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 To
have the best chance for approval of an OCF grant, proposals should
be clearly written and present a strong case for support. Projects
that have many of the following characteristics will be more competitive
than those that do not.
- Involvement of a broad cross-section of community
members in planning, implementing, and supporting the project,
including financial support from donors in the community that
the organization serves
- Projected results showing tangible benefits
and solutions to community problems
- A project budget and grant request commensurate
in size with the proposed impact of the project
- An impact on the organization's capacity to
meet future needs
- A carefully planned timetable, ideally beginning
at least four months after the Community Grants application deadline
- Origination in the private, nonprofit sector
rather than in government or primarily government-supported organizations
- Direct relationships between proposed capital
efforts and the applicant organization's capacity to carry out
its mission
- Linking of several organizations in creative
partnerships
- Development of new sources of support from private
funding sources and volunteers
- Use of best practices as established by research
in Oregon or elsewhere
- Programs or services that are unique in a community
Applications for support of capacity-building projects
such as board training, enhanced development programs or management
systems (including upgraded technology), marketing, and related
work should be placed in the context of an organization’s
board-adopted strategic plan.
In the case of larger requests and complex or multi-year
projects, OCF may give special attention to the applicant organization’s
history, including:
- leadership in its field
- stability in its staff and board
- uniqueness of its programs in Oregon
- breadth and depth of its private fundraising
- competency in financial management
- collaboration with other organizations
- projects previously supported by OCF
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