The Jasper Community Foundation will begin accepting applications to the annual grant cycle on February 15

The foundation's areas of emphasis are:

Eligibility Requirements:

* Be located in and serving primarily clients in Jasper County.

* Serve a charitable purpose by enhancing the quality of life in Jasper County in such areas as arts/culture/humanities; health/education/human services; environment/animals; public/society benefits and other community activities.

* To be considered for any of these funds, your organization must be a tax-exempt, non-profit entity classified by the IRS as 501(c)(3) or a 170(c)(1) governmental entity. If your organization is not a 501(c)(3), then you must have a fiscal sponsor who will be legally and financially responsible. Definitions are outlined below:

- Tax-Exempt Non-Profit Entity (IRS) - Organizations must be recognized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as tax-exempt, non-profit, public charities under section 501(c)(3) or as a “unit of government” under Section 170(c)(1) to receive grant funding. A 501(c)(3) is a section of the Federal Tax Codes, which establishes the criteria for tax-exempt charitable organizations. Section 170(c)(1) refers to agencies that conduct activities to benefit the public-at-large, like public schools, state universities, public libraries and volunteer fire departments.

- Fiscal Sponsor - An organization that is receiving money on behalf of the grant applicant and is responsible for disbursing the money for the project and maintaining appropriate documentation. This entity must by a 501(c)(3) or a 170(c)(1) unit of government in order to serve in this capacity. A fiscal sponsorship agreement must accompany the grant application if a fiscal sponsor is being used. This agreement is available within the JCF Grant Application.

Note from your Grant Gopher team: The application form was not available as of our most recent review. The 2023 application period has been announced in the local news. The form will be available on February 15 or shortly before.