Grant Impact Areas
Cumberland Community Foundation awards grants from our Community Funds, the unrestricted and field-of-interest endowments, through a competitive application process. (See How to Apply.) These endowments provide support for the most promising opportunities and greatest needs in the community at the discretion of the Foundation.
CCF's grantmaking falls into six strategic impact areas:
- Increasing College Access and Affordability – This includes the CCF Scholarship Program awarded in two cycles - the Robert H. Short Scholars Program and the Community Scholarship Program. *Click here to view the scholarship program information.*
- Improving Education Outcomes – This includes improving high school graduation rates, increasing grade level reading by third grade, and growing parental involvement in children’s education.
- Improving Quality of Life for All through support for:
- Excellent and Accessible Arts, Recreation, and Culture
- Healthy and Vital Community
- Opportunities for Youth Development
- Basic Needs for Vulnerable Populations
- Safety and Quality of Life for Senior Citizens
- Protecting Companion Animals
- Environmental Protection and Education
- Growing Sustainable Support for Local Nonprofit Organizations – This includes the 2020 Development Goals, stewardship of nonprofit endowments, training on planned giving and endowment building, one on one donor development, matching grants through the Lilly Endowment Challenge, and Endowment Partner Operating Support Grants. *Click here to learn more about our nonprofit endowment building program.*
- Strengthening Local Nonprofit Organizations – This includes training opportunities for nonprofit staff and volunteers, office space, meeting space, the Mary Lynn McCree Bryan Leadership Award, and Community Grants for capacity building.
- Growing Philanthropy and Local Giving – This includes endowment building for any charitable purpose, matching grants, donor advised fund services, hosting of the Women’s Giving Circle of Cumberland County, professional advisor outreach (CLE training, one-on-one visits, targeted mailings), special project fundraising (Summertime Kids, disaster relief funds), and Giving Tuesday (a community-wide day of giving always the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving).
