Grant Awards

We invite you to learn more about The Community Foundation for Carver County.

For more information, please contact Mary Langworthy at (952) 250-5138, e-mail: info@carvercounty
foundation.org.

Growing a community foundation takes time and the investment of many to be successful.  As a new Foundation, we hope to be a significant future partner in contributing to the success of many organizations and initiatives across Carver County.

Although we currently lack the means to fund many of the requests we receive, please know that The Community Foundation for Carver County is placing a high priority on securing additional funds to get there sooner. 

Grant Application Guidelines

We currently provide grants in the following areas:

Community Funds

Human Growth Fund

• Promote the healthy development and educational needs of families and individuals of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
  

Livable Communities Fund

• Promote livable communities and innovative approaches to community growth and development.
  

Community Connections Fund

• Encourage community connections and linkages through civic engagement, leadership development and community building activities.
  

Field of Interest Funds

Steiner Fund for Single Mothers

• Thanks to the generosity of Paul and Sheila Steiner, funds are available to address the needs of single mothers in Carver County.

Grant requests should be focused around initiatives, programs, and services that serve those living and working in Carver County, that avoid duplication of existing services and that provide evidence toward the areas of interest.

Grant Application

Our Foundation is in the process of creating a more formalized grant application process.  In the meantime, a cover letter along with the following information should be included as your request for funding:

• Legal name, address and telephone number of the organization and the name and address of the contact person.

• A brief description of the organization, including its goals, purposes, and a short history.

• A brief description of the project for which funds are sought, what it hopes to achieve, and how it will be accomplished.

• If previously funded by our Foundation, what changes will be implemented as a result of lessons learned from your last funding cycle?

• The amount of funds requested and the timeframe for which funds are needed by and will be utilized during.

• The names and qualifications of individuals responsible for implementing this project.

• Documentation of the organization’s nonprofit and tax-exempt status, if not a church or governmental body (municipality, county, etc).  Please include a copy of the 501(c) (3) ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

Grant distributions are planned for Fall 2010 with more information to come this summer.  If funded, please note that a final project report is due within 30 days of your project completion.

Please submit your request for funding to:           

      The Community Foundation for Carver County

      P.O. Box 468

      Chanhassen, MN 55317

Additional inquiries can be directed to:          

      Mary Langworthy, Executive Director

      952-250-5138 or        

      mlangworthy@carvercountyfoundation.org

Grant Awardees

Thanks to generous contributions thus far, the following grants were made possible:

January 2009 - $5000 Grant to Carver County Health Partnership (CCHP)

With proven successes such as Eat. Talk. Connect! and the Senior Commission, the CCHP has a history of tackling big issues by drawing in critical players within the community. This grant assists the CCHP in addressing an overlapping concern of keeping people connected with a sense of belonging in the face of rapid population growth.

January 2009 - $2000 Grant to S.A.F.E.R.

S.A.F.E.R. (Search and Find Emergency Responders) is a new organization that searches for and finds people who have a tendency to wander, including those who may have Autism, Alzheimer’s or Down Syndrome, or who have suffered some type of traumatic brain injury. This funding helps build a safer community for those who are most at risk restoring peace of mind for caregivers and family members by providing added protection for their loved ones.  S.A.F.E.R. works in collaboration with local emergency responders by providing tracking equipment, training, education and support. S.A.F.E.R. also has a strong volunteer base that has been trained to help, including caregivers and family members.

Summer 2008 - $5000 Grant to New Beginnings

Based on the success from the 2007 grant, The Community Foundation for Carver County has increased its support to New Beginnings by providing a $5,000 grant for the summer of 2008.  Paul and Sheila Steiner's fund again contributed to this grant. The vast majority of the teens have one or more “special need” that places them at greater risk for academic failure, interpersonal violence, dysfunctional relationships, poor pregnancy outcomes, economic dependency and other problems.  The increase in funding provides enhanced opportunities to connect with single teenage mothers and provide academic and “out-of-school” enrichment activities for pregnant and parenting teens to meet their educational needs and cultivate their emotional and social development.

Summer 2007 - $2000 Grant to New Beginnings

In June of 2007, The Community Foundation for Carver County awarded a $2,000 grant to New Beginnings.  The award to New Beginnings came from Paul and Sheila Steiner's fund at the Foundation.  New Beginnings provides an alternative educational program to help vulnerable pregnant and parenting teens receive a high school diploma and the necessary life skills to prepare them for successful transition into post-secondary education, gainful employment and responsible citizenship.  With this small grant, summer supportive activities and visits to single teenage mothers were accomplished through weekly or bi-weekly home visits, a variety of field trips for both mother and child and mothers with their peers, as well as transportation and food when necessary. Successes of the grant included:

• All young girls remained pregnancy free and none were involved with the police or child protection. 

• A strengthened supportive network was created.

• Young mothers connected with their children and others going through the same stressful experience.