Step 1: Make sure your organization qualifies for a grant.
Familiarize yourself with the Foundation’s policies and guidelines, geographic focus, and funding priorities. If you are unsure that your proposal meets our criteria, call to discuss your proposal before beginning an application.
Step 2: Submit an online letter of intent (if applicable).
Organizations must submit an online letter of intent (LOI) if any of the following apply:
• The organization has never received a program or general operating grant from Community Memorial Foundation
• The organization has not received a program or general operating grant from Community Memorial Foundation in the past three years
• The organization intends to request more than $25,000 from the Foundation
Requests that do not meet the above criteria are not required to submit a letter of intent and may simply submit an online application.
Letters of intent are reviewed on a rolling basis, but must be completed online before 5:00pm CST on the following dates:
February 15 for consideration within the spring grant cycle
August 15 for consideration within the fall grant cycle
Staff will review the LOI upon receipt and will notify the organization within two weeks if it has been invited to submit a full proposal. An invitation to submit a full proposal is no guarantee of funding.
All letters of intent must be submitted through the Foundation’s GivingData grants management system. If you have never used the system, you will be required to establish an account.
Step 3: Submit an online application.
Responsive grant proposals are reviewed twice a year and must be submitted by 5:00 PM CST on the following dates:
Spring Cycle | March 15 for review at the June board meeting
Fall Cycle | September 15 for review at the December board meeting
All grant proposals must be submitted through the Foundation’s GivingData grants management system. If you have never used the system, you will be required to establish an account where you can begin a new application; complete a saved application; check your application status; or view grant history.
BEGIN A NEW APPLICATION ACCESS AN EXISTING APPLICATION
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Please note: Beginning with the Fall 2025 Responsive Grant Cycle, Community Memorial Foundation is transitioning to a new grants management system. We are moving from Blackbaud to GivingData to streamline our processes and improve user experience moving forward.
WATCH GIVINGDATA WEBINAR + WALK THROUGH
Grants Manager Danny Sayas will host informal Zoom office hours before each fall deadline. (August 15 for LOIs;
September 15 for Responsive Grant Applications.)
Drop in anytime using this Zoom link.
Office Hours Schedule:
Monday, August 11 | 1:00pm-2:00pm
Thursday, August 14 | 11:00am-1:00pm
Tuesday, September 9 | 11:00am-1:00pm
Friday, September 12 | 1:00-2:00pm