These are unusual times for all of us. Whether you’re a person, business, or nonprofit, everyone is struggling to find their footing in this new normal. The uncertainty of it all is daunting, and many are taking a financial hit.
This is true for nonprofits throughout the world, who have had to cancel upcoming fundraising events and will see individual donations dwindle as more and more people are laid off or unable to work while we social distance.
Now, more than ever, nonprofits need our help. If countless nonprofits have to shutter their doors due to the outbreak of COVID-19, our communities will suffer even more than they already are. Please, if you are able, make some donations to your favorite nonprofits now as a show of your support.
For nonprofit leaders, you’re not alone. We are all worried. We are all unsure of what comes next. We are all trying to figure out how we get through this as organizations.
Charlie’s Heart Foundation wants to do its part. We’ve been working on our grant program for several months, but now seems the time to remind you all that it is here for the first time this year. We strongly feel that supporting organizations who are already doing incredible work in communities worldwide is the best way for us as a family and foundation to see positive change in the world. And right now, we really need to focus on positive change.
The Charlie’s Heart Foundation Grant Program is already open for this year to 501(c)(3) with missions that align with our own: keeping families together through difficult life circumstances. The process is a simple 3 steps:
- Write up a Letter of Interest and an organization summary for us to look over. This is to make things a little easier for you: it allows you to share some details about your organization and what you hope to do, without the depth of a full-on grant proposal. You can see our Letter of Interest template here. These are due by May 1.
- Once we’ve received your Letter of Interest, the next step is a brief phone call with one of our foundation representatives. The goal of the phone call is to allow us to get any follow-up information needed in order to invite you to write a full grant application.
- The final step is a full grant application, a link to which will be provided after you complete steps 1 and 2. You’ll need to complete the application, including all attachments necessary, no later than June 1, 2020. Part of the grant application may include an in-person interview.
Charlie’s Heart Foundation Grants will be awarded once a year, and can be anywhere between $5,000 and $50,000. These grants will primarily go to help nonprofits with projects or specific programs, although some ongoing operating expenses for organizations may be considered. Applicants should be based in the Eastern U.S., though they may serve communities outside of that region or even abroad.
You can learn more about the eligibility requirements for the grants by heading here. Our hope is to be able to reach as many organizations as we can with this grant program.
This all started through our work with A Glimmer of Hope and Addis Jemari, two nonprofits that work in Ethiopia whose missions we’ve come to hold close to our hearts. In supporting some of their projects and programs, we wanted to find even more organizations to show the same love.
We are so excited to see what this first grant cycle holds for us. We hope it brings many new partnerships so the impact and awareness around the importance of the family bond is even greater.
To learn more about applying for a Charlie’s Heart Foundation Grant, click here.
