The Fall 2018 grant application period at the Grand Island Community Foundation is now open! Grant links went live at www.gicf.org on Wednesday, August 1, and will be open until the application deadline of 4:00 p.m. on October 1, 2018. The Foundation staff and board invite you and your public or private organization to visit us at www.gicf.org to begin your application for monies that will be disbursed later this fall. The Foundation provided over $52,000 to a variety of great projects during the Spring 2018 cycle—we want you to be a part of the wonderful things that are going on in Grand Island and Hall County!

Each year, the Grand Island Community Foundation (GICF) facilitates two granting periods designed to meet needs and provide support for the area's philanthropic organizations. In the spring of each year, and again in the fall, eligible organizations are encouraged to analyze and define specific needs, and then to complete the process through which the Foundation can extend assistance toward successful project completion.

The biennial grant cycle is one of the various means through which Grand Island Community Foundation works to carry out its mission of "perserv[ing] and enhanc[ing] the quality of life in Central Nebraska and to assist donors in realizing their charitable goals." The bottom line: the funds disbursed by the GICF board through the Spring and Fall granting cycles allow area agencies to install or update anything from equipment to facilities to training—and more—that they need in order to better serve their clients. Sometimes, those funds can make the difference between meeting and not meeting needs—and organizations in Hall County are encouraged to consider how the GICF funding can help.

Applicants must meet a few eligibility requirements in order for the Board to consider a project:

      1. The Grand Island Community Foundation awards grants to both private and public organizations. In order to be eligible for a grant, organizations must be classified as either a 501(c)(3) by the Internal Revenue Service or as a governmental agency (for capital expenditures and/or capital improvements).

      2. Organizations may only apply once per 12 month period, and, if prior funding has been recieved, a final grant evaluation must be completed and accepted prior to applying for any additional funding.

      3. The Grand Island Community Foundation serves the greater Grand Island area. Except when extraordinary circumstances apply, only programs and projects in Hall County will be considered for support.

      4. Requests must also fall into at least one of the Fields of Interest listed at www.gicf.org

In addition, GICF places special emphasis on working to help organizations by granting funds to programs or projects that meet, among other criteria, a reach that encompasses a broad segment of the community, the provision of assistance to those whose needs are not being adequately met by existing services, and a focus that improves the organization's effectiveness. For a full list of preference criteria, visit www.gicf.org, where you can also find a list of disqualifying factors.

Some of the grants that were successful during the Spring 2018 grant cycle:

-The Central Nebraska Council on Alcoholism and Addictions, INC received dollars to fund a Kids Power 2 Group Day Camp at Timberlake Ranch Camp near Central City, allowing 30 youth to experience nature, horseback riding, fishing, and canoeing, accompanied by CNCAA's prevention staff and two additional volunteers

-Grand Island Public Schools Foundation will partner with Stuhr Museum and John Soerensen to produce an event similar to Quilted Conscience Project. Newcomer students from West Lawn Elementary School will create a story quilt, and will then present their memories from their homeland and their hopes in their new land. Students will speak about their quilt squares; the quilt will be later be displayed at various local organizations.

-The Grand Island headquarters of the Salvation Army's Men's Shelter offers a 90-day program to assist men in obtaining work and housing. The Shelter currently have a capacity for 24 men who need shelter. In FY17, the Shelter served 375 men. Eighty percent of those men found employment and became self-sufficient. Upon leaving the shelter, the men are given vouchers for household appliances, clothing, bedding, and other essentials, if needed. The Salvation Army's Men's Shelter is relied upon by other emergency shelters in the community, as there are no other services offered for single men in Grand Island. This existing program provides an alternative to living on the streets, and prepares individuals to transition into a more permanent housing situation. By receiving funds for the Men's Shelter, staff can continue providing for immediate needs such as food, shelter, and clothing.

If your organization is working to serve the Hall County community, it may just be that the Grand Island Community Foundation can help you to get the job done!