Grant-making Guidelines

  1. Greenville Women Giving will award grants ranging from a minimum of $40,000 to $100,000 to community organizations in Greenville County, South Carolina. Consideration will be given to applications requesting that funding be spent over a two year period. It is our intention to award one grant of $100,000 in 2012, and one in 2013.
  2. The grants fund is a pooled fund comprised of annual contributions of $1,000 from each member of Greenville Women Giving. All money contributed by members to the pooled fund by December 1st of any year will be awarded in the spring of the following year.
  3. The Grants Review Committee, composed of all members who wish to serve, will research and analyze community needs, taking into account potential collaboration with other organizations. The grant-making process will be thorough and participative.
  4. From those community organizations applying for grants, the Grants Review Committee will select those to receive site visits and additional consideration.
  5. The Grants Review Committee will select a slate of proposals to be presented to the membership for their vote.
  6. Each member of Greenville Women Giving will vote by ranking the proposals listed on the ballott.
  7. The grant-making process will be conducted with integrity, fiscal responsibility, respect and fairness to community organizations and to Greenville Women Giving members.

Eligibility for Funding

  1. Organizations must be located and provide services in Greenville County, South Carolina.
  2. Applicants must qualify as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or be classified as a unit of government.
  3. Organizations must not discriminate on the basis of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, physical ability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or religious belief.

Funding Priorities

The intent of Greenville Women Giving is to award grants that have the potential for high impact and significant positive change in the community.

Therefore, GWG gives priority to applicants that:

  • Address a community need, an emerging community need, and/or provide a new, creative approach to a community need.
  • Offer opportunities to collaborate and foster partnerships, as well as leverage other funding sources.
  • Demonstrate the ability to achieve measurable results, and have a high probability of successful continuation beyond the grant period.
  • Fit within at least one of 5 funding areas:

1.  Arts and culture
2. Education
3. Environment
4. Health
5. Human services

Areas Not Generally Funded

  • Endowment campaigns
  • Travel expenses and conferences
  • Individuals
  • Projects or programs that promote religious or political views
  • Organizations for re-granting purposes

Grant Assessment Requirements

If your agency receives a grant from Greenville Women Giving, part of the requirement upon acceptance of this grant is to submit a Grant Assessment Report.

This report is due on April 30 of the final year of the grant's cycle ; the Grants Assessment Committee will use this report as a part of the grant evaluation process.

You will be expected to include the following in your evaluation report:

  • Summary description of the project.
  • How the grant helped your agency achieve the purpose stated in your request.
  • Was the project implemented as planned? Any problems? If so, how were they resolved? Any unexpected benefits?
  • Were all necessary funds for your project raised? If not, how did you adapt the program or secure additional funding?
  • How was Greenville Women Giving support acknowledged or publicized by your agency?
  • An itemized accounting of how the funds your agency received were spent.

The Grant Assessment document is mailed to each grant recipient following the Awards Presentation in May.

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