GRANTS

​​The Colesville Rotary Community Foundation will award its first grants during the summer of 2026. 

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Applications must be postmarked or emailed by 11:59 PM  Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, June 1, 2026. Incomplete applications and applications postmarked or emailed after the deadline will not be considered.​​​​​

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ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must be organizations that are located in and/or serving residents in the Town of Colesville and/or the Harpursville Central School District. In addition, applicants must be either:

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• Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service

• Organizations that are public entities without 501(c)(3) status that meet federal nonprofit guidelines (e.g. churches, fire stations, schools, libraries)

 

The Colesville Rotary Community Foundation does not give grants or donations to individuals, families, or for-profit entities.

 

GRANT AMOUNTS

While the number of grants and the total amount to be awarded will be dependent on the quality of applications received, the Grant Committee anticipates making grants totaling in the range of $5,000 to $7,500. There is no limit on the amount an applicant may request, though it is expected that most successful requests will be in the range of $500 to $1,500.

 

PRIORITIES

Priority consideration will be given to applicants proposing projects or organizational investments that can be expected to have an impact on one of these areas:

• Help for the less fortunate

• Education for all ages

• Children and youth

• Arts and culture

• Quality of life in the Town of Colesville

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Special consideration will be given to organizations and/or projects that:

• Support the development of youth and the necessary skills needed to help them become productive adults

• Help the socially or economically disadvantaged become more self sufficient

• Proposed piloting a new activity or service that can make an impact in the community with a modest start-up investment

• Provide important services in Colesville but currently do not receive significant support from government or private foundations

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APPLICATION PROCESS​​

• To be considered for a grant, qualified organizations must follow the grant guidelines and submit a completed application with required attachments by mail or email. Hand-delivered applications will not be accepted. 

• Mailed application packets must be postmarked by 11:59 PM EDT on Monday, June 1, 2026 and sent to: 

            Colesville Rotary Community Fdn

            Attention: Grants Committee

            P. O. Box 152

            Harpursville, NY 13878

• Emailed application packets must be sent no later than 11:59 PM EDT on Monday, June 1, 2026 to:  ColesvilleRotaryCommFoundation@gmail.com 

• Applications will be reviewed by the Foundation's Grants Committee. Because funds are limited, it is likely that not all worthy requests can be funded. Awards will be based on the clarity and thoroughness of the proposal, how the request fits with the Foundation's areas of focus, and how the project addresses Colesville's greatest needs.

• Only one application per organization will be considered.

• A project with multiple components should be grouped into one application.

• Requests to fund a portion of a project's total costs will be considered, provided the full budget is provided, with information about the expected source(s) of support for the portions that are not part of the request from the Foundation.

• Applicants should request Foundation support for direct costs of the project only, which may include project staff, materials, supplies, supplies, local travel, promotional expenses, etc. General operating and indirect project costs will not be funded by the Foundation.

• Grant decisions will be made by a committee of the Foundation's Board of Directors and approved by the full Board. The Foundation's Grants Committee reserves the right to collaborate as appropriate with other Colesville funders so we can maximize the impact of available philanthropic dollars in the township.

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WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR APPLICATION

The application that you mail or email to the Foundation must include the completed application form, plus additional pages that provide this information about your request:

• Cover letter with signature of person authorized to submit this application on behalf of your organization

• Background: why it is needed in the Town of Colesville and how people in the township will benefit

• Target audience: age group or income group, etc

• Implementation details: who will organize and conduct the program? What are key milestones in the project timeline? How will the services or activities be promoted?

• Total program budget, with itemized expenses and clearly indicating which expenses would be covered with Foundation funds

• Overall organization budget for calendar or fiscal year 2026

• List of the organization’s Board of Directors or leadership, indicating officers

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REQUESTS THAT WILL NOT BE APPROVED

• General operating and indirect project costs, including administrative salaries, office space, utilities, insurance, and other indirect costs

• Funds for individual persons or families for personal use

• Projects supported by parents for the benefit of their own children, such as youth activity teams, trips, camps, scholarships, etc

• Requests from for-profit entities

• Projects of a highly controversial nature

• Projects for political or lobbying activity

• Requests for major capital fund drives or endowment funds

• Requests for minor contributions (less than 5%) to major projects or campaigns

• Improvements to property belonging to a third party

• Reimbursement of funds already expended

• Projects requiring participation in religious activities as a condition for receiving benefits from the organization--though applications from religious entities for worthy that do not require religious participation will be considered

 

TIMELINE​

• Application deadline: Monday, June 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT

• Notification: Each applicant organization will be notified of the outcome of its request on or before August 15, 2026

• Disbursement: Successful applicants will receive grant funds from the Foundation by August 15, 2026

• Grant period:  From August 15, 2026 until the project is completed, but no later than August 14, 2027. ​

• Reports due: 10 weeks after the project is completed, or by October 31, 2027--whichever is earlier

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IF YOUR ORGANIZATION RECEIVES A GRANT

• Grant recipients are expected to spend Foundation funds within one year of receiving them. ​

• All organizations receiving a grant will be given a contact from the Board of Directors who can be available for discussion if the project is facing unexpected circumstances or challenges that may affect chances for a successful outcome.

• Within ten weeks after the completion of the project or year-long grant period, a written report on the use of grants funds must be submitted to the Foundation. The report should include a summary of project accomplishments, the number of Colesville residents and others impacted during the grant period and potentially in the future, a full accounting, with receipts, of how funds were used (comparing the budget submitted with the application to actual expenditures), and any available testimonials and photographs that "tell the story" of the project. If photos that show the identity of people in the pictures are shared with the Foundation, please include a signed photo release.

• Receiving a grant in 2026 does not imply or commit future support from the Foundation.​

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QUESTIONS?

If you have questions while you are preparing your proposal, call the Foundation at 607-828-9298 and leave a message. One of our volunteers will get back to you within two business days. Or you can email the Foundation at ColesvilleRotaryComFoundation@gmail.com

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WANT TO HELP?

The Colesville Rotary Community Foundation is funded by donations from people who care about the Town of Colesville and the quality of life for its residents. Learn more.​​​​​