Programming and Small Capital Grants

PURPOSE

To support programs or one-time capital expenses that will help a nonprofit better meet the needs of our communities and achieve its mission.
Geographic scope: Nonprofits serving a significant amount of residents of Winnebago County, Waushara County, Green Lake County, or the city of Ripon
Range of grantmaking: Grant awards are up to $20,000
Application deadline: April 12, 2024
Grant decisions: May
Contact: Amy Putzer, [email protected] or 920-426-3993

OVERVIEW

Programming and Small Capital Grants support high-impact, strategic, and innovative nonprofit organizations in delivering on their core missions. We anticipate that these grants will be extremely competitive, and the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation will receive many more compelling grant proposals than it will be able to fund. The strongest proposals will be those that meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • Promote Efficiency and Collaboration. Provide for more efficient use of community resources and promote coordination, cooperation, and sharing among organizations.
  • Foster Innovation. Use an iterative process to build, refine, and improve approaches and techniques for solving critical community issues.
  • Build Organizational Effectiveness. Strengthen the internal functioning of an organization, expand its services, or address an unexpected organizational need.
  • Articulate Clear Project Goals. Clearly define success and have measures of progress in place.

TYPES OF GRANTS

Program/Project Support – To support a specific program within an organization or a discrete project. Funding can be used for:

  • Existing programs with clear goals and measurable outcomes. Priority will be given to requests that can demonstrate growing demand for services.
  • Initiation of new projects/programs.
  • Needs and opportunities that have emerged unexpectedly and impact the delivery of critical services.

Small Capital Projects – To support one-time capital expenses that strengthen a nonprofit’s ability to serve its clients and be more effective and efficient in implementing its core strategies. An ideal capital grant can be completed within 12 months of receiving a grant award. The maximum award to support technology requests will be $5,000. Ineligible projects and expenses include but are not limited to:

  • website or mobile application development
  • annual software licenses
  • service or support plans
  • undesignated contributions to larger capital campaigns
  • vehicles or vehicle-related expenses.

WHAT WE DO NOT FUND

  • Annual fund drives, fundraising events, or endowment-building campaigns
  • Reduction of debt, including payments for expenses incurred before grant approval
  • Religious programs for the purpose of religious education or proselytization
  • Political or lobbying activities
  • One-time experiences, such as camps, trips, conferences, and events
  • Medical, scientific, or academic research

HOW TO APPLY | ACCESS SAVED APPLICATION

IMPORTANT: The Oshkosh Area Community Foundation transitioned to a new and improved grants management system in January 2023. If your organization did not apply for a grant in 2023, you will need to select the Create New Account option when attempting to access the online grant application form. Your previous portal login information will not work in the new system.

  1. Preview the program/project support grant application questions or the small capital grant application questions.
  2. Submit an online grant application form in the Community Foundation’s new grant portal before the application deadline. All applications MUST be submitted online.
  3. Provide any additional supporting documentation that is requested after your application undergoes an initial review.