Grantmaking questions

What does Placer Community Foundation fund?

We make discretionary grants in four main areas: arts and culture, education, environment, and health and human services. We also administer scholarships.

In addition, the Foundation works with several special grant programs created to meet the interests of donors or partner foundations. Each of these grant programs has its own guidelines, application and review process.

How do I apply?

The Foundation offers a series of grant programs, some of which are open to grant proposals by eligible nonprofits. When grant dollars are available, we post requests for proposals to our website. We encourage you to review our general eligibility guidelines and to download guidelines for specific programs as they become available.

How much can I apply for? Does the foundation award multiyear grants?

Grant minimums vary by program. Grants from our unrestricted assets are typically limited to less than $3,000 per agency. Read about our grant programs to learn about other grant minimums.

My organization does not have tax-exempt status. Can I still apply?

The Foundation funds nonprofit agencies with evidence of tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and not classified as a private foundation. We also accept proposals from agencies that operate under a nonprofit fiscal sponsor. In these cases, the fiscal sponsor would submit the proposal and provide its 501(c)(3) determination letter.

My agency submitted a proposal and has not heard back from the Foundation. How can I check the status of my agency’s request?

Proposals are usually reviewed and evaluated by our staff within four to six weeks of receipt. If you have submitted a proposal more than six weeks ago and have not yet received a response, feel free to contact us. Unsolicited applications or applications received after a granting program’s cycle has closed are returned to the applying organization.

My agency received a past grant from Placer Community Foundation. Is my agency eligible to apply again for funding?

If your agency received a past grant from Placer Community Foundation, you may submit an application for consideration of a new grant if your agency has completed the requirements of all previous grants from Placer Community Foundation, including the submission of a final grant report. Also, please check the Foundation’s current grant guidelines to make sure that your agency and its activities still fit within the Foundation’s current grantmaking goals, objectives and priorities.

How often can my agency apply for a grant?

The Foundation prefers not to consider applications from any agency more frequently than once every twelve months. In addition, we prefer not to consider applications from any agency receiving a multiyear grant until all the terms and conditions of and payments on that grant have been fulfilled.