Field-of-Interest Grant Program

The Community Foundation of Mendocino County administers the Field-of-Interest Grant Program, which was established in 2016 as a collection of funds dedicated to making grants in specific areas of interest or within defined geographic boundaries. These funds are provided by individual Field-of-Interest funds, each of which may have unique purposes such as supporting environmental work, human services, or other designated sectors. The program operates on an annual cycle, though not all individual funds are offered every year, and each cycle provides updated funding availability and guidelines. The primary purpose of the Field-of-Interest Grant Program is to support nonprofit organizations located in Mendocino County, California. The funding is intended for projects or initiatives aligned with the identified fields of interest for that cycle. For the 2025 cycle, these areas include arts and culture, children and youth, disaster relief, recovery, and resilience, economic development, the environment, and healthy and inclusive communities. Applicants are expected to propose projects that serve these purposes and address local needs within these focus areas. Funding for the 2025 cycle ranges from $1,000 to $7,000 per grant. The program is competitive, and applicants are encouraged to review the specific guidelines for additional information on funding priorities and requirements. Acceptable uses of funds are determined by the guidelines and are linked to the fund’s specific mission, ensuring alignment between grant spending and donor intent. This targeted funding structure ensures that awarded projects directly contribute to the stated purposes and benefit the communities they are designed to serve. The application period for the 2025 cycle runs from August 6, 2025, to September 8, 2025, with all submissions due by 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time on the closing date. Applications are submitted through the Community Foundation’s online grant portal. Technical support resources, including a Resource Library, are available to guide applicants through the submission process. Additionally, a technical assistance workshop will be held via Zoom on August 21, 2025, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., with simultaneous Spanish translation. This session will be recorded and made available on the Foundation’s website for later reference. Eligibility for the grant program is limited to nonprofit organizations operating in Mendocino County. The program is not open to individuals, businesses, or entities outside the county. The Foundation encourages applicants to align their proposals with both the overarching program goals and the specific fund focus areas. The guidelines document for 2025 provides further detail on eligibility, allowable expenses, and evaluation considerations. Applicants seeking more information or assistance can contact Hayley Moore, Program Officer for the Community Foundation of Mendocino County. She oversees the grant programs and ensures compliance with program requirements. The Foundation’s main office is located at 204 South Oak Street, Ukiah, California, 95482. General inquiries can be directed to 707-468-9882 or info@communityfound.org, while registration assistance for the workshop can be requested from Amy Cline at amyc@communityfound.org. The Foundation maintains high standards of accountability and transparency, as evidenced by its GuideStar Gold rating, National Standards compliance, and four-star Charity Navigator rating.