Size of Grant Awards:

KSWF awards grants to non-profit organizations working to support and improve the lives of Kentuckians across the state. In the last five years, KSWF grant awards have ranged from $1,000 to $34,121.

Our average grant award is $10,833.35. 

 

Application “Tips” and “Helps” for Smaller Agencies to be Successful in Grant Making

  1. The rural priority.
    We know the cities are important and that they serve people from rural areas too. But the nonprofits there have advantages that those in rural areas do not. We’re looking for efforts of Kentucky nonprofits located outside of Louisville and Lexington and/or serving rural and small-town populations.

 

  1. The project preference.

We know you have important goals for an annual campaign, and that you need to meet another year’s budget. But we are looking for special initiatives or “projects.” A project tries out something new, or scales up something that exists, or fixes something urgent.

  • Make the project finite in time. For example, I would like to fund a children’s camp for four weeks and funds needed to do so are XYZ.  The project may be any timeframe, but it is important to describe a period of time.

 

 

  1. The multiplier effect attraction.

There are lots of ways to make a dollar go farther. It might be a collaboration with another group, a demonstration project that will have an audience, or something else that your ingenuity thought of. Let us know how you’ll get that “extra mile” out of a grant.

 

  1. Budgets.

Please send us your agency budget.  But also:  send us a detailed project budget for your proposal.  What are you asking us to fund?

  • Please be specific in your project budget. Remember, salary costs of personnel are not an item to apply for.
    • For example, the costs associated with my children’s camp are $5,000 and will cover masks, desks, lunches, and materials needed.
  • In the project budget, be sure to flag which part you want us to fund if the project has more than one funding source.
  • Winning Budget examples:
  •  Example 1:    Post Incarceration Relief Fund: per year average $18,000.00 ($1200.00 per inmate)
  •                          Housing: $500 for month of transitional housing cost
  •                          Transportation: $54 for 30 day public transient card
                             Cell Phone: $40
                             Phone card: $45
                             Counseling services: $60 per session we offer at least 3 to start with
                             Food: $100
                             Clothes: $100
                             Hygiene: $25
                             Boots: $50
  • OR:
  •                         Specific request to KSWF:  $4800 to cover full costs for 4 inmates OR Specific request to KSWF:  $3600 to cover counseling costs for 20 inmates OR Specific request to KSWF:  $5000 to cover transitional housing for one month for 10 inmates
  • Example 2: Family Assistance Fund: (per year average $6,600 ($600 per family)

                           Holiday Dinners         3500
                           Christmas Presents      1000
                           School Clothes/Supplies 1000
                           Easter Egg Hunt          500

    Specific request to KSWF:    $4500 to cover Holiday Dinners and
    Christmas presents OR Specific request to KSWF:    $6,600 to cover all costs for 11 families

 

  1. Application dates:

 

The Board of Trustees meets two times annually to review grant applications, usually spring and fall of each year.

Deadlines to submit applications are posted on our website and are usually about a month before our meeting dates.

 

 

Deadlines for submission are absolute deadlines.  No exceptions or extensions are granted.

Please consider the submission deadline when you are preparing your application.