Find Out What's Coming Up in the New Year

NONPROFIT CONNECTIONS

Fourth Quarter 2021

A NOTE FROM OUR VP FOR COMMUNITY INVESTMENT

Holiday Greetings!

This is always an introspective time of the year. We are in the midst of reflection. We consider all that we are thankful for while we remember that there are many in our community who continue to struggle.

We also start to look forward … resolving to improve, as individuals and as an organization. As 2021 comes to an end we know we have overcome many obstacles. We also know that there is much more to do!

We appreciate what you do in the community you serve. We invite you to stay in touch with us. We share what we know about charitable work in the community with donors, other funders and partner agencies. We also encourage you to let us know how you think we are doing and how you think we may improve.

Lisa, Jill and I wish you Happy Holidays and best wishes for a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year!

Sincerely,

Debbie

Debbie Cahoon,

Vice President for Community Investment

Community Foundation of the Lowcountry

Grant Programs

Impact Grants

Our impact grant application is open. The second (and final) cycle of fiscal year 2022 ends Friday, April 1, 2022. These grants are geographically restricted to organizations that serve people who live and/or work in southern Beaufort County if you have a new or enhanced impactful project or program that meets the criteria we hope you will apply. You must verify eligibility and submit your Letter of Interest no later than Friday, March 25, 2022, to be considered. Check our website for requirements and registration information for Impact Information Sessions.

Opportunity Grants

Opportunity grants continue to mirror our (larger) competitive grants, with the same focus on impact. They are available to organizations that serve people in Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton or Jasper Counties. The maximum award amount is $10,000. We're accepting applications now for our March 1, 2022, deadline. Our fourth and final grant deadline date for the fiscal year is June 1, 2022.

Organization Development Grants

Our capacity-building grants pay up to $5,000 for the use of a consultant to increase agency sustainability. These grants are available to organizations that serve people in Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton or Jasper Counties. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and decisions will be announced within 30 days of receipt of the application.

Endowment Challenge Gifts

We're working with our colleagues in the Community Foundation's development office to create an endowment challenge grant opportunity for organizations that serve individuals in southern Beaufort County. We are excited to offer this capacity-building opportunity! Check our website in mid-January, or call Debbie at 843.681.9100, to find out about eligibility requirements, the application process and other components of the grant.

In addition to other basic criteria, all of the above-mentioned CFL grant applications must include:

Social Justice Statement - Community Foundation of the Lowcountry has determined we'll stand with many others who demand social and racial justice. As we define meaningful ways that we can address issues relating to systemic racism and social and/or racial inequity, we have expanded grantmaking requirements to include a social justice statement (you can view ours here.) We look through an equity lens as we evaluate applications. We encourage organizations who work with marginalized members of our communities to describe how their projects or programs support issues relating to social justice.

Attendance at an Impact Information Session - We are now offering in-person sessions. These sessions are informal and conveniently scheduled at noon on the following days:

Please bring your lunch or a snack to these interactive sessions. You'll learn about our grant requirements - as well as additional programs offered through the Community Investment office - while networking with other nonprofit agency representatives.

Visit our website for more information on our grants.

Additional Grant Opportunities

Hilton Head Island ARPA/SLFRF Grants - The Town of Hilton Head is partnering with Community Foundation of the Lowcountry to provide grants to qualified organizations serving residents of the Hilton Head Island community. This project is funded through American Rescue Plan Act funds. Criteria for funding and application guidelines will be in line with ARPA requirements. Grants must respond to the negative impact of COVID-19 on residents of Hilton Head Island. Areas of focus include food, housing, education, childcare and health. The next deadline date for ARPA funding is February 28, 2022. Additional cycles will be defined next Spring.

Women in Philanthropy – This year’s grant theme is Continuing Efforts of Pandemic Recovery to Address Issues of Family Stability. Applications must be submitted in our online grant portal no later than 4:00 p.m. on January 14, 2022. Contact Lisa Hodge if you have any questions or need technical support.

PEARLS of Hampton County – This opportunity is for agencies serving Hampton County is scheduled to open in early 2022. Check the PEARLS of Hampton County page on our website for more information, or contact Jill Dawson.

Executive Director Leadership Program

The Community Foundation of the Lowcountry Executive Director Program is a peer-based learning program that includes group learning meetings and individual coaching sessions for six Lowcountry nonprofit agency leaders. This program is conducted by Neil Sklarew, an experienced executive coach and past manager of the Georgia Center for Nonprofit’s consulting group.

The 2021-2022 class has already been selected. If you're interested in applying for the program next year, please contact Debbie to learn more and receive an application.

Board Development Workshop

Community Foundation of the Lowcountry will sponsor a four-hour Board Development Workshop in April 2022. This workshop will provide you with a blueprint for how to develop your board, whether you want to fine tune a good functioning board or revise a board to improve its governance and strategic role. Through this workshop you will:

Define your current and desired governance model
Clarify the board's governance and strategic focus
Analyze the board's current structure for possible reorganization
Review the board's staffing to determine recruitment needs
Examine the working relationships between board leadership and the executive director, and among board membership

Look for more information on our website or contact Debbie if you're interested in learning more.

The Giving Marketplace

We encourage you to take a look at The Giving Marketplace page on our website to review your GuideStar profile. This remains a grant requirement for many of our grant opportunities.

To update a profile in GuideStar, someone within your organization must “claim” your profile. You can do so at guidestar.org. Be aware, however, that our staff no longer has access to the back-end of the product. That doesn't mean we aren’t here to help you. As you work through the process of making updates, we encourage you to contact us if you have questions. We can’t sign in and view your work, but we can help talk you through the process. We continue to provide information to donors and funders, and we're still excited about providing community access to nonprofit agencies' profiles, showcasing the valuable work you're doing in the Lowcountry.

Contact Lisa Hodge if you have questions or need technical support.

Lowcountry Volunteer Connections

Don’t forget to check your profile on Lowcountry Volunteer Connections. Make sure to update volunteer opportunities that could engage new residents as well as Lowcountry visitors.

The Season of Giving opportunity is active!. Many of our volunteers use this initiative as a primary resource to determine their charitable work over the holidays. If you have questions, contact Jill Dawson.

Important Changes to Nonprofit Connections

We understand how busy you are and how difficult it is to open and read every important e-newsletter you receive. In an effort to keep you up-to-date without over-burdening your inbox, we are moving Nonprofit Connections to a bi-annual production schedule. You will receive Nonprofit Connections approximately 6-8 weeks prior to each of our two competitive Impact Grant cycles. (Check your inbox and junk mail folder in early to mid-February and early to mid-August.) In the interim, we plan to maintain a blog on the "Nonprofits & Grantees" section of our website. This blog will be updated, as needed, with our nonprofit news, updates and events, so be sure to check it regularly, beginning in early 2022. We want you to know you have a place to go to find relevant information when you need it.

Have an idea you’d like to share? Suggestions about Lowcountry Volunteer Connections? Want to learn more about how to get the most out of your Marketplace profile? E-mail Debbie Cahoon, Jill Dawson or Lisa Hodge.

We’d enjoy hearing from you!