The Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation is seeking applications to award grants on behalf of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas to support the work of selected non-profit 501(c)(3) tax exempt healthcare, educational and social service organizations.

The Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation, as a ministry of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, seeks to improve the quality of life for the economically poor, especially women, children, and elderly, by supporting effective education, health care and social service organizations that have systemic impact and empower those without a voice. 

Through their grantmaking, their goal is to give that experiencing poverty access to services and opportunities that foster self-sufficiency and self-determination, and transform the quality of their lives in a sustainable way.

Priorities

• The Foundation provides grants to tax-exempt health care, educational and social service organizations which meet its criteria and effectively assist women, children, those who are elderly and those who are poor to improve the quality of their lives.
• The Foundation values working with organizations whose efforts are collaborative, ecumenical, multicultural and evidence-based. Its grant making focus is on organizations that serve the unserved or underserved.

Types of Grants Considered

Applications for the following categories of projects, programs and services will generally be eligible for consideration by the Foundation. However, decisions regarding eligibility, approval and the amount of the grant are at the sole discretion of the Foundation.

• Ongoing operating expenses for individual organizations. The organization must show evidence in the grant application that it is self-sufficient or moving towards self-sufficiency.
• Specific program or project expenses

Geographical Focus

Grants are made primarily to organizations serving the Charlotte-Metrolina and Western North Carolina regions.

Decision Making Factors

The Foundation will award grants only to organizations qualified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or units of local or state government. Grant award decisions are contingent upon the availability of Foundation funds and will be based on various organizational and programmatic factors including:

• Organization mission acceptable to Sisters of Mercy of the Americas South Central Community and the Foundation
• Demonstration of need
• Qualifications to carry out the purposes of the grant
• Empowerment of those persons who are served by involving them whenever possible in the design, implementation and evaluation of the program
• Contribution to systemic change
• Demonstration of program sustainability over time
• Acceptable cost versus benefit comparisons, i.e. reasonable numbers served and depth of impact for the investment
• Clearly defined and measurable program outcomes that demonstrate impact on the population to be served
• Completeness of the application, including the submission of a current audit or compilation report

For more information, visit Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation.