GRANTs FAQS

Not-for-profit organizations that are based on Martha’s Vineyard with an Internal Revenue Service 501 (c) (3) status may apply for a grant from the Community Foundation.  Local government agencies also may apply.  The programs we support serve Martha’s Vineyard and benefit our community.

Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation is a family of funds, each with its own name and purpose. These funds have been established by individual donors, families and organizations as a way to provide support to enhance the quality of life on Martha’s Vineyard.

In general, grant award amounts will be made up to $25,000. The Foundation’s staff reviews all applications and follows up on missing information or with questions regarding a submission. An incomplete application will be deferred until all of the necessary information has been provided. We highly encourage you to reach out to Program Manager Elizabeth Bennett with any questions or to review your application: 

Applications for 2024 Community & Impact Grants are due by September 23, 2024. Applications will be reviewed, and a select number of organizations will be invited to proceed in the application process. Those organizations will be contacted and will be scheduled to meet with representatives of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Typically, an organization’s Executive Director and/or Project Manager, participate in these 15 minute meetings. The purpose is to provide grant seekers the opportunity to describe their organization, discuss their proposal, amplify information provided in the written application and answer questions about the project. Sessions are informal and designed to provide a better understanding of a project’s goals, activities to be undertaken and anticipated impact on the community. In some cases, additional information may be requested to help clarify a project.

Applications are reviewed by the Foundation’s Board of Directors which votes on each request and determines the amount of every grant approved.  All applicants are notified of the Board’s action within a few weeks of the Board’s decision.

Organizations receiving grants from the Foundation are required to submit a final report on program activities within a year of the grant award.  The report consists of a narrative on the outcome of the initiative, a final financial accounting, and photos of the program/project awarded funding.  Subsequent requests for support will not be considered until all reports for prior grants have been received.

The deadline for Community and Impact Grant applications is Monday, September 23, 2024.

Applications for the Emergency Response Fund and Vineyard Fund for Board Development & Education are both considered on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Yes. All grant requests must use the Foundation’s on-line application form. Letters or other written requests will not be considered. All documentation requested, including evidence of your organization’s tax exempt status, must be submitted along with the application. Incomplete applications will be deferred until the Foundation has received all of the required information. Organizations that have received grants from the Community Foundation in the past must file final narrative and financial reports for those grants in order to be considered for a new grant.

Organizations may apply as frequently as they wish.

For organizations with multiple subsidiaries, each subsidiary is viewed independently for grant purposes allowing the parent organization to submit more than one grant application each cycle. For the subsidiaries of an organization to qualify for this allowance, they must serve different populations.  Parent organizations also are encouraged to coordinate and prioritize the grant requests submitted by their subsidiaries.

In the case of programs, grants will be considered for periods of time lasting up to one year.

In the case of equipment or projects, it is expected the funds will be used within a year.

The Foundation will not consider grants for political purposes, religious causes or projects benefitting members of a specific church or religious denomination, agency endowments or for individuals, other than for scholarships or educational programs as determined by a fund’s special provisions.

Grant awards in 2024 will range from $1,000 to $25,000. During the 2023 competitive application cycle, we received requests totaling approximately $900,000 and awarded approximately $400,000 in support. 

Yes. Requests for funding outside of the Foundation’s annual grant cycle may be considered in an emergency.  Please use the Emergency Response Fund application found on the grant application page.

Yes, if the services provided take place on the Island, are for the benefit of the people of Martha’s Vineyard and have a clear linkage to improving this community’s quality of life.