2023 Olney Civic Fund Grant Application
The Olney Civic Fund (OCF) is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization established in June 2013 with a mission to:
Eligibility
Timeline
Decision Making Process
The Gifting Committee of the OCF will review all of the applications and make recommendations to the OCF board. The panel members will review and score applicant proposals on a 50 point scale based on the criteria and priorities established by the Olney Civic Fund.
Grant Awards
OCF has $25,000 to grant. The maximum for each award amount will be $5,000. Amounts will depend on the number of grant requests and needs.
Application
Please fill out the application here.
If you have problems with the form, please be sure to reach out for assistance. If this form becomes too cumbersome, answers may also be provided in a well organized document. However, please make every effort to complete the form.
Non-profit schools filling out the application may place N/A in the appropriate fields when completing the application.
QUESTIONS? Please contact Jodi Finkelstein at jodi.finkelstein@gmail.com.
- Raise public awareness of Olney charitable, educational, civic, and cultural activities
- Raise funds to support Olney charitable projects and civic events through the involvement of volunteers and business sponsors.
Eligibility
- Non-profit organizations that are located in and/or primarily serve the greater Olney area are eligible to apply for funding.
- Organizations must provide a charitable service to the greater Olney area. The beneficiary organization must exist to serve charitable, religious, educational, or scientific purposes. (Please note that a religious organization cannot use grant funding to proselytize.)
- Applicants must have a business plan and organizational structure. The beneficiary organization must maintain governing documents and have a legitimate and identifiable organizational structure and controls.
- The applicants must be self-sustaining and not dependent upon OCF for survival. OCF should never be the sole source of support for a beneficiary organization.
- Organizations must be a 501(c)3s or startup organization. To ensure OCF’s grants are used strictly for qualifying charitable purposes, OCF will strongly favor funding existing 501(c)(3) organizations. In certain cases, a 501(c)(4) organization may have a qualifying project that OCF can fund or a startup organization that has not yet attained 501(c)(3) status may petition for OCF’s support. All organizations that apply must be in good standing with the state of Maryland.
- Non-profit schools are eligible to apply.
- Partnerships and collaborations are welcomed.
Timeline
- Grant applications are due by Friday, December 29, 2023 at 5:00pm. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
- Mailed applications should be sent to: P.O. Box 661 Olney, MD 20830
- Hand delivery/courier/UPS: 3220 St. Florence Terrace Olney, MD 20832
- Grants may also be e-mailed to: jodi.finkelstein@gmail.com
- ELECTRONIC applications are highly encouraged.
- Awards will be announced on or about Monday, March 4, 2024.
Decision Making Process
The Gifting Committee of the OCF will review all of the applications and make recommendations to the OCF board. The panel members will review and score applicant proposals on a 50 point scale based on the criteria and priorities established by the Olney Civic Fund.
Grant Awards
OCF has $25,000 to grant. The maximum for each award amount will be $5,000. Amounts will depend on the number of grant requests and needs.
Application
Please fill out the application here.
If you have problems with the form, please be sure to reach out for assistance. If this form becomes too cumbersome, answers may also be provided in a well organized document. However, please make every effort to complete the form.
Non-profit schools filling out the application may place N/A in the appropriate fields when completing the application.
QUESTIONS? Please contact Jodi Finkelstein at jodi.finkelstein@gmail.com.
Where does the money come from that OCF grants out?
Our District 14 delegation was able to get some state funding for Olney Civic Fund to further its mission in supporting Olney non-profits. Additional amounts depend mostly on the weather. Our model for Olney Days depends squarely on the sponsorship of local businesses and citizens. Our sponsors underwrite most of the $55,000 cost of Party in the Park, plus costs for the other events. Last year (2023), the weather for Party in the Park was amazing, we had record breaking attendance, record breaking sales of beer and wine, record breaking income from parking and games. But, on a rainy day, we’d be lucky to break even. That’s why our sponsors are so critical. Our sponsors sustain the event allowing Olney Civic Fund to raise money for the community.