WACF Opportunity Gap Grant

Online Application Open: June 1st, 2022
Deadline: July 15, 2022 at 11:59PM - Decision made within 90 days of deadline

Brief Description

The Opportunity Gap refers to vast and growing differences in opportunities available to poor and well-off children and families nationwide. These include quality early childhood education, to Advanced Placement courses in high school, to sport and enrichment activities that provide mentoring, teambuilding and other life-long skills they need to be good citizens and good employees. The WACF seeks to make a variety of smaller grants to support the five building blocks to help our children succeed. The focus areas include projects that address career on-ramps for success, engagement in the K-12 years, high quality early childhood education, safe and caring communities, and/or stable families and parenting.

WHAT WE FUND:

• New or expanded programs/projects

Eligible organizations: 501(c) 3 nonprofit organizations, schools or government entities.

Geographic Area: Kandiyohi County in Minnesota

FUNDING AMOUNT RANGE:

$5,000-$10,000 (A password is needed to apply. More information in the "Process" section.)

FOCUS AREAS:

• Career On-Ramps for Success
• Engagement in the K-12 Years
• High Quality Early Childhood Education
• Safe and Caring Communities
• Stable Family and Parenting

Looking for more resources about the Opportunity Gap? Check out these resources below.

• "Grow Your Own" informational handout from SWIF
• https://swifoundation.org/what-we-do/grow-our-own/ Grow Our Own – Commitment to Our Kids
• https://www.dsacommunityfoundation.org/dr-putnam-records-duluth-specific-video Dr. Putnam on the Opportunity Gap
• http://www.ourkidsseries.org/ Our Kids Series
• https://www.pbs.org/video/grow-our-own-tpooxz/ Grow Our Own: Helping the next generation find success
• https://www.pbs.org/video/chicago-tonight-march-24-2015-american-dream-crisis/ Dr. Putnam speaking on Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis
• https://www.amazon.com/Our-Kids-American-Dream-Crisis/dp/1476769907 Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis

FAVORABLE CONSIDERATIONS:

• Are likely to make a clear difference in the quality of life for a substantial number of people.
• Propose practical approaches to resolve current community problems.
• Address diversity and positive change in a constructive manner.(Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy)
• Help nonprofit organizations manage themselves and their finances more effectively.
• Encourage cooperation and eliminate duplication of services.
• Stimulate others to participate in problem-solving.
• Promote leverage for generating additional funds.
• Sustainability.

WHAT WE DON'T FUND:

• Individuals
• Religious organizations for religious purposes (Funding for Faith-Based Organizations Policy)
• Political organizations or political campaigns.
• Annual fundraising drives
• Endowments
• Debt retirement or deficit financing
• Projects or portions of projects that have already been completed
• Scholarships or medical research
• Grants for travel or conferences

PROCESS:

• A password is required to apply for this grant round. To get the password, interested parties must view the Opportunity Gap webinar by clicking here. The password is given in this webinar.
• Submit application online using the CommunityGiving Grant Management System.
• The Grant Advisory Committee will recommend applications for funding to the Board of Directors.
• The Board of Directors will make final funding decisions.

Organizations may only submit one grant application per year per grant round.

All notifications about this grant will be through emails.

Payout of Grants: Upon recipient of electronically signed Grant Agreement.

Grantee Required Documents: Grant Agreement, Progress Report, and Final Report. Required follow up documents will be submitted through the CommunityGiving Grant Management System.

For questions about the online Grant Management System, please call Sherri at (320) 257-9715.

Click here to begin the Application Process