21st-Century Grants

Available to non-profits serving the following:

  • Kentucky: Boyd and Greenup counties
  • Ohio: Lawrence County
  • West Virginia: Cabell and Wayne counties

Deadlines: January 10, April 10, July 10, and October 10 each year

The mission of the Foundation for the Tri-State Community is to improve the quality of life in our community by raising, encouraging, administering and distributing gifts for charitable, cultural, educational and scientific purposes.  The Foundation seeks to respond to a wide variety of needs in the community by distributing grants from its 21st Century Endowment Fund.

Grant Applications

 Grant applications are reviewed each quarter by the Grant Advisory Committee with the final distribution approved by the Board of Trustees of the Foundation.  The size and number of grant awards are directly related to the amount of money available each year from the 21st Century Endowment Fund and the number of grant applications received.  Grants range from $500 to $5,000.  The Foundation always accepts requests for funding, with application deadlines of January 10, April 10, July 10, and October 10 of each year.  (If the 10th falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the deadline will be the following Monday.)  Grant awards are announced in the month following the application deadline, with funds available to grantees after the first of the next quarter. 

Click here to contact us to apply for a grant. 

Eligible applicants include 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt charitites and other organizations that meet our special charitable grant guidelines.  Project proposals must serve residents of the tri-state area, which includes Boyd and Greenup Counties in Kentucky, Cabell and Wayne Counties in West Virginia, and Lawrence County, Ohio.

Organizations may submit only one application per funding cycle for grants from the 21st Century Endowment Fund.  Organizations that have recently been awarded a grant from the 21st Century Endowment Fund should wait at least 12 months, preferably 18 months, from the approval of their award to submit another request for funding.  The 21st Century Endowment grants do not provide continuing operational support for programs or organizations.  No grants will be awarded for projects begun before grant decisions are made.

Project proposals should meet one or more of the following goals:

  1. Improve the quality of life in the tri-state area.
  2. Test or demonstrate new approaches and techniques in the solution of important community problems.
  3. Strengthen non-profit agencies and institutions by reducing operating costs, increasing public financial support, and/or improving internal management.
  4. Use community resources to promote coordination, cooperation and sharing among organizations to eliminate duplicated services.
  5. Help meet an organization’s regulatory burden.
  6. Expand capacity to support new, successful programs or replicate successful programs in new areas.

 

While the Foundation remains flexible in trying to meet community needs, the following areas will generally not be considered for funding from the 21st Century Endowment Fund:

  • General operating support – i.e. employee/intern salaries, utilities, ongoing programs, etc.
  • Fundraising events
  • Capital building projects
  • Endowment funds
  • Individual schools
  • Operational deficits
  • Individuals
  • Political purposes
  • Sectarian activities of religious organizations

Grants approved by the Foundation for the Tri-State Community are reported to the community through the annual report, periodic listings of grants, and news releases.  The granteee agencies are encouraged to make public announcements on their own, especially when such notices might stimulate additional support or help spread the word about projects.  Grantees are required to credit the Foundation for the Tri-State Community in all news releases, brochures, and other printed material pertaining to their projects and to include the Foundation in any general listings of contributors to their organizations.

The Foundation strongly encourages you to discuss your proposed project with the staff before completing this application.  They will endeavor to assist you in crafting a successful proposal. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FOUNDATION OFFICES. 

Past Recipients

Current grant holders – download your final grant report here:  Final Grant Report.  Please contact us if you have any questions about submitting your final grant report.

If you would like to make a contribution to the 21st Century Grants Fund, click here.