GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Greater Green Bay Community Foundation announced today that they are accepting grant proposals for the Basic Needs Giving Partnership. The Basic Needs Giving Partnership, which is a partnership of the U.S. Venture Fund for Basic Needs at the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, the J.J. Keller Foundation, and numerous community donors, aims to address the root causes of poverty, support long term solutions to move people out of poverty, and assist those with limited capacity, such as the low-income elderly or significantly disabled, to maintain a stable and dignified quality of life. Grants will be awarded to non-profit organizations with a proven record of success or innovative new organizations supported by established non-profits or successful leadership. Completed applications are due on February 15, 2012. An independent, volunteer grants team – established by the Community Foundation and not associated with or directed by U.S. Venture or the J.J. Keller Foundation – reviews and evaluates applications submitted to this program. The grants team makes recommendations to the Community Foundation’s board of directors for approval of all grants. Decisions will be announced in mid-June. Proposals will only be considered if they are collaborative in nature and address one of four impact areas. A collaboration is a partnership of multiple non-profit organizations undertaken because the scope or complexity of the need or issue will benefit from each organization’s particular expertise or provided services, and/or will enable more effective and efficient delivery of the program or services than just individual organizations working alone or separately. True collaborations likely include jointly developing and agreeing upon a set of common goals and direction; sharing the risks and responsibility for obtaining those goals; working together to achieve those goals and using the expertise and resources of each collaborator; and a jointly developed structure. Collaborative efforts are not defined by referrals between agencies, networking, information exchanges, and minor altering of activities. The impact areas for the Basic Needs Giving Partnership are: 1) helping children, youth, and young adults become healthy and ready to succeed in school and become self-sufficient; 2) strengthening individuals and families to help them learn to meet basic needs and build financial self-sufficiency; 3) empowering and supporting individuals affected by aging and dementia with low or fixed incomes through services that meet their basic needs and allow them to age with dignity; and 4) helping uninsured and underinsured residents sustain a higher quality of life by preventing and reducing acute and long-term care crises through innovative and culturally appropriate models promoting the control and prevention of disease and chronic illness, such as diabetes and mental health. These impact areas have been updated to reflect findings in the 2011 Brown County LIFE Study and current priorities of the partnership. The Basic Needs Giving Partnership is accepting three different types of collaborative requests for 2012.
1) Single or multi-year collaborative project requests. These grants will support community programs that address one of the four impact areas and meet specific needs as identified in the 2011 Brown County LIFE Study by offering up to $100,000 per year for up to three years. Requests for less than $100,000 and for fewer than three years are encouraged. Applicants must submit an initial application by February 15, 2012. Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal and complete additional requirements, including an interview.
2) Collaborative planning proposals. Planning grants will provide funding to teams of local non-profits to develop and plan for the launch of a collaborative project. Grants will not fund activities that are part of an organization’s ongoing activities. Appropriate planning items include, but are not limited to: hiring staff; planning time; and fees for consultants, facilitators or other outside professional assistance. Initial application letters are due by February 15, 2012.
3) Regional collaborative project requests. Regional collaborative requests include partners or programs operating in more than one of the areas served by the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region and the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation. Applicants must submit an initial application by February 15, 2012.
Additional details about the requirements for completing applications and history of the Basic Needs Giving Partnership can be found here.
About the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation
Established in 1991, the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization that manages more than 500 funds, and distributes grants to between 400 and 500 non-profits each year. Community Foundation grants provide funding for programs and services that improve the quality of life in Northeast Wisconsin, supporting human services, education, arts and culture, the environment, and more. Our mission is to inspire and encourage charitable giving in Northeast Wisconsin by connecting people who care with solutions that strengthen our community. For more information, please visit our website: www.ggbcf.org.
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