Animal Welfare, Environment, & Historic Preservation in Florida

Indian River Community Foundation's discretionary grantmaking aims to support a more healthy, prosperous, and generous Indian River County community. These grants are made possible by anonymous donations and are informed by findings from the most recent community needs assessment and current data from Indian River Indicators. The Community Foundation’s discretionary grants prioritize funding in three areas: animal welfare, environmental protection, and historic preservation. The grant program is divided into two funding categories. Category 1 supports proven programs and offers grants of up to $50,000 to nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations that primarily serve Indian River County. These grants are designed to fund ongoing, effective efforts in the priority areas. Category 2 supports capital projects, with awards of up to $100,000 for facility expansion or enhancement. To qualify for capital project funding, a capital campaign must have already achieved at least 75% of its fundraising goal at the time of application. The application process begins with a Letter of Idea (LOI), which is reviewed monthly on a rolling basis. Organizations whose LOIs present compelling cases and meet eligibility requirements will be invited to submit a full application. Full applications are reviewed quarterly, with funding decisions made by the Board of Directors by March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31 each year. To facilitate the process, applicants are encouraged to attend a nonprofit grantseeker orientation session, which can be scheduled by contacting the foundation. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) public charities with an active and updated GuideStar profile at the “Platinum” level. All applications must be submitted through the foundation’s online grant application system. Required documentation includes the most recent audited or independently reviewed financial statements, IRS Form 990, organization and program or capital project budgets, balance sheet, income statement, cash position statement, board of directors list, and board meeting minutes from the past year. Applications will be evaluated based on their alignment with pressing community needs, supported by data or research. Reviewers will look for a clear use of funds, an achievable timeline, measurable outcomes, experienced leadership, and a strong record of financial responsibility. All grantees are required to submit regular progress reports, participate in site visits, and publicly share grant outcomes and learnings. For additional information or to schedule a grantseeker orientation, potential applicants can contact the foundation via email at grants@ircommunityfoundation.org or by phone at 772.492.1407. The official guidelines document is accessible at https://ircommunityfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GUIDELINES-Discretionary-Grants-Animal-Welfare-Environment-Historic-Preservation-July-20-2022-FINAL.pdf.

Attend grantseeker orientation and base proposal on needs assessment or Indian River Indicators data