Most grants made by The Community Foundation come from our donor-advised funds. These grants are made at the recommendation of a donor. The fund donor directs us to make a grant of a specific amount to a specific nonprofit organization. The Community Foundation issues the check, sometimes with a letter stating the donor’s name and outlining any requirements and/or contingencies.

If you would like to express your gratitude to the donor for the gift, please consult the letter accompanying the check. If no information is provided, the donor likely wishes to remain anonymous. Aside from the accompanying letter, The Community Foundation’s policy does not allow us to release any additional information about our donors, out of respect for their privacy.

Community Foundation grants are awarded through a competitive application process either through scheduled grant rounds or solicited (invite-only) grant opportunities. We currently hold 4 regular grant cycles for our open grantmaking programs in the winter, spring summer, and fall. All available open and competitive grant rounds are posted on our website and sent out via email. Organizations are strongly encouraged visit our Grant Opportunities Page and to subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay informed about upcoming funding opportunities.

Once applications have been submitted, grant committees complete a rigorous review of each application to determine how funding will be distributed based on the fund’s charitable mission and established criteria.

We do not share donor information unless the donor has granted us permission to share their personal information. We are able to forward your acknowledgment of the gift to our donor. You can send those acknowledgments, excluding any tax language, to Kathy Matthews, Grants Manager ([email protected]). She will forward your message to the donor in question.

Generally, The Community Foundation‘s competitive grants are made to nonprofits located in and/or directly serving residents of the following geographic regions:

• DC: District of Columbia

• MD: Montgomery County + Prince George’s County

• VA: Arlington County, City of Alexandria, County of Fairfax, Fairfax City, City of Falls Church, and Loudoun County

No. The Community Foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code.

The Community Foundation funds nonprofit organizations having evidence of tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and not classified as a private foundation. We also accept letters of inquiry/proposals from organizations operating under a nonprofit fiscal sponsor. All grantees must be able to provide a copy of an official IRS Determination letter or proof of fiscal sponsorship upon request.

The Community Foundation utilizes a standard due diligence process to assess the qualifications of each proposal for funding. The due diligence process can take between 3 – 6 months; however, consult the guidelines for the specific funding opportunity to which you are applying for detailed timelines and notification dates. The basic steps in the due diligence process can include:

1. Review grant proposals, budget, and supplemental documents;

2. Conduct interviews with organization and project leadership via a site visit (in person or via phone);

3. Conduct additional follow-up research as needed;

4. Present funding recommendations to the donor advisor or Collaborative Board for decisions;

5. Grant recommendations ratified by the Foundation’s board of directors; and

6. Applicants are notified of decisions.

Note: Not all applicant organizations will proceed through the full review process if significant deficiencies are identified.

The funding time period is dictated by each fund. However, there are several funds at The Community Foundation that do offer multiyear funding. More information about funding opportunities can be found on our grant opportunities page.