Apply for a Grant
At The Erie Community Foundation, we offer two distinct competitive grantmaking processes, Helping Today and Shaping Tomorrow.
CLICK HERE to access online grant applications.
Helping Today Grants
Helping Today grants quickly respond to the Basic Needs of local nonprofits and generate innovative projects, simply called Great Ideas. Our volunteer panel reviews Helping Today grants and presents awards every quarter. We simplified the online grant application process to aid grantseekers in making requests more efficiently and to meet urgent needs in a timely fashion.
Shaping Tomorrow Grants
Shaping Tomorrow grants support collaborative and multi-year efforts to address critical community needs as expressed by Erie Vital Signs. Before submitting an online Letter of Inquiry, please review the Erie Vital Signs website. Even though we anticipate grantmaking in various Vital Signs program areas, The Erie Community Foundation Trustees identified education, health and self-sufficiency as 2013 priorities.
Shaping Tomorrow Letters of Inquiry should describe the project, potential collaborators and sustainability plans. Letters of Inquiry deadlines are March 4 and August 26, 2013. All Letters of Inquiry undergo a careful staff and trustee review, and applicants should expect a high level of dialogue and discussion during this process. We will invite projects of interest to submit a full proposal.
In the past, The Erie Community Foundation funded a limited number of Shaping Tomorrow grants ranging from $50,000 to $300,000. The Foundation does not place a cap on requested funding and might also help Shaping Tomorrow applicants obtain additional funding through private and public funding sources.
