Kathleen & Joseph Bryan Community Enrichment and Venture Grant (CEVG)

Joseph B. Bryan Foundation Grant Program for Human Services

Guidelines for Submitting Letter of Interest (LOI)

About the Grants

CEVG

The Community Enrichment and Venture Grant program began in 1967 to promote the improvement of human services through innovative programs. The name was changed to the Kathleen and Joseph M. Bryan Community Enrichment and Venture Grant Program due to the Bryans' generous support through the years.

These grants – maximum of $15,000 - are awarded for seed money which provides short term support for start up, development and stabilization of new and innovative programs; and system building grants that strengthen the capacity of existing agencies to impact on the human service delivery system. These grants may also be used to redirect agencies to more effectively address areas of need. 

Joseph M. Bryan Human Services Grant

The Joseph M. Bryan Human Services Grants are awarded to human service programs in the form of stabilization grants. These funds can be extended to a program that has been operating and demonstrating success in the community for a limited number of years and is in need of strengthening the service offered.

The Joseph M. Bryan Foundation established the grant program in 1996 to recognize Bryan's lifelong commitment to the welfare of the Greensboro community. The purpose of the program is to provide significant funding – maximum of $25,000 - for a limited number of high-impact projects that meet the needs of Greater Greensboro citizens.  

Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible to apply for funding, your tax-exempt organization must:

1. Serve the residents of the Greater Greensboro area, which includes all of Guilford County, excluding High Point and Jamestown,
2. Possess a current certified financial audit (within the last six months)
3. And, be one of the following:

• Not-for-profit organization with 501(c)(3)
• Government agency
• School or academic institution
• Collaborative or consortia

A program is eligible to receive grants for a maximum of three consecutive years, although agencies must submit a funding request each year.   Grants are not committed for more than one year.

Funding Restrictions

• United Way of Greater Greensboro does not provide Community Enrichment & Venture Grant and Joseph M. Bryan Foundation Grant Program for Human Services support to building funds, endowments, individuals, political or partisan projects, or for projects which involve religious instruction as an integral part of the project. 
• Funding is available only for projects and services in the Greater Greensboro area, which includes all of Guilford County with the exception of Jamestown and High Point.
• In addition, the Community Enrichment & Venture Grant does not provide support to an organization’s ongoing operating budget.

Funding Priorities

Organizations applying for one of these grants must address at least ONE of the following community objectives:

Growing Successful Kids

1. Reduce the number of children in our community who are neglected or abused.
2. Reduce the number of families unable to obtain affordable, quality childcare.
3. Increase the number of children who meet age-appropriate developmental milestones for entry into kindergarten/first grade.
4. Increase the likelihood of success in school for disadvantaged students through social and academic enrichment.

Helping People Help Themselves

1. Provide immediate relief and transitional aid that allows individuals in need to resume or improve self-sufficiency
2. Increase the capacity of individuals and families to deal with difficult life situations. 
3. Increase the ability of people to maximize their potential.
4. Reduce barriers to the use of community services. 

Caring For Everyone’s Health

1. Increase access to preventive, educational and other health services by underserved ethnic and cultural minorities.
2. Increase access to health care, support, and prevention education services for individuals with, or at risk of, specialized health needs.
3. Reduce the number of people in our community with behavioral health or substance abuse problems that are destructive to individuals, families and communities.

2009 Funding Cycle

Announce the acceptance of Letters of Interest (LOI)......................... April 11, 2008

Letters of Interest are due....................................................... June 13, 2008, by Noon

Invitations are made to agencies to make formal application............. July 11, 2008

Program Applications are due............................................. August 29, 2008 by Noon

Notification of funding awards........................................................... November, 2008

Grant funding begins............................................................................... January, 2009

Steps for Applying for CEVG or Joseph M. Bryan Human Services Grant

STEP ONE:   Submit a Letter of Interest

Those interested in applying for first year funding from a Bryan Human Service Grant or CEVG must submit fifteen printed copies of a typed Letter of Interest AND one electronic copy saved as a word document in the following format: 

Grant-Year APP. abbreviated agency name.program name

(Example:  Bryan-2009 APP.ABC.helpingpeople)

Mail to:

Bryan/CEVG LOI

1500 Yanceyville St.

PO Box 14998
Greensboro, NC  27415-4998

Email to:

communityinvestment@unitedwaygso.org

Due Date:

Friday, June 13, 2008 by noon.   Late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted.

*** If an organization is reapplying for second or third year funding for the same project from the same grant program, the organization must submit a Statement of Intent to reapply along with the program budget.  The number of years that program has received CEVG or Bryan funding and the amount requested must be included. ***

The Letter of Interest should include the following:

1. Cover Sheet (typed on company letterhead and signed by a management official and an officer of the Board of Directors)

• Organizational Information: address, telephone number, fax, email address, website (if applicable)
• Primary Contact Information: name, title, address, telephone number, fax, email address
• Indicate which grant the Letter of Interest is directed towards (CEVG or Joseph M. Bryan Grant for Human Services).

1. Organization Description

• Organization History
• Organization Relevance: How the problem relates to the work of the organization
• Organization Qualifications: Why the organization is qualified to take on the problem (include list of staff and their credentials)

1. Projected total program cost and funding request
2. Problem statement

• Problem Summary: A description of the problem or issue that the organization proposes to address
• Geographic Relevance: How the problem directly impacts the project’s target geographic community (provide relevant statistics)
• Objective Addressed: How the project addresses an objective outlined in the funding priorities stated in these guidelines.

1. Project Summary

• Project Description: A brief description of the proposed project (include program activities)
• If Joseph M. Bryan Human Services Grant: Indicate how the grant will help to stabilize and strengthen the program.
• If CEVG: Indicate how the grant will assist in the start up, development and stabilization of the new and innovative program as well as strengthening the existing agency.
• Target Population: Define the population that will be served, how many will be served, demographic makeup of participants
• Project Impact: Describe the outcomes (benefits) to be gained from the success of the project
• Project Outcomes: Describe how the outcomes will be measured
• Sustainability: How does the organization propose to fund this project in the future
• Project Collaborations: List the organizations that you will be collaborating with on this project

The Letter of Interest should be formatted as follows:

• The body of the letter (items 2-5) should be no more than 2 pages, single-spaced (excluding the cover sheet)
• 8 ½ x 11 inch paper, 12 point Times New Roman font, 1 inch margins
• Organization and project name in the header of each page
• Page numbers in the footer of each page

STEP TWO:   Invitation to Submit an Application

Letters of Interest will be reviewed by volunteers on the Bryan and CEVG committees. Organizations and programs that meet the eligibility requirements and funding priorities of the Foundation will be contacted by the Foundation and invited to submit a full application for support. Other inquiries may be declined, deferred to a future funding cycle, or referred to other potential United Way of Greater Greensboro funding sources.

Applications in response to invitations by the Foundation are due in our office no later than the established cycle deadline. Late submissions will not be accepted. Incomplete applications will be returned.

STEP THREE:   Application Evaluation and Approval

Applications are reviewed by Foundation staff, United Way of Greater Greensboro staff, and volunteers. Decisions of approval are communicated to the applicant on or before the award date specified in the grant cycle.