The Community Foundation of Madison and Jefferson County has announced a call for applications for the Women's Giving Circle Grant Program.

The Women’s Giving Circle of Jefferson County, (WGCJC) makes grants annually to organizations that have the greatest potential to help the women and children of Jefferson County, Indiana. 

Fields of Interest

• Education: Educational attainment is closely correlated to one’s economic success and well-being. Examples of initiatives might include:
  • programs that prepare children to enter school ready to learn or programs delivering quality after-school/summer academic or enrichment experiences;
  • literacy programs for children or parents;
  • efforts to ensure students’ graduation from high school;
  • efforts to address life skills and/or job skills for adult women
• Economic Empowerment: Many factors influence women’s abilities to achieve financial independence. Among them are workforce participation, earnings, and education attainment. Examples of possible initiatives include:
  • programs for women business owners to ensure the growth and success of their firms;
  • efforts that encourage women and/or youth to pursue non-traditional career opportunities;
  • programs enhancing women and/or children’s personal financial management, budgeting, saving, and investing
• Physical and Mental Health: The majority of factors that contribute to the health and well-being of women and children are lifestyle related, but problems may be exacerbated by inadequate access to quality, affordable healthcare services. Examples of possible initiatives might include:
  • programs improving access to prenatal care and risk reduction for pregnant women/girls;
  • programs providing physical and mental health information to women and children;
  • nutrition and health education programs to address issues such as obesity and/or eating disorders;
  • programs addressing issues that lead to substance abuse among women and children
• Violence and Crime Prevention: Women and children experience many forms of violence. In addition to the immediate results of victimization, there are often longer-term impacts. Victimization often plays a role in delinquent and criminal behavior. Examples of possible initiatives might include:
  • programs promoting healthy child/parent interaction in order to prevent child abuse and neglect;
  • programs addressing issues that lead to spousal and child abuse;
  • programs for women and children who have been victims of violence and crime;
  • gender-specific intervention services to address the increasing number of females incarcerated in the criminal justice system

Priorities

• Grants that do the following are HIGHER PRIORITY (in no particular order)
  • One-time projects
  • Highest percentage of population reached
  • Serves Jefferson County, Indiana as a whole
  • Preventive rather than remedial
  • Increases individual access to community resources
  • Examines and addresses underlying causes of local problems and issues
  • Attracts volunteer resources and support
  • Strengthens the nonprofit sector
  • Encourages collaboration among organizations
  • Builds the capacity of the organization
  • Offers services not already available to the community
  • Capital needs beyond an applicant’s capabilities and means
  • Seed money for pilot projects
  • Will have the greatest benefit per dollar granted
• Grants that do the following are LOWER PRIORITY (in no particular order)
  • New or routine maintenance construction projects (except renovations of existing facilities that enable the organization to provide a better quality of service to Jefferson County, Indiana)
  • Normal operating expenses (except start-up expenses)
  • Computer hardware and software equipment
  • Funding to organizations that have received a WGC grant in the previous year
  • Grants for programs and/or equipment that were committed to prior to the grant application being submitted
  • Organizations having an existing tax-base of support
  • Grants to support professional development training or staff programs to build capacity will be considered on a case by case basis. Travel and food expenses will generally not be considered

Criteria

• Competitive grants will be made only to organizations whose programs benefit the residents of Jefferson County, Indiana.
• Grants from the WGCJC must meet legal and tax requirements as to purpose and may be made only to nonprofit organizations and government agencies, specifically 501(c)3 charities and 509(a) agencies. No grants will be made to individuals.
• Grant recipients are expected to be able to show that their financial affairs are being properly administered and may be required to submit audited balance sheets and operating statements.
• No grants will be made to support political parties or political campaigns.
• No grants will be made for promotion of a particular church, denomination, or religion, but can be made to religious organizations for general community programs.
• No grants will be made exclusively for endowment creation, campaigns, annual giving, general fund, or new or existing debt reduction of the recipient organization.
• Grantees agree to forward to the WGCJC a final program and financial report for the project. The timeliness and quality of the final reports will be factors in evaluation of the grantee for future funding. All requirements for past grants must be current in order to be eligible for another grant.
• If grant applications are turned down for a specific grant application request, they may not re-apply for the same, or similar, request in the next cycle.
• No grants will be made for dinner galas, event advertising, or other special fundraising events.

For more information, visit Community Foundation.