The Door County Community Foundation is pleased to announce that the Door County Growing Older Fund is now accepting applications for Sustainability Grants aimed at supporting initiatives that address the unique challenges of aging populations. This funding opportunity extends to organizations serving Columbia County, Grant County, and Polk County, Wisconsin. The Growing Older Fund invests in initiatives that work to address the diverse issues and opportunities associated with aging, foster intergenerational connections, and help build supportive communities where all residents can age with dignity and independence.
There is no minimum or maximum grant amount, but we anticipate awarding multiple grants averaging $2,500.
The following do not qualify for a Sustainability Grant:
- Retiring debt or budget deficits
- Loans or re-granting programs
- Multi-year commitments (charities may reapply in future cycles for the same idea)
- Activities that advance a particular religious belief (religious organizations should contact the Community Foundation to discuss specific project ideas before applying)
- Individuals or groups that are not qualified public charities or units of government
While we recognize the importance of all of these activities, our Board has made a strategic decision to focus the priorities of our Sustainability Grants elsewhere.
We generally do not make grants to pay for activities that have been contracted or that occur prior to the awarding of a Sustainability Grant.
Fundraising expenses, capital campaigns and grants to an endowment are generally not supported by Sustainability Grants unless the applicant can articulate special circumstances which make their request particularly important.
Each charity is limited to one application per Sustainability Grant cycle.
Application
Please complete the Community Foundation’s Common Grant Application and submit via email to applications@givedoorcounty.org.
The Chief Executive of your organization must review the entire Application Packet and sign the Application Form accordingly. This is an important step in the process as on occasion we have received applications that were submitted without the knowledge of the charity’s senior management. To protect your organization and ours, we now require that your Chief Executive review your Application Packet before we will consider it.
For purposes of this application, the “Chief Executive” is generally the highest ranking paid staff person in your organization. In many charities it is the Executive Director or President & CEO. For schools, the Principal must sign the Application Form. For units of government, the highest ranking official such as a Mayor or Village Administrator must sign.
For an all-volunteer organization, the Board President should sign the Application Form.
We will accept the typed name and email address of the Chief Executive typed on the Application Form as an “electronic signature” if the Application Packet is submitted by email. However, please note that if it is not an original signature, we may contact the Chief Executive listed on the form to confirm their electronic signature.
While it’s permissible to combine multiple projects with a strong and natural correlation into a single application, the budget on the application should separate the individual line-item expenses by project. For instance, rather than adding up the total design, equipment, and labor costs for all three projects into single line items, instead, list them by individual project.
Application Deadline
Fall Sustainability Grant Cycle*
Applications Due: 4th Monday of September at 4:00 p.m.
*The first grant application cycle for Columbia, Grant and Polk County projects will occur during Spring of 2025 with an application deadline on the 4th Monday of March 2025 to launch the program.
Final Report
Grant recipients agree to provide a Final Report as a condition of receiving a grant.
All grantees must submit a completed Final Report via email to grants@givedoorcounty.org within 60 days of the expenditure of the Community Foundation’s grant funds.