Gilchrist Announces the 2021 Grant Cycle Process is Now Open

Each year, the Gilchrist Foundation awards more than a million dollars in grants to deserving nonprofit organizations whose missions align with ours, such as wildlife and conservation, the arts and public broadcasting, and disaster relief. The money awarded helps those organizations improve their facilities, supports programming and also aides in disaster relief. The process to award grants for 2021 is now open. For organizations to receive funds, they must go through two separate steps.

Step 1: Apply for a Request for Invitation

The Gilchrist Foundation does not accept any unsolicited applications for funds. Instead, we give grants to pre-selected charities that have been invited to apply; this is the first step in our grant application process. Any organization looking to apply for our project grants, endowment grants or capital campaigns must apply for an invite. This process helps us ensure our missions align and gives us a brief description of your planned grant request.

The Request for Invitation form is due April 1, 2021. The selection committee will meet in April and notify those who have been selected to apply, by early May. The Request for Invitation form is available for download on our website.

 

Step 2: Apply for Funding

If your Request for Invitation is approved, you may then start the second step of the process, the application process for our grants. All the application forms are available on our website. The forms are due by 5 p.m. on June 25, 2021. If approved, you will be informed by July 16, 2021. 

Project Grant Application: Project grants allow recipients to enhance existing or offer new programs that will further the mission and outreach of the organization. With these grants, we expect that our support will be temporary, and the program will become self-sustaining. It’s not our intention to have our support become a permanent budget line item.

Endowment Grant Application: Endowment grants promote viable endowments with healthy board participation. Our goal is to be a significant contributor, without being the main supporter of the endowment. Challenges which offer our Foundation’s funds as matches to other funds, receive preference. 

Capital Campaign Application: Capital campaign grants make a significant contribution to worthy renovation or expansion projects that will enhance the mission of the recipient charity. As with endowment grants, preference is given to those organizations that will use our funds to stimulate matching funds. 

 

Micro grants are also available. Micro grants offer one-time grants up to $5,000 and the requests can be submitted at any time. Micro grants are either accepted or denied withing 30 days. These grants allow nonprofit organization to receive funding for smaller projects on a one-time basis. Criteria includes that the award will bring theater, music, art, green spaces, parks or wildlife and conservation efforts into the lives of Siouxland residents.

The Gilchrist Foundation was established by Jocelyn Gilchrist of Sioux City to honor her family. Her father, William Gilchrist, was an influential part of the livestock industry in the early and mid-1900s. The wealth accumulated throughout his life is used to support the family’s special interests, including wildlife and conservation, the Arts and public broadcasting, and disaster relief. After Jocelyn’s death, the Foundation continued in her memory and is proud to support the philanthropic interests of the Gilchrist family. We’re proud to support organizations in the Siouxland community whose interests align with ours.