CFNS McConnell Fund

The McConnell Fund is a philanthropic grant initiative administered by the Community Foundation of the North State, headquartered in Redding, California. Established in 2001, the Fund was created through a partnership with The McConnell Foundation, a private foundation committed to building better communities through philanthropy. The McConnell Foundation chose to work with the Community Foundation due to its deep community connections and established presence in Northern California. This collaboration enables the Foundation to target community needs more effectively across several rural and under-resourced counties in the region. The primary objective of The McConnell Fund is to support organizations that contribute to the well-being and development of communities within five Northern California counties: Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity, and Modoc. Grants awarded through the Fund are intended to enhance community infrastructure and services in eight specific focus areas: arts and culture, recreation, environment, community vitality, social services, health care, children and youth, and education. Unlike many operational grants, the McConnell Fund emphasizes capital investment—primarily funding equipment purchases and building-related projects. The Fund provides differentiated award ceilings based on geography. Applicants from Shasta, Siskiyou, and Tehama counties may request up to $50,000 per project, while applicants from Trinity and Modoc counties may apply for grants of up to $30,000. However, these awards do not support operational or administrative costs, such as staffing, consumable supplies, or planning expenses. Additional exclusions include endowment funding, annual campaigns, governmental services, land or building purchases, and projects located on property not owned by the applying organization. To be eligible for consideration, applicants must be nonprofit organizations located within one of the five eligible counties. While specific eligibility conditions such as 501(c)(3) status are implied, detailed qualifications are not explicitly outlined. Grants are awarded to both small-scale and large-scale projects, which can span the full range of the Fund’s priority areas. Given the program’s emphasis on durable investments in physical assets, applicants are advised to focus on project readiness and ownership requirements, especially for any capital improvements. All applications for the current cycle must be submitted electronically through the Community Foundation's online portal by midnight on February 25, 2026. The program does not indicate any pre-application requirements such as letters of intent or concept papers. There is also no indication of rolling submissions; therefore, applications must be completed by the stated deadline. While historical award information for previous years is available, no timeline is provided for award decisions or grant disbursement. Prospective applicants are encouraged to consult the Foundation’s website or contact their staff directly for further guidance. The Community Foundation of the North State may be reached via email at [email protected] or by phone at 530-244-1219. The program has demonstrated a consistent annual cycle, suggesting future funding rounds may occur on a similar timeline in subsequent years.

Applications are more competitive if they show other sources of funding and position this grant as final funding to complete a project.