The Galesburg Community Foundation’s next competitive grant cycle is set to get underway on Aug. 1.
Local non-profits and organizations, including churches, schools, and government agencies are eligible to apply for this cycle before the Aug. 31 deadline, with recipients to be announced in November.
In last year’s cycle GCF awarded $250,000 amongst 45 different organizations.
This comes just weeks after the foundation accomplished what Executive Director Josh Gibb calls the “highlight” of GCF’s work. 20 local non-profits raised a minimum of $10,000 to be matched by the foundation to set up an endowment. The organizations that include Choral Dynamics, United Way of Knox County, and the Knox Prairie Community Kitchen in total raised $318,000.
Gibb tells Galesburg’s Evening News on WGIL that organizations fundraising success ultimately boils down to the belief donors have in that particular cause.
“I would say their success is really attributable to the fact that that their donors wanted to give in such a way,” Gibb says. “And their donors believe in the mission, the purpose and work that these organizations are providing for our community.”
Now that organizations have a nest egg, every year the GCF will figure out how much is available for distribution and then the organizations will be able to choose if they want a lump sum, quarterly payments or for the amount to put back into the endowment.
Gibb ensures that non-profits that have established endowments are still eligible to apply for future grant cycles.
