YCF Community Grant

Your Community Foundation (YCF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Iola, Kansas, is now accepting applications for its 2025 Community Grant Cycle. Dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in Allen County and surrounding areas, YCF promotes philanthropy, endowment building, community engagement, and sustainable support for charitable goals. The Foundation administers grants through its Kansas Health Foundation Public Health Endowment Fund and its own YCF Public Health Endowment Fund. The 2025 grant cycle opens on July 1, 2025, and closes on September 1, 2025, with award announcements scheduled for October 2025. This year’s Community Grant Cycle includes a total of $20,000 in available funding. Of this amount, $17,000 is allocated to direct grantmaking, and $3,000 is earmarked for seed funding to help nonprofits establish agency endowments at YCF. Applicants may apply for a grant, an endowment, or both. Endowment opportunities are designed to promote long-term financial sustainability. Participating organizations will benefit from waived fund participation fees until a $10,000 minimum balance is reached, with a three-year timeframe allowed to meet this goal. YCF will also contribute $1,000 to initiate each of the three selected endowment funds. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, units of local government, educational institutions, and faith-based organizations that provide non-religious, community-serving programs. Fiscal sponsorships held by a 501(c)(3) are also accepted. All applicants must serve residents primarily located within Allen County. Applications from Woodson and Anderson counties will not be considered during this cycle. While matching funds are not required, preference may be given to applicants who demonstrate financial support from other sources. Grant funding amounts must fall within the range of $500 to $5,000. Priority funding areas include affordable housing and homelessness, childcare and early development, and food security. However, applications from all program areas are accepted. Required documentation includes a completed application form, a detailed project description and budget, demographic details of the population served, IRS 501(c)(3) designation or equivalent, the most recent IRS Form 990 (if available), a list of board members with emails, financial audit or compilation (if available), and letters of support from any project partners. Applications must be either mailed to Your Community Foundation, P.O. Box 44, Iola, KS 66749 or submitted electronically to givingmakesadifference@gmail.com no later than September 1, 2025. Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed. Recipients must submit a final report within 30 days of project completion to remain eligible for future funding. All funded applicants are required to adhere to YCF’s publicity guidelines. For questions, applicants may contact Elaina Stiffler, Executive Director of YCF, at 620-418-6982. The grant cycle does not include any pre-application deadlines or concept paper requirements. Funding is not offered on a rolling basis, but this grant opportunity is recurring annually, with the next expected cycle in July 2026. Interested applicants should check back around August 1, 2026, for updates on the following cycle.