How may I seek funding? Applying for funding from the Middletown Community Foundation is easy. Application materials are available anytime on this website by clicking here and may be submitted throughout the year with specific subject areas considered each quarter.  Over the past 32 years, the Middletown Community Foundation has granted tens of millions of dollars in our community – more than $20 million in the past 10 years alone! Literally every resident has been touched by at least one project we have funded.

First, watch the video here.  Even if you are one of our more "seasoned" applicants, there are several common mistakes that are often made on our grant application. Our video tutorial walks you through the application step-by-step to help you avoid those errors.

Then, access the application here. Fill it out, and send it in. (If you'd like to complete it in Word, simply open the PDF document, hit Select, then hit Ctrl A to select all, open a blank page in Word, and hit Paste in Word.) Only one copy is necessary. Your application should always include your organization’s legal name and address, contact person, mission statement, roster of trustees or directors, IRS determination letter, Form 990 (or operating financial statement if not required to file a 990), signed grant agreement, and a narrative containing the project name, amount of funding sought, project budget and project description. Requests for human needs and quality education are due June 1 and December 1. Those for the arts, recreation, community development and festivals are due March 1 and September 1. Applications for capital improvements are also considered in the fall and are due September 1.

IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations may apply  as well as those not-for-profit entities which are not required by law to obtain 501(c)(3) status: governmental agencies, churches and schools. Generally, organizations must be located in Middletown, Franklin, Monroe, Trenton, Lemon Township or Madison Township, although requests from charities outside of this service area may be considered for programs which serve residents of this area.

Our competitive application process does not fund individuals, for-profit companies, operating budgets, national organizations, religious programs, political groups, endowments, medical or research organizations, non-U.S. charities or sponsorships at fund-raising events. Some of these groups may receive grants from donor advised funds at the recommendation of individual donors who advise those separate funds, but no grants are ever distributed to individuals (other than scholarships) or for-profit companies.

We tend to fund collaborative projects, such as those funded  from multiple sources. We want applicants to use our community’s limited philanthropic dollars more efficiently, promoting cooperation among various service providers and eliminating unnecessary duplication of services. Applications should focus on meeting specific community needs rather than supporting the work of a specific organization. They should help create safe, positive living environments for our residents and enable families to develop skills and resources needed to support and nurture each other. We also encourage applicants to seek funding for projects which foster the development of responsible young people in the community.

What happens after my application is submitted? Once you have sent in a grant application, it will be reviewed by staff and assigned to a member of your Community Foundation’s Distribution Committee for investigation. It is likely that the investigator will schedule either a telephone call or in-person visit with you to discuss your proposal further and seek additional information. The application will then be presented to the Distribution Committee, which submits its recommendation to the Board of Trustees. Following the Board’s vote, you will receive written notification of the action taken on your request. Generally, this is mailed to the contact person on your application approximately 60 days after the application deadline, so you should not apply for projects that will begin within 60 days of the application deadline.