Grants
Grant resources and templates.
Budget Template
We provide a budget template for your convenience and to help ensure we receive the necessary information, but its use is optional. Click this link to download the template—the download will begin automatically.
You are welcome to upload a budget in a different format. If you choose to do so, please include both expenses and projected income. Also, note that if you receive a grant, your final report will need to include a comparison of your proposed budget versus actual expenditures. We recommend structuring your budget in a way that aligns with your internal accounting systems to ensure consistency when reporting on expenditures.
Measurable Goals:
In 2024, Spur hosted a webinar with Courtney Noble. Courtney is a consultant, grant writer, and a former Impact Manager for the United Way. She provides tips on how to develop measurable goals. To watch the recording, click here.
Quantitative vs Qualitative
Combining quantitative and qualitative outcomes gives a fuller picture of your impact.
Quantitative outcomes are numerical and can be counted or measured. They answer "how many," "how much," or "to what extent."
Qualitative outcomes are descriptive and focus on experiences, perceptions, or changes in understanding, behavior, or condition. They answer "how" or "why."
Examples of Quantitative Measurable Outcomes:
85% of students improved their reading level by at least one grade
120 tutoring sessions delivered
2,500 meals distributed over 6 months
90% of recipients report reduced food insecurity (via survey scores)
Examples of Qualitative Measurable Outcomes:
One student shared with a mentor, “Before this program, I could maybe finish one book a month, but now I’m reading four books every month. I didn’t think I could ever enjoy reading this much.”
After moving into stable housing, a single mother of two began to show signs of emotional and financial stability. She no longer had to move frequently or stay in temporary shelters, which allowed her children to attend the same school consistently. With a safe and affordable place to live, she enrolled in night classes and started planning to pursue a career in healthcare.
FAQs for grant seekers
-
Yes, you can apply for a grant even if you have an active one. However, we ask that you provide a compelling reason for applying again, such as an unexpected opportunity or an emerging funding need. Please be aware that your application might be less competitive compared to those from organizations without an active grant.
-
Possibly. If you have an urgent request, please reach out to a Spur staff member to discuss options.
-
Spur does not fund:
Individuals
Event or sports team sponsorships
Religious organizations for religious purposes
Political organizations or political campaigns
Graduate and post-graduate research
Organizations that discriminate based on race, color, creed, age, sex, sexual orientation or national origin.
Spur rarely funds:
Organizations that are not required to file a 990 or 990EZ.
-
Due to Spur’s limited discretionary funds and a desire to see resources put to immediate use, we generally only support capital campaigns in the final stage, once significant commitments have been secured. If you have a capital campaign request in mind, we ask that you reach out to a staff member before applying.
-
The maximum request considered for a Community Grant is $10,000 and for an Impact grant it is $50,000. You should determine the amount you request based on the need and other funding sources available. If we are not that familiar with your organization or your organization has never received a grant from Spur, we recommend applying for a Community Grant before applying for an Impact Grant.
-
Yes. We encourage you to reach out to Spur staff to discuss your proposal before applying. Please email npservices@spurfoundation.org.
-
You do not need to complete an assessment to apply for a grant. However, the relationships we build with an organization’s leadership and the knowledge we gain about an organization through the assessment process, help us better determine if the request is aligned with the organization's priorities and capacity. We highly recommend completing an assessment before applying for an Impact Grant.
More than 50% of nonprofits in the Wood River Valley have participated to date and found the experience enlightening and valuable to their strategic development. What we learn not only informs our grantmaking but enables us to properly introduce your work to potential donors, identify opportunities for collaboration, and gain a landscape perspective of issues facing the nonprofit sector that may need special support.
-
No. Grants from donor-advised funds are made to nonprofit organizations based on the donor’s wishes and areas of interest. However, if Spur staff are aware of a need or project that aligns with a donor’s interest, we may share funding opportunities with Donor Advised Fund holders. As circumstances warrant, Spur will pass along ideas even if Spur has not awarded a grant to your organization. The best way to inform Spur staff of your needs is to complete an assessment, apply for grants, and stay in touch.
FAQs for grantees
-
Please acknowledge the Spur Community Foundation’s grant with our name and logo where appropriate including: websites, signage, social media, press releases, and publications. Click here to read our recognition guidelines and download our logo.
-
Reports due dates will be listed on your grant award letter. Please make note of the due dates in your calendar or database. The primary contact for the grant will also receive a reminder notification from Spur’s grant management platform, GLM, approximately two weeks prior to the due date. (If your primary contact has changed, please let us know.) You may also find report dates by logging into your GLM account and clicking on the Active Requests tab. Log into your GLM account HERE
-
Please reach out to a Spur staff member to discuss the challenge and any resulting changes to your project as soon as possible.
-
Please reach out to Spur so we can set up a new user to link to the grant and deactivate the previous one.
-
We welcome your feedback as we continually strive to make the online grant application and reporting process as efficient as possible. To share comments, please email npservices@spurfoundation.org.