If you’re a nonprofit or agency serving Eden Prairie, and interested in applying for a grant from the Eden Prairie Community Foundation, you should know about some upcoming changes in our grant application process.

Applications for 2017 grants from the Foundation are being accepted starting Nov. 1, 2016. That’s a bit earlier than in recent years. The grant application period of Nov. 1 to Dec. 23 is earlier in order to accommodate some video production work focusing on grant winners before the Foundation’s spring gala on April 29.

The video work will not only help us honor grant winners at our EP Gives event in April, but also honor them year-round on our website.

Also new to the process this year is an online Eligibility Quiz that will help you determine whether your organization might qualify for a Foundation grant. The quiz is on this website at http://bit.ly/grantquiz.

And, here’s some additional information about our grants that may be helpful:

• The Foundation has awarded more than $1.6 million in grants since its formation, with 550 grants going to more than 60 non-profits and agencies serving Eden Prairie.
• The primary purpose of a Community Foundation grant is to encourage the development and implementation of non-profit or tax-exempt programs (including city and school district programs) that make Eden Prairie a better place in which to live and work.
• The organization’s grant priority areas are: arts and culture; education; recreation and environment, and social services. The Foundation has also made its Youth Initiative a high priority.
• Eligible organizations interested in applying are also asked to submit a letter of inquiry to Executive Director Mark Weber at [email protected]. Letters of inquiry typically include some basic information, including a description of the project and which priority area the request aligns with.

Grant making is only one of the Foundation’s roles in Eden Prairie, but it’s a big one. Foundation grants have helped accomplish many projects that have a big impact on people who live and work here. For more information about grants and the grant application process, call Grant Distribution Chair Katie Castro at (763) 245-2420 or Mark Weber at (952) 949-8499.