Purpose: Each year, the Celebration Foundation has an opportunity to support a limited number of community programs and projects through its charitable grant-making program. The Celebration Foundation awards charitable grants to projects and organizations that address Educational and Art/Culture based needs. The Foundation supports organizations that go beyond direct services by demonstrating a commitment to building community as an integral part of their work.

Criteria for Review

Need: Does the proposed project address an important community need? Does the project relate directly to the grant priorities? Do similar services or projects exist in the community? If so, where does this project fit, and what are there opportunities for collaborative efforts?

Feasibility: Can the project be accomplished in the manner and timeframe outlined in the proposal?

Impact: Will the effort result in the impact or solutions described? Are the positive changes that occur likely to be sustained beyond the life of the project?

Capacity: Is it appropriate for the applicant organization to address this particular issue through this project? Do they have qualified staff (paid or volunteer), administration, and governance to accomplish the work? Are they committed to the project?

Resources: Is the proposed budget for the project realistic? Are other potential funding sources being approached? Is it likely that the other funding can be secured? Can the project be supported in the future through other sources of revenue?

Scope of Funding:The Foundation considers funding requests beginning at $200. Due to the limited amount of funds, not all requests received by the Celebration Foundation can be funded.

Eligibility Requirements:The Celebration Foundation provides grant funds for projects that address needs in Celebration and our greater Osceola community. Applicants should be in concert with the Foundation’s purpose as outlined in the Grant Guidelines. All applicants that are awarded grants must agree to provide in writing to the Foundation, at least one communication for general publication, telling about the success and benefit of the grant funding investment.

Restrictions
The Celebration Foundation generally will not consider requests for:

• Routine operating expenses
• Religious programs or activities (churches and religious organizations may apply for support for activities that benefit the larger community but not for those which have a sectarian purpose)
• Endowment Campaigns
• Private Foundations
• Costs related to fund-raising campaigns
• Traditional government services, or to replace funding for which public support has been cut
• Politically motivated activities

Procedures: Grant Request: Any request between $200 and $5,000 must simply complete the Grant Request Form, provided by the Community Outreach Manager. The Community Outreach Manager will review the request for alignment with the Foundation’s grant serving purposes. The Community Outreach Manager will notify those, which do not align, as soon as possible. Those requests, which do align, will be given to the Foundation’s Executive Committee for review and approval or denial, during it’s next monthly meeting.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s):

Whom does the Celebration Foundation support through it’s granting program?
The Foundation provides grants to 501 (c) 3 organizations and other causes that align with the Foundations grant serving purposes.

Do you fund outside the Osceola County Florida area?
No, we are focused on granting that directly impacts Osceola County and / or the Community of Celebration. The location of the grant requestor can be outside this area but the use of funding must be in Osceola County.

What are the chances of being funded?
Our approach to grant making is focused and strategic; each opportunity identify a specific set of goals and objectives that support the Foundation’s granting purposes. If you intend to apply for support, you should study our guidelines carefully to determine whether your opportunity clearly fits within the range of activities we support. If there is not a clear fit, it is unlikely that your opportunity will be funded. Additionally the Foundation receives several very qualified requests every month. The amount of money available and the strength of the various requests are both significant factors that impact any grant requests chances of being funded.

May an organization receive more than one grant in a granting period?
Yes

What are the Foundation’s criteria for funding television and other media content?
Only if the content and use of the media is primarily dedicated to the advancement of our specific grant purposes.

Does the Granting Officer have discretionary grant funding available?
No, all grant requests are approved by the Foundation’s Executive Committee.

What size grants does the Foundation consider?
We consider grant requests starting at $200.

Does the Foundation have specific deadlines for Grant Requests?
Yes, grant requests must be received by the third Thursday of the month to be reviewed by the first week of the following month.

How long does it take to receive a response once I have submitted a Grant Request form?
We will respond to you as soon as possible and let you know if your opportunity aligns with the Foundation’s granting purposes. If it does then it will be submitted to our Executive Committee for their monthly grant determination.

Does the Foundation Granting Program support not-for-profit event sponsorships or other general fundraising venues?
No, our Granting Program is designed to support specific programs or events that support our described purposes. We do not grant money for another organization’s general fundraising program. We also do not make grants to an organization that is raising money for another organizations purpose. We only grant money to the end user organization.

Click here for the Small Grant Application
Click here for the Sponsorship Application
Click here for the 2011 Scholarship Application