GRANTS
Funding Priorities and Guidelines
CCFWG’s mission is to lead and unite the community through philanthropy and advocacy to ensure that women and girls have resources and opportunities to thrive. To achieve this, CCFWG is looking to award grants to organizations or partnerships that demonstrate the ability to advance CCFWG’s mission.
The objective of CCFWG’s grantmaking activities is to create positive impact in the four community-identified priority areas for women and girls. As a result, CCFWG will support organizations that address the following priorities:
- Meet the core needs of women and girls;
- Improve access to economic opportunities for women and girls;
- Promote health and wellness by addressing needs specifically related to the health of women and girls; and
- Invest in systems and sustainable change efforts to challenge gender inequality
Examples of services provided by our grantees include, but are not limited to:
- Vocational training and workforce preparation
- STEM programming for girls
- Case management for teenage mothers
- Improved access to women’s health service
- Domestic violence services
- Housing and homelessness prevention
- Campaign to raise awareness about gender disparity in number of locally elected officials
- Youth development programming focused on girls leadership and/or empowerment
Through investment in these areas, CCFWG hopes to play an active role in providing equality and security for women and girls, making our communities stronger and more vibrant for everyone.
The following types of organizations are eligible to apply for CCFWG grants:
- Non-profit organizations that demonstrate tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Service Code 501(c)(3)
- Groups or organizations that submit an application through a fiscal sponsor, i.e., a tax-exempt organization under IRS Code 501(c)(3) that agrees to accept funds on its behalf.
Additionally, though an organization does not need to be located within the county, all applicants must demonstrate a commitment to women and girls in Chester County. Any organization applying for a general operating or capacity building grant must demonstrate that women, girls, or mothers and their children in Chester County make up at least 75% of the organization’s total target population. Organizations applying for program or project support must demonstrate one of the following: 1) 100% of the recipient of services supported by a CCFWG grant are women, girls, or mothers and their children in Chester County; or 2) the proposed work will produce impacts that increase resources and opportunities for women and girls in Chester County.
CCFWG will give preference to applicants that:
- Advance CCFWG’s message and focus on women and girls
- Have a track record of collaboration and partnerships with other organizations
- Have limited access to large grants and do not have the resources of larger non-profits
CCFWG does not provide grants for:
- Capital expenditures, equipment, endowments, special events
- Advertising, publishing or promotional materials
- Conferences or one-time educational workshops
- Government agencies or individuals
- Political campaigns or lobbying organizations
- Projects with an objective to restrict or limit a woman’s right to make her own reproductive choices
- Religious programs (however programs run by religious organizations may qualify)
CCFWG has three grantmaking programs through which it invests in organizations serving women and girls in Chester County:
Core Grants Program: CCFWG’s Core Grant Program makes two-year program, general operating, or capacity building support grants to organizations or programs that align with CCFWG’s mission, vision, and priority areas. These grant requests are considered by the Grants Allocation Committee through an open RFP process.
Girls Advisory Board Grants Program: CCFWG operates a girls’ grantmaking program, the Girls Advisory Board (GAB), offering an opportunity for young women to learn about the deep and varied need in their communities and to engage in strategic grantmaking. GAB makes grants annually through their annual RFP, review, and allocation process. Each year, GAB determines its focus area based on CCFWG’s priority areas and invites select organizations to apply.
Impact Grants: Moving Her Forward: CCFWG’s Impact Grant: Moving Her Forward program makes program support grants to organizations seeking to respond to an emergent or critical opportunity or issue that aligns with CCFWG’s priority areas. CCFWG may proactively identify critical initiatives or programs related to emergent issues. More specifically, CCFWG prefers to identify partnerships addressing these issues. Or, organizations or collaborating organizations that are interested in applying may submit a letter of request to the Executive Director on a rolling basis. Check out this video tribute to our 2020 Impact Grant recipients.
Applications for the Core Grants Program are now closed.
Recent Changes to Core Grants Program: Beginning in 2020, all core grants awarded will be two-year grants. The funding grant period is a 24-month period where funding for Year Two is dispersed after CCFWG determines that the grantee continues to satisfy the grant requirements and funds remain available. Please see Core Grants FAQ below for more information regarding these recent changes.
For technical assistance with your grant application, please contact Brandon Szerenyi, Director of Operations:
484-356-0940
bszerenyi@ccfwg.org
To learn more about CCFWG’s grantmaking, contact Michelle Legaspi-Sanchez, Executive Director:
484-356-0940
michelle@ccfwg.org