Capital Improvement Grants
Capital Improvement Grants support time-limited projects for nonprofits in Forsyth County, North Carolina to acquire, upgrade, and maintain physical assets (such as property, buildings, technology, or equipment). This program provides grants of up to $25,000.
KEY DATES: 2024 grant cycle
- Mid-July: application opens in the new online portal*
- September 4: application closes at 5:00 PM
- Mid-December: notification of funding decisions
*In July 2024, we launched a new online portal to enhance our application process. We are confident that you’ll find it easy to use; however, please plan a little extra time to register for an account and navigate the new portal.
WHAT WE FUND
- New and existing facilities (renovations, upgrades, repairs, and ADA accessibility)
- Major material goods (equipment, vehicles, and furniture)
- Technology and software
- Beautification (green spaces, landscaping, gardens, lighting, fencing, etc.)
- Equipment, furniture, and supplies (lower priority)
WHAT WE're PRIORITIZING THIS GRANT CYCLE
Funding for this grant program comes from generous donors who support the Foundation's field of interest funds and unrestricted funds. Based on available funding, we will prioritize requests in the following categories for this grant cycle:
- ADA accessibility (facilities, technology, software, etc.)
- Beautification
- Projects that support animal welfare
Eligible proposals that do not fit within these three categories will still be considered for funding, but will not receive priority for this grant cycle.
A strong application will demonstrate:
- Two years of organizational operation
- Proven track record of service in Forsyth County
- Diverse leadership representative of the community it serves
- How the organization gains insights from people with lived experience in the area(s) of service(s) provided
- Financial statements demonstrating revenue and expenses over two years (current year and previous year) – an audit is helpful, but not required
- Clear project plans
- Description of project need
- Organizational capacity to manage the scale of the project
- Ability to sustain any ongoing maintenance costs
INFORMATION SESSION
Learn more about our Capital Improvement Grants in the recording below:
capital improvement grant FAQs
What expenses are not eligible for Capital Grant funding?
Expenses that are not eligible for funding:
- Operations (utilities/rent, legal/financial services)
- Programming/services
- New or existing staff
Can my organization receive more than one Capital Improvement Grant at a time?
Organizations may have only one funded Capital Improvement Grant open at a time. (However, they may have concurrent funding open for Capacity-Building Grants, Small Grants, Focus Area Investments, and/or Strategic Initiative Grants.)
Organizations that have received Capital funding are asked to wait three years before submitting an additional request.
Does the Capital Campaign Calendar still exist?
The Capital Campaign Calendar does not exist and the committee dissolved in March 2021. Read more here >
Can I discuss my proposal idea with you before applying?
Yes, if you have a proposal idea you’d like to discuss, we’d like to hear from you! You're not required to meet with our staff before applying, but many nonprofits find it helpful to discuss their idea with our team. To schedule a conversation, contact us (below) at least one week before the application deadline. Note: we cannot guarantee a meeting close to the deadline due to increased call volume.
If we’re a faith-based organization can we apply for a grant?
We fund faith-based organizations (churches, synagogues, mosques) when the organization is providing a social service, as long as it doesn’t serve only the members of a single congregation or promote a particular religious doctrine. Read more in the document below.
Can we apply for a grant if we’re based outside of Forsyth County?
If your organization is based outside of Forsyth County but serves a wide geographic area that includes Forsyth County, the Foundation will consider a grant for the portion of the project that impacts Forsyth County. If you are based outside of Forsyth County and you also don't serve Forsyth County, you are not eligible to apply for funding.
Who makes the final grant funding decisions?
While final grant decisions rest with our volunteer governing boards, our staff serve as dedicated liaisons for each funding opportunity.
.png)