grant cycles
A letter of inquiry (LOI) is a commonly-used tool in grantmaking across the country. It provides us with a high-level overview of the project you're requesting funding for. It enables you to put your thoughts "on paper" and gives us some initial information that enables us to review the proposal and recommend next steps.
The LOI is the first step in our formal application process. It ensures all agencies — regardless of their history (or lack of history) with us — begin the process on equal footing. That said, we're happy to have an informal conversation with you about your project.
No. By requesting a grant from a specific fund, you may be unintentionally limiting the funding options available to your organization. When you submit one comprehensive request, our team is able to determine where alignment exists, and to leverage and maximize all of the funding options available.
We ask that you submit one comprehensive request per year. This means we want you to submit one request for every program, project or initiative you'd like us to consider funding that year. Any request you submit should align with our community investment priorities.
If you've already submitted your funding request, but a need for funding arises, please get in touch. We'll talk about the need and what your options may be.
We currently provide funding for one year at a time.
The Kalamazoo Community Foundation is piloting a multi-year funding strategy beginning early 2018. Investments are being considered for a 3-year funding cycle and inclusion in the pilot cohort is by invitation only at this time.
Each grant request is unique. We consider each request’s scope and complexity, the amount, your organization’s history with us, as well as other factors that could contribute to or hinder the project's success. Please rest assured that when it seems to take more time, it’s because we are giving your request the careful attention it deserves.
Having more than one Community Investment team member involved with your application gives you greater support throughout the grantmaking process. It also enables us to leverage the collective knowledge and experience of our team and helps us reduce bias.
While all requests are first reviewed by our internal Community Investment team, the review and approval process varies based on the dollar amount of your request:
- $1 – $25,000
Grant requests are reviewed and may be approved by our Community Investment team. Final approval is given by our board of trustees.
- $25,001 – $50,000
Grant requests are first reviewed by our internal Community Investment team, then by a volunteer committee that includes members of our board of trustees and other community members who volunteer their time and expertise. Final approval is given by our board of trustees.
- Above $50,000
Grant requests are first reviewed by our internal Community Investment team, then by a volunteer committee that includes members of our board of trustees and other community members who volunteer their time and expertise. Final approval is given by our board of trustees.
We will consider requests for operational support and encourage you to have a clear plan outlined for the sustainability of your organization's operations – especially when it comes to the employment of individuals.
We have a small pool of funds available for one-time emergency requests (e.g. unexpected damage to your facility, etc.).
We consider funding requests that align with our community investment priorities, no matter what sector (e.g. education, equity, health, housing, etc.) they come from.
If your project doesn't align with our community investment priorities or we can't fund it for another reason, whenever possible, we'll help you identify other funding options.
Click here to learn more about and apply for the Women's Education Coalition.