When to Apply
Our strategic grantmaking takes place in two cycles: Spring and Fall. Unless otherwise noted, grant applications may be submitted in either the spring or fall for funding that covers a full year.
Spring Grant Cycle
Submit Letter of Interest: Jan 15 – Feb 15
Invitations to Apply: Early March
Application Due: End of March
Decision Announced: Early July
Grant Term: July 1– June 30
Reports Due: Jan 15 (interim) & July 15 (final)
Fall Grant Cycle
Submit Letter of Interest: July 15 – Aug 15
Invitations to Apply: Early September
Application Due: End of September
Decision Announced: Early January
Grant Term: January 1 – December 31
Reports Due: July 15 (interim) & Jan 15 (final)
As of July 1, 2024 applications aligned to Health Equity, Housing, and/or Income & Asset Building are only accepted during the Fall Cycle.
What to Apply For
Various types of strategic grants are available to Fairfield County nonprofits.
Program Support seeks to support specific programs and services that contribute to one of our key result areas, and their corresponding strategies. The Community Foundation prioritizes requests from organizations that are centered in systems change, results-oriented, and have the capacity to measure/evaluate the impact of their work. Reporting will focus on the impact the program has on its primary beneficiaries. We recommend that first-time applicants apply for program support. The average grant size will be $10,000-$15,000.
General Operating seeks to support highly effective organizations that are critical to the achievement of one or more of our key result areas, center systems-change work that addresses the root causes of inequity, and have a proven track record of effectiveness and impact. Reporting will focus on the organization’s overall impact and effectiveness. We recommend that organizations previously funded by the Foundation apply for general operating support. Only those organizations that are highly aligned with FCCF’s systems-change priority should apply for general operating support. The grant sizes will range up to $50,000.
For organizations that are still growing and might not yet qualify for larger grants, our Fund for Women & Girls gives out smaller grants of up to $5,000. These grants support projects that focus on the intersecting needs of women, girls, and non-binary people who are affected by inequitable systems. Applications are accepted year-round, as long as money is still available, through a streamlined process. Learn more & apply.
How to Apply
Most of our strategic grants follow the below four-step process.
(Note: our Fund for Women & Girls Small Grants and Equity Incubator Grants follow a streamlined process.)
1.) Log in or set up an account.
We handle all communications for strategic grants through an online Grants and Programs Portal. This includes all steps from Letters of Inquiry (LOI) and applications, to grant agreements and reports. First-time users need to set up an account to get started. Need help? Watch this tutorial.
2.) Complete an eligibility screening.
After logging in to the portal, you’ll go through a quick quiz to confirm you’re eligible to apply for a strategic grant. If the quiz determines that you meet the requirements, you will be shown a list of opportunities.
(Note: When you click through to learn more about opportunities, you may choose an option to export application questions as a PDF so that you may gather information at your convenience.) When you are ready, select your desired opportunity to be directed to a section where you can submit a letter of inquiry.
3.) Submit a Letter of Inquiry.
The LOI section will ask you to provide some simple information about your organization, explain what your grant request covers, and describe how your work will help the Community Foundation achieve one or more of its result areas.
(Note: Nonprofits can only submit one LOI per cycle. To be considered for a general operating support grant, talk with your Program Director during an open LOI period.)
3.) If invited, submit a full application.
Our team will look over your LOI. If your project meets our funding priorities, we will invite you to submit a full grant application through the grants portal. These invitations are made at the discretion of program directors, and do not in any way guarantee a grant award.
Have questions about our strategic grant process? Contact Sharon Jones, Grants Associate, at SJones@FCCFoundation.org or call (203) 750-3200.
