Apply for a Grant

The Community Foundation of South Lake is honored to have been a resource in our community for COVID-19 response funding.

In partnership with Morgridge Family Foundation, Live Well Foundation of South Lake and numerous donors, together we dispersed $125,350 to Lake County non-profits during April and May. Because of these efforts, thousands of families were fed, our elderly were provided support services and over 50 families were able to remain housed.

The Community Foundation of South Lake opens it’s annual Community Impact Grant Cycle (competitive grants) during June of each year. Due to the current climate, as a result of the Coronavirus, our typical Summer Grant Cycle is now taking place July 13th-August 14th. Our Board of Directors and staff are continue to work diligently on evaluating our resources and the community needs.

Community Impact Grants

Each year the Community Foundation of South Lake evaluates the focus areas for our Grant Cycle based on the needs in the community. Once decided upon, it will be announced here on our site and via our Facebook page. Grants to local non-profit organizations derive from the income and interest accumulated from our unrestricted funds. In order to be eligible to apply for funding, your non-profit must meet our grant requirements listed below. If you have any questions regarding grants, email Brittany@cfslc.org.

Community Foundation of South Lake County Grant Guidelines

Applicants are required to attend the Grant Workshop scheduled prior to the opening of each grant cycle. All grant applications are completed through our online grant site unless otherwise noted.

Grant Application workshop TBD for 2021.
Grant funding must serve residents of South Lake County tax district; includes cities of Clermont, Montverde, Groveland, Mascotte, Ferndale, Minneola, and Stuckey.
Must be an active and in good-standing 501(c)(3) organization.
Awards up to $25,000.
Must have been an active organization for at least 3 years (and provide 1 year of financial history).
Must fully complete the application including required attachments.
Applicants are encouraged to attend our Non-profit Sustainability workshops and activities throughout the year.
Must adhere to parameters provided for each grant cycle and/or type.
A representative should be able to attend the Award Presentation in October; (we will continue to monitor safety as it pertains to the in-person activities).

Note: If you have been funded consecutively for the past three years you must take a year off from applying.

Summer 2021 Grant Cycle Timeline:

July 5th-July 30, 2021: Submit online Applications
August – September 2020: Application reviews and evaluations
September 2020: Funding designations and notifications to applicants
October 2020: Grants awarded to applicants

2021 Grant Cycle Criteria

Grant proposals will be reviewed and rewarded based on three targeted focus areas:

Education: We know that education is vital to thriving futures as it provides knowledge and skills required for advancement. Grants will be awarded to organizations with a direct focus on academic educational opportunities for youth and/or adults. Projects must be directly educational and show evident impact/outcomes.

Homelessness Prevention/Intervention: We know that the first defense to homelessness is helping to prevent it. Yet, we also understand some of our neighbors have already fallen victim to homelessness. Grants will be awarded to programs that focus efforts on housing, programming and/or other services that address helping families who are currently experiencing homelessness or the prevention thereof, to avoid the system of being homeless. Projects must present evident impact/outcomes.

Operational Support: Grants will be awarded to organizations for support of their operations (not including programs). Funds may be used for any direct or indirect costs related to the nonprofit’s activities, including but not limited to: payroll, rent, utilities, supplies and equipment, project costs, capital improvements, and planning. If you have a General Operations need that is not reflected here, please contact brittany@cfslc.org.

Note: You will only be allowed to request support in one funding area.

The BIG Idea Grant

The BIG Idea Grant is based upon funds available. We regret to inform you that, The Foundation will not have a BIG Idea cycle for 2020.

The Community Foundation of South Lake is calling non-profit organizations to ‘think big’ to make a lasting impact to our community, to collaborate with other non-profits and entities to make a real difference. The needs of our neighbors are many times much greater than what the eye can see or even what they may voice. It is often times a combination of adverse situations that cause a drastic situation.

We would like to see our non-profits come together to combat areas of need, in a collective impact way, creating streamlines of services or support.

The Big Idea must serve South Lake County and prove evidenced needs in the community. Collaborations need to be well thought out, planned, and have intentional impact goals that can be measured.

Collaborative Examples include:

Sample A Feeding organization, partners with Goodwill and a food truck association to establish a mobile grocery to bring fresh produce and low-cost stables to low-income neighborhoods.

Sample B Health organization, partners with Boys and Girls Club, a church, and a farmer to build community gardens and a sustainable food infrastructure (including a tilapia farm).

Next dates for The Big Idea are TBD.
Award range of $25,000 to $50,000
Requires a letter of intent (2 page max) outlining the program, as well as, partnerships and funding opportunities.
Collaboration is required.
Invitations for full applications are offered upon approval of the Letter of Intent.

ALL Grant Requirements

Grants made competitively through our Grant cycle are limited to:

Tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations certified by the Internal Revenue Service under section 501(c)(3) of the tax code
Grant must be for the direct benefit of the South Lake County Community which includes communities within the Hospital Tax District and encompasses: Clermont (south to 4-corners included), Ferndale, Groveland, Mascotte, Minneola, Stuckey, and Montverde; please note, this does not mean your organization cannot be from an area outside the tax district, just the grant must directly benefit the South Lake community. Grants from our Family of Funds are not subject to this limitation.
Minimum of three years of financial and program data. Financial data must be provided, and IRS 501(c)(3) tax return for a 12-month period prior to application.
Public schools are eligible to apply; funds must be granted to the school, which can then be distributed accordingly.
Public libraries are eligible to apply.

What We Don’t Fund Through Grant Requests

The following requests are not eligible for funding from the Community Foundation of South Lake unrestricted pool of assets:

Organizations that are not tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
Endowments
Capital Campaigns
Fundraising expenses, sponsorship, or thrift stores
Infrastructure improvements when the land/building is not owned by the organization
No support for religious organizations for religious purposes
Lobbying, activism, or litigation
Grants to individuals (rent, utilities, etc.)

If you have any questions pertaining to Grants, please contact Brittany, by calling 352-394-3818 or Email Brittany@cfslc.org.