The DuPage Community Foundation is pleased to announce the following application deadlines for its 2012 General Grant Program:

2012 Spring Cycle
March 2, 2012 - Applications for Health and Human Services programs due at the Foundation office, 104 E. Roosevelt R.d, Suite 204, Wheaton, IL 60187, by 5:00 p.m.

2012 Fall Cycle
September 7, 2012 - Applications for Arts and Culture, Education and Environment programs are due at the Foundation office, 104 E. Roosevelt Rd., Suite 204, Wheaton, IL 60187, by 5:00 p.m.

Applications received after the above mentioned deadlines will not be accepted.  Additionally, applicants should note that only one general grant application per organization may be submitted to the Foundation within a calendar year.

First-time applicants are strongly encouraged to call or e-mail Barb Szczepaniak, Director of Programs, at (630) 665-5556 or barbs@dcfdn.org, before beginning the application process.


Grant Application Options
Applicants may submit either a General Grant Application requesting funding up to $15,000 or a Mini-Grant Application requesting funding up to $2,500.  All eligibility, restrictions, guidelines and published deadlines remain the same for both application options.


Eligibility
Grant applications to the General Grant Program will be accepted from not-for-profit charitable organizations that:

• Are public charities classified as exempt from federal income taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
• Are located in DuPage County

In the environment category only, grant applications will be accepted from some governmental agencies including: public schools, park districts, public libraries and the Forest Preserve District.

Previous grantees must have complied with all reporting requirements and be in good standing before submitting another grant request.  2011 grantees who have not yet submitted a final report at the time of application submission must include a final report (if project/program has been completed) or an interim report (if project/program has not been completed).  If an interim report is included with the application, a final report from the 2011 grant will be due no later than May 1, 2012 for Health and Human Services grants or November 1, 2012 for Arts & Culture, Education and Environment grants.  Please click here for final and interim report forms.


Restrictions
The Foundation does not generally award grants from its General Grant Program to:

• Organizations located outside of DuPage County
• Individuals
• Support religious activities (secular activities provided by religious organizations may be eligible for grant funds)
• Endowments
• Disease-specific organizations
• Private foundations and private operating foundations
• Hospitals, including supporting foundations
• Historical societies and foundations for projects that do not have a broad reach beyond a specific community
• Governmental agencies, including supporting foundations*
• Public, parochial, private or charter schools (pre-k through 12th grade)*

*Restriction does not apply to environmental grant applications.

Application Review Process
The Foundation Grant Committee consists of Foundation Trustees, community volunteers, and the director of programs.  The Committee meets several times to review and evaluate all applications received and to conduct site visits when appropriate.  The Committee then makes grant recommendations to the full Board of Trustees for approval.

All applicants will be notified in writing whether or not a grant has been awarded.  Notification letters will be sent out mid-May for Health and Human Services grant requests and mid-November for Arts & Culture, Education and Environment grant requests.


Application Questions
Please contact Barb Szczepaniak, Director of Programs, at (630) 665-5556 or barbs@dcfdn.org with questions concerning the grant program, the application process and program category selection.


Grant Guidelines
When applying for a grant, please note the following:

• Only one application per organization may be submitted within any calendar year
• Applications may be submitted for existing or new projects, programs or operating purposes
• In the health & human services, arts & culture, and education categories, importance will be placed on organizations which deliver effective existing programs to assist underserved populations, offer new approaches to solving problems, or create opportunities for organizations to collaborate
• In the environment category, importance will be placed on organizations that effectively address current and future environmental needs/issues in DuPage County through improvement of existing or development of new programs, educational outreach, and collaborative efforts
• Grants will be in amounts up to $15,000 for the general grant application and $2,500 for the mini-grant application, and are awarded for a one-year period
• Applications that do not contain all the requested information in the specified format may be denied
• Applications will be accepted into the program category that best fits the specific program for which funds are being requested
• Once submitted, applications may be moved into a different category at the discretion of the director of programs

The chart below provides broad program descriptions as a guideline to the applicant.  When applying, category selection should be based on the program's content, not necessarily on the type of organization.  For example, if a human services organization is providing after-school tutoring to at-risk children, funding for this program would be in the education category.

Application Deadline	Program Category	Program Description
3/2/12	Health and Human Services	Strengthening, assisting and advocating for at-risk and low-income populations and providing basic human needs to children, youth, adults, and senior citizens, and/or promoting physical and mental health.
9/7/12	Arts and Culture	Supports programs that provide opportunities for participation, education, awareness, and appreciation for the arts and cultural heritage.
9/7/12	Education	Supports community education programs (outside public and private elementary/high school settings) to enhance and promote learning from early childhood to adulthood.
9/7/12	Environment	Supports environmental education; programs that promote conservation and restoration of natural areas, habitats, and green spaces; environmental efforts to reduce pollution and waste; and programs that protect wildlife and endangered species.

Funds
Grants are made from the earnings of permanent endowment funds established by corporations, foundations, individuals and organizations wishing to make a lasting contribution to the people of DuPage County.

General grants will be funded from earnings on the following funds:

Unrestricted Funds

• Cleve E. Carney Fund
• Lois L. and Edwin F. Deicke Fund
• Elizabeth D. Eben Memorial Fund
• General Endowment Fund
• Joseph and Bess Kindlon Fund
• Jack and Virginia Knuepfer Fund
• John W. Squire Fund

Field-of-Interest Funds

• Arts Fund

Founding donor:  WPWR-TV Channel 50 Foundation (1994)
For artistic endeavors including, but not limited to, performing and visual arts, art exhibits, and arts education

• Basic Human Needs Fund

Founding donors:  First Annual Benefit Attendees (1993)
For agencies responding to emergency housing, food, clothing and health care needs of low-income residents

• The Alben F. Bates and Clara G. Bates Foundation Fund

Founding donors:  The Alben F. Bates and Clara G. Bates Foundation (2005)
To support the residents of Elmhurst

• Children and Youth Fund

Founding donors:  Richard and Carole Cline (1988)
For physical, emotional, educational and intellectual needs of children and youth

• Ruth and Hugh Christ Fund

Founding donors:  Ruth and Hugh Christ (2000)
For disadvantaged children and youth

• Environmental Fund

Founding donor:  Molex Incorporated (1991)
For efforts to improve and/or preserve the quality of the the natural environment

• Health Fund

Founding donor:  Central DuPage Health System (1995)
For broad health needs in the community

• Martha McCormick Hunt Fund

Founding donor:  Brooks and Hope B. McCormick Fund (1988)
Primarily for conservation and protection of the natural environment

• Wesley E. Luehring Foundation Fund

Founding donor:  The Wesley E. Luehring Foundation (1999)
For charities located in or serving the Itasca area

• Sindelar Family Fund

Founding donor:  Peg Sindelar (2002)
For education and health

Grant Applications
For requests up to $2,500, please complete the mini-grant application
For requests up to $15,000, please complete the general grant application