Logo

National Standards of U.S. Community Foundations

 
Home | Receive | Application Process
Competitive Grantmaking
Contact a Grants Specialist
at (213) 239-2330 to learn
more about this topic.

Competitive Grantmaking Overview

Learn more by clicking on your desired topic.

  1. Attend a "How to Apply" Workshop or Webinar
  2. Submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI)
  3. LOI Reviewed by CCF
  4. Full Grant Application Submission
  5. Review and Evaluation of Full Grant Applications
  6. Grant Decisions
  7. Timeline

1. Attend a "How to Apply" Workshop or Webinar
The California Community Foundation hosts a series of workshops and webinars to provide information on the grant application process and share tips on the most effective ways to apply for grants. Workshops will focus on how to submit a "Letter of Intent" (LOI).

Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend although this is not required prior to submitting an LOI or grant application. Workshops are held 3-4 weeks prior to the corresponding LOI deadline.

To see a list of our workshops/webinars, please click here.

2. SUBMITTING A LETTER OF INTENT (LOI)
To apply for a competitive grant, an organization must submit an LOI online to the foundation, regardless of the amount requested. Each LOI requires:

  • Acknowledgement of submission by the organization’s president or executive director
  • Registration and posting of current organizational information (including the most recent federal 990 tax forms) on Guidestar

Thank you for your interest in applying for a grant from CCF. The deadline for grant consideration on our June 2010 docket has closed. The foundation will begin accepting Letters of Intent starting April 1, 2010, at which time LOI forms will become available. Please review the LOI instructions and sample form in the interim.

back to the top
3. LOI REVIEWED BY CCF
Our staff will review and evaluate letters of intent within eight to ten weeks of the
corresponding deadline. Applicants will then receive written notification that either invites the
submission of a full application or informs the organization that its request has been declined.

4. FULL GRANT APPLICATION SUBMISSION
We accept full applications only from organizations that are invited to apply. Organizations invited to submit full grant applications will be given access to the online application from our Web site.

Applicants requesting renewal funding must contact a program officer to discuss the eligibility of the proposed request before submitting a full application.

5. REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF FULL GRANT APPLICATIONS
Foundation staff reviews and evaluates full grant applications and presents recommendations to the foundation’s board of directors. We determine whether an applicant organization’s mission, goals and work are consistent with our programmatic goals and outcomes; whether it demonstrates the capacity to meet its objectives; whether it clearly articulates strategies to achieve results; and whether it has the potential for measurable impact. We may also conduct site visits and talk to the organization’s staff and board members, its clients, and community and civic leaders to better understand the proposed effort.
Please note that, due to the volume of applications, the foundation is unable to fund all the requests submitted for consideration, including those that meet the basic funding criteria.
back to the top
6. GRANT DECISIONS
The board of directors makes decisions on all grant recommendations during the foundation’s three grant cycles – each March, June and October. Generally, grant decisions can be expected within four to five months of application submission. Foundation staff will notify organizations of grant decisions soon after each board meeting. The first installment payment will be made after the foundation receives a signed grant agreement from the grantee organization.
7. TIMELINE
Submission Deadline
for LOI
LOI Review and
Notification Period
Review by Board
of Directors
Last day of April
8 - 10 weeks
October
Last day of August
8 - 10 weeks
March
Last day of December
8 - 10 weeks
June

Download the Grant Guidelines. (PDF)

back to the top

445 S. Figueroa St. Suite 3400 • Los Angeles, CA 90071-1638 • Phone: 213.413.4130 Fax: 213.383.2046
©2006 California Community Foundation Home | Site Map | FAQs | Jobs | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Accessibility Statement