Grant FAQ

Each year the Sonora Area Foundation and its supporting organizations establish a competitive grant budget. The grant listings on this website offer details about the size and range of grants made. The Foundation takes seriously its role as a resource for all of Tuolumne County in considering funding proposals, and intends that this funding is used as widely as possible in our community.

The Foundation seeks opportunities to stretch its funding impact by making grants which will work in combination with other funds. This might involve requiring an applicant to provide matching funds from other sources. In addition, the Foundation may choose to make a challenge grant, where additional funds must be secured before Foundation monies are released.

We accept multi-year grant proposals; however, we generally require that specific criteria be met before funding is granted beyond the first year.

For more grant information, contact Grants Administrator Rebecca Gorham

Phone: (209)533-2596
Email: rebecca@sonora-area.org

The Foundation provides funding in these primary interest areas: human services; education; arts/culture/humanities; health; public/society benefit; and environment/animals. In each category we favor:

• Projects that respond to challenges facing county residents and propose realistic and significant impact;
• Applicants who propose ways to sustain future program efforts, and reflect this in their funding proposals.
• Applicants who work in collaboration with other community organizations;
• Projects that include funds from other sources to be used in conjunction with those proposed from the Foundation; and
• Organizations that give strong evidence of community support for what they propose (this might be reflected by involvement of program participants, volunteers willing to support the effort, endorsement by community leaders, participation by other organizations, or favorable media coverage of the applicant organization, etc.).

Foundation representatives believe the most effective funding proposal reflects an organization’s mission. We will look for evidence of careful planning in the proposals submitted.

For more grant information, contact Grants Administrator Rebecca Gorham

Phone: (209)533-2596
Email: rebecca@sonora-area.org

To be eligible for funding consideration, an applicant must be:

• A nonprofit organization with tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service, and not classified as a private foundation. Such an organization must be primarily serving Tuolumne County residents; or
• A public-sector entity or unit of government primarily serving Tuolumne County residents; and
• Nondiscriminatory in the hiring of staff or provision of services on the basis of race, national origin, gender, marital status, age, religious beliefs or disability.

If an informal association, community group or collaborative seeks funding, it must do so through an eligible lead organization with which it has a working relationship and/or memo of understanding; that is, a “fiscal sponsor.”

For more grant information, contact Grants Administrator Rebecca Gorham

Phone: (209)533-2596
Email: rebecca@sonora-area.org

Unless so designated by a donor in the instrument of gift to the Foundation, and approved by the Board, the Foundation will generally not consider grants for the following:

• Annual fundraising campaigns
• Creation or additions to endowments
• Existing financial obligations, or replenishing resources to pay such debt
• Private foundations
• Political purposes
• Sectarian purposes
• Programs primarily serving persons not residing in Tuolumne County

For more grant information, contact Grants Administrator Rebecca Gorham

Phone: (209)533-2596
Email: rebecca@sonora-area.org

Sonora Area Foundation considers several types of competitive grant requests. They share a common focus on the quality of life in Tuolumne County.

Pilot or Demonstration Project

Intended to promote creativity, such a project is based on the concept of setting up, testing and evaluating a model approach to dealing with challenges found in the community. A proposal must include a carefully developed evaluation plan, as well as the means by which to disseminate the results and lessons learned.

New or Expanded Program

Proposed programs should be based on challenges or needs within Tuolumne County. Proposals should describe solutions and such means to accomplish them. Foundation representatives will look for evidence of participation by those for whom the proposed program is intended to benefit.

Capacity Building

Proposals of this type must concentrate on strengthening an applicant organization’s ability to achieve its mission or purposes. This might involve upgrading board or staff skills, including those used to develop strategic planning, human and financial resource development, and increasing organizational movement toward financial independence. Such a proposal should include evidence of the applicant’s work to build capacity prior to approaching the Foundation for funding.

For more grant information, contact Grants Administrator Rebecca Gorham

Phone: (209)533-2596
Email: rebecca@sonora-area.org>

Sonora Area Foundation uses several strategies to undertake proactive grant making in addition to responding to proposals submitted from eligible applicants.

Emergency/Rapid Response

A limited budget exists to respond immediately to requests for emergency grants not to exceed $5,000. Emergencies are defined as unforeseeable events that adversely impact an organization’s ability to fulfill its mission.

Donor-Advised Grants

Foundation assets include funds from a variety of sources. At times, donors are actively involved in the grant making process, and Foundation representatives work to facilitate their suggestions for grants.

Board-Initiated Grants

The Foundation’s board periodically initiates grants based on members’ awareness of community needs.

Elaine Symons Baker Annual Award for Community Impact

The Foundation makes this grant for support of organizations with exceptional programs.

Irving J. Symons Annual Award

The Foundation makes this grant for support of exceptional programs and services.

Periodic Requests For Proposals (RFPs)

The Sonora Area Foundation may issue RFPs inviting participation to seek grants focusing on broadly understood and shared perspectives about issues confronting the community.

For more grant information, contact Grants Administrator Rebecca Gorham

Phone: (209)533-2596
Email: rebecca@sonora-area.org

The Sonora Area Foundation Board of Directors reviews grant applications at their scheduled Board meetings (usually the fourth Tuesday) in February, April, June, August, October and December.

Applications are due at the Foundation office by the first day of the month in which grant-review board meetings are held. For example, to have your grant application reviewed at the February board meeting, it must be received by February 1.

Applications may be mailed to or dropped off at the Foundation’s office (362 South Stewart Street, Sonora, CA 95370). For office hours and holiday closures, click here.

For more grant information, contact Grants Administrator Rebecca Gorham

Phone: (209)533-2596
Email: rebecca@sonora-area.org

WE DO NOT HAVE A GRANT-APPLICATION FORM FOR YOU TO FILL OUT.

Instead, please submit a grant-application letter and attachments as outlined below:

GRANT-APPLICATION LETTER

Application letter requirements:

• Use your organization’s letterhead
• IMPORTANT: Indicate your organization’s designated grant-contact person and include his/her name, title, agency (if different from organization seeking grant), phone and email
• No more than two pages
• Submit only one copy
• Follow the guidelines in “Application letter format and content” below

Application letter format and content:

In paragraph one, clearly and concisely state:

• The amount of funding you are requesting from the Sonora Area Foundation; and
• What you want to do with the funding.

The remaining paragraphs should make a case for your proposal by furnishing the following information:

• Describe the quality and integrity of your organization, showing evidence of community support & documenting accomplishments consistent with its mission.
• Define the rationale for funding: explain how your proposal will impact the quality of life of the people for whom your organization exists.
• Describe your plan of action: sequence of activities; resources needed to carry them out, including project management; and a time frame to accomplish the project.
• Describe other sources of funding that have been pursued or secured (cash or in-kind) for use in this project that will leverage funds requested from Sonora Area Foundation.
• Describe how you will sustain the project: What resources will support this project in the future? Be as specific as possible.
• Describe how you will evaluate your project and how you will verify whether your goals have been accomplished, including who will carry out evaluation activities. (Please be aware that grant reports are required for grant awards.)

Contact information for your organization’s designated grant-contact person may be included anywhere in the letter.

GRANT-APPLICATION ATTACHMENTS

Include the attachments listed in either section A or B below (as applicable):

A. NONPROFITS If your organization has tax-exempt status or is a governmental entity, include the following as attachments:

B. FISCAL SPONSOR If your organization does not have tax-exempt status or is not a governmental entity, another organization must serve as a fiscal sponsor. A cooperative relationship between both organizations must be clearly demonstrated. Include the following attachments from the fiscal sponsor:

Mission statement Project budget Current organization budget (unless a governmental entity) Roster of applicant’s governing body, including name, address, vocation and length of time served for each member Resolution of governing Board or copy of Board minutes indicating grant approval for submission, or if not feasible, a letter from the Chief Executive Officer Copy of IRS Letter of Determination – 501(c)(3), if applicable References/Memorandums of Understanding from collaborating organizations (if applicable) 990 tax return (most recent filed) Most recent, complete, audited financial statement, if available (unless a governmental entity) Most recent annual report/brochure (if available)

A letter indicating the fiscal sponsor’s willingness to administer the grant if awarded Resolution of governing Board or copy of Board minutes indicating approval for grant submission, or if not feasible, a letter from the Chief Executive Officer Roster of fiscal sponsor’s governing body, including name, address, vocation and length of time served for each member Copy of IRS Letter of Determination – 501(c)(3), if applicable Current organization budget (unless a governmental entity) 990 tax return (most recent filed) Most recent, complete, audited financial statement, if available (unless a governmental entity)

SUBMIT GRANT-APPLICATION LETTER AND ATTACHMENTS

Grant-application letters and attachments may be mailed to or dropped off at:

Sonora Area Foundation
362 S. Stewart St.
Sonora, CA  95370

For more information about grant applications, contact Grants Administrator Rebecca Gorham

Phone: (209)533-2596
Email: rebecca@sonora-area.org

Upon receiving your letter and attachments, Foundation staff will review the materials and may contact you for additional information. A site visit may be requested, particularly if you are a new applicant. We will try to complete the review process within 60 days.

When the review process is complete, Foundation staff will submit your proposal for the Board meeting. The Board of Directors makes all final decisions. Foundation staff will inform you of the Board’s decision.

If approved, Foundation staff will send a notification letter along with the Terms of Grant for funding. The Foundation will require evaluation reports as will be described in the notification letter. Evaluation site visits may also be required.

For more grant information, contact Grants Administrator Rebecca Gorham

Phone: (209)533-2596
Email: rebecca@sonora-area.org