Grant Application Process
Impact100 Southern Connecticut awards grants to nonprofits in our community that address the focus area stipulated in our Eligibility Criteria. Eligible nonprofits may submit a Letter of Intent to apply for grant funding of up to $100,000. We recommend reading our eligibility criteria before proceeding.
Member volunteers review and score Letters of Intent based on standard criteria before selecting a subset of organizations to complete a full grant application:
- Overall mission, vision of organization
- Meeting unique need in the community
- Proposed use of grant dollars
- Shows clear programming specific to the focus area identified each year.
Important Dates
Grant Writing Workshop
Open Call for Letter of Intent Submissions
Grant Applications Open for Selected Organizations
Grant Review and Site Visits
Finalists Announced
The Big Reveal
All stages of the grant review process are conducted entirely by current members of Impact100 Southern Connecticut.
Focus Areas
Arts & Culture
Cultural programs, participation in the arts, arts education
Education
Educational opportunities for children and/or adults, especially those that address lingering educational disparities affecting our community
Family
Strengthening and enhancing the lives of children and families, including seniors
Health & Wellness
Improvement of people’s mental and/or physical well-being
Environment, Preservation & Recreation
Conservation and preservation of natural resources; environmental justice; parks and recreation; agricultural sustainability; environmental education and climate action
Our Focus Area Grant Committees ultimately select five finalists, one in each focus area, to compete for the available Impact Grants at our Annual Meeting.
Eligibility Criteria
Organizations eligible to apply for an Impact100 Southern Connecticut grant must:
- Be tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, independent of a financial sponsor (local affiliates may apply under the 501(c)(3) of the national organization).
- Serve residents in New Haven, Middlesex & New London Counties.
- Be in possession of at least three full years (36 months) of audited financial statements.
Projects eligible for the Impact100 grant must:
- Serve residents of, and expend funds fully in the Southern Connecticut region (define)
- Be a transformational project for the organization in fulfilling its mission and providing its services
- Be a capital project, new program, expansion of an existing program, or a new or expanded collaborative effort of multiple nonprofit organizations
- Have a total project budget for the full Impact100 grant amount
- Expend funds within 25 months of the award date
- Be designated by the applying nonprofit organization for one of the following Focus Areas:
- Arts & Culture: Initiatives that cultivate, develop, and enhance the cultural, artistic and historic climate of the Southern Connecticut Area.
- Education: Initiatives that further the educational process or improve access to education for children and/or adults in the Southern Connecticut Area.
- Environment, Preservation & Recreation: Initiatives that will restore, preserve, revitalize or enhance the facilities, surroundings and/or recreational opportunities of the Southern Connecticut Area.
- Family: Initiatives that strengthen and enhance the lives of children and families living in the Southern Connecticut Area.
- Health & Wellness: Initiatives that improve the mental and/or physical well-being of people living in the Southern Connecticut Area.
Impact100 Southern Connecticut will not provide grants for:
- General operating expenses or overhead (Items of an operating or overhead nature may be requested if applicable to the new initiative or project to be funded by Impact100 Southern Connecticut)
- Debt reduction or operational deficits
- Grants to individuals
- Endowment funding
- Interim or bridge funding
- Partisan, legislative, or political activity
- Capital improvements or renovations to property for the grant project where the organization does not own or have at least a five-year lease or written agreement
- Projects of individual churches, religious organizations or bodies of worship that are intended to benefit only their specific denominations or congregations, or are exclusive with respect to others of differing beliefs
- Faith-based projects/programs which require participation in activities of a particular faith, denomination or religion in order to benefit from the project or program
- Benefits of the project or program must be available to any person, regardless of religious beliefs or practices
- Benefits of the project or program must not be dependent on any person being required to participate in any religious activity, ceremony or service
As we continue to grow and evolve, Impact100 Southern Connecticut reserves the right to change its eligibility criteria without notice at any time.Grant FAQs
How should I submit my application?
Applications are submitted online. See our Grants page for the link to apply when the grant application period is open.
Can our organization submit applications in more than one Focus Area?
No, each organization may submit only one grant application per year and must address the Focus Area described in the criteria.
Yes. You will be able to identify the additional funding sources for your proposal on the form.
Will you consider a proposal from a group of organizations collaborating on a project or program?
Yes. One of the collaborating organizations must be the “lead organization,” applying on behalf of the collaboration. The lead organization must be willing to take on all the potential rights, responsibilities, restrictions, and liabilities of the grant if it is received.
Do you give grants to proposals that expend the funds over a period of years?
No, Impact100 seeks proposals that expend grant funds within 24 months.
Will the grant be paid in a lump sum?
Impact100 disburses funds on an as expended basis. Grantees must submit quarterly reports upon implementation and progress of the project. Prior to the release of grant funds, each recipient must complete the Impact100 Atlanta grant agreement form.