URGENT GRANTS
The Erie Community Foundation’s Urgent Grant program is intended to provide emergency assistance to Erie County nonprofit organizations experiencing an unanticipated and unbudgeted crisis that interrupts current operations or significantly impedes current programming or service provision.
Applicants can request up to $15,000. Grant dollars must be expended within 30 days of receiving the award. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and the grant opportunity will remain open until all grant funds are exhausted.
Eligibility
Criteria
Urgent requests are intended to be responsive to crises, significantly impeding the current operations and/or programming of nonprofits. For a request to be eligible for urgent funding, it must meet both criteria:
- Unanticipated, unbudgeted situation that interrupts or significantly impedes current operations and/or programming
- The situation cannot wait to be addressed until the next Helping Today cycle
Who is eligible to apply?
- 501c3 tax-exempt designation from the Internal Revenue Service (if your nonprofit does not meet this requirement, see information here regarding fiscal sponsorship)
- Must be located or serve a sizable population in Erie County
- Must NOT have received an Urgent Grant in the last twelve (12) months
- Must have completed reporting requirements of previous Urgent grant
Who is not eligible to apply?
- Individuals
- For-profit businesses
- Projects focused on:
- Budget shortfalls
- Gap funding
- Situations resulting from delayed maintenance
- Physical improvements on property not owned by the nonprofit
Application
Process
The Urgent Grant application is an invite-only application. The application will NOT be listed publicly. Please review the steps below to apply:
1
Eligibility Requirements
Make sure that your organization meets all eligibility requirements.
2
Brief Description
Please email a brief description of your organization’s urgent situation to Rachel Cacchione for review.
3
Application Link
If the situation meets all necessary criteria for funding consideration, you will be provided with an access link to the application using GoApply. Please consult the GoApply User Guide if you need assistance registering yourself or your organization.
4
Submit Application
Submit the application as soon as possible and include any quotes, bids, or estimates for equipment purchases or contracted services.
Applications are typically reviewed by our Board of Trustees, and a funding decision is made within a few weeks.
FAQs
Who is eligible to apply for an Urgent Grant?
As with any of the Foundation’s grant programs, applicants must be tax-exempt charitable organizations, designated under section 501c3 by the IRS and must be located in Erie County or serve a substantial population within Erie County. To see more specific eligibility criteria related to Urgent grant requests, please click here.
What type of situation qualifies as “urgent”?
The request addresses an unanticipated, unbudgeted, situation for your organization in which operations are currently halted or significantly impeded. In these cases, the situation cannot wait to be addressed through a Helping Today grant. Requests must meet both criteria for consideration.
What type of expenses can be covered with an urgent grant?
While not exclusively, most urgent requests are to replace failed equipment or address emergency facility repairs.
What types of expenses are not covered by urgent grants?
Grants are not made for budget shortfalls, gap funding, or situations resulting from delayed maintenance.
How do I apply for an urgent grant?
Please email Rachel Cacchione of the Community Impact Team with a description of the situation. If determined to meet the criteria for consideration, you will be provided with a link to the urgent grant application.
Is there a maximum amount for urgent grants?
Due to a smaller budget, urgent grants are capped at $15,000.
What is the evaluation process for urgent requests?
The Foundation’s Community Impact staff conducts the initial review of the application and will reach out to the applicant if any required information is missing. All funding decisions are made by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
If I am awarded an urgent grant, what are the next steps?
Upon receiving notification of funding, you will receive a grant agreement, outlining the basic stipulations of the grant. Due to the immediacy of the situation, funds are typically expensed quickly and grantees will be required to participate in a brief post-grant conversation 30 days post-award.
If my organization is anticipating an urgent situation could occur and wants to prevent disruption of operations, can we apply for an urgent grant instead of waiting for a Helping Today grant?
Typically, this would not be eligible for urgent grant funding as the program criteria requires that the situation be currently impeding or halting operations or programming.
What are some examples of urgent grant requests that received funding?
Some examples of recently funded urgent requests include:
- Replacement of failed freezer/refrigerator at a food pantry
- Replacement of failed furnace
- Assisted with replacement costs for a totaled agency vehicle
- Repair and restoration after water damage
- Repair of frozen pipes
- Repair of elevator