General Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility – Salem County Providers
- Organizations classified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and as public charities, under Section 509(a) of that code. Individuals and for-profit organizations are not eligible for funding.
- Churches and religious organizations may be eligible to receive funding for activities that are non-sectarian and benefit the larger community.
- Government agencies and public schools are eligible for funding but not for programs where public funding has been eliminated.
- Organizations must be in existence for a minimum of 3 years. Financial reports should show breakeven or surplus budgets in the last 2 out of 3 years.
We do not fund:
- Institutions that discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, creed, gender, or sexual orientation in policy or practice.
- Sectarian religious activities, political lobbying or legislative activities.
- Direct replacement of government support.
Eligibility – Providers Outside Salem County
In addition to the requirements listed above, applicants outside of Salem County must:
- Have a presence established in the County; or
- Have experience working with residents of the County; or
- Have experience partnering with nonprofit organizations in the County.
The Foundation will not fund:
- Capital expenditures, such as land, buildings, or equipment, or any building, renovation, or remodeling of facilities. Examples include machinery, capital equipment, medical equipment, vehicles, licenses, etc.
- Deficit reduction/ bad debts, contingencies, fines/penalties, interest payments, litigation costs, or any other comparable financial costs;
- Contributions to cash reserves and/or endowment funds;
- Lobbying or attempting to influence federal, state, or local legislation;
- Fundraising events, activities, and related expenses (e.g., benefits, dinners, etc.);
- Awards, prizes, or scholarships for use outside the applicant’s programming;
- Tuition for academic study;
- Projects benefiting for-profit organizations;
- Private events closed to the general public and activities restricted to an organization’s membership;
- Projects of a religious nature designed to promote or inhibit religious belief and/or practice and that have no basic underlying secular theme or topics.