Form

2024-2025 Community Grants Application

Community Grants Program

Through the Community Grants program, the Junior League of Northern Virginia (JLNV) awards grants of funds and volunteer hours to support Northern Virginia community programs in the City of Alexandria, and Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties.

Eligible nonprofit organizations must operate within these local areas and directly impact the service area for which they are requesting funding. Eligible organizations must hold a current tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and be recognized as a public charity.

For the 2024-2025 League year, the JLNV will partner with community programs and projects selected in accordance with the terms identified in this document. In addition to a potential grant award of up to $4,000, each community grantee will receive a predetermined number of volunteer hours (up to 100 volunteer hours maximum) to support selected projects. League volunteers are not intended to fill existing organizational/agency staffing needs, or to participate in any fundraising activities. Volunteer activities must be to support women and families only unless otherwise approved by the JLNV. Each community partnership term is from June 2024 – May 2025. The League may choose to support a Community Grant Partner for multiple years; however, the organization must reapply each year.

Organizations selected as Community Grant Partners will sign a contract with the Junior League of Northern Virginia. This contract requires the organization to indemnify, release, and hold harmless JLNV volunteers and the League, and to add the League and its volunteers to any insurance coverage. It also requires full disclosure and accountability on the use of JLNV funds.

In addition, organizations receiving League funds agree to:

(1) document expenses for grant funding as well as hours of JLNV volunteer time utilized in support of the objectives and goals of the Community Grant program.

(2) include the summary metrics above as part of a broader bi-annual progress report submitted to JLNV twice (November and April) during the program year. Include in the bi-annual report all public relations efforts and media/social media exposure that helped raise awareness about the Grant program and the JLNV/Grantee partnership.

(3) create and monitor the program’s evaluation of outcomes as defined by the Grant Partner and agreed to by JLNV as represented in the grant proposal. Specific emphasis will be placed on proposals that demonstrate measurable outcomes.

Terms of Partnership

Proposed community projects should address a community need that is directly related to the JLNV’s focus area of enhancing access to essential services and professional development opportunities for women and families.

The mission of the community agency and/or of the agency’s proposed project must comply with the focus areas of the JLNV.

Mission Statement: The Junior League of Northern Virginia is an organization of women whose mission is to advance women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

Focus Area: The Junior League of Northern Virginia is committed to enhancing access to essential services and professional development opportunities for women and families.

In addition, Grant Partners must agree to the following JLNV Community Grant policies:

JLNV volunteers must be utilized in quality positions that will allow members to volunteer in two-hour time blocks. Volunteer time commitment includes time for training, direct service, and evaluation.

JLNV volunteers may not be asked to drive clients during project-related activities, solicit funds or services as representatives of the League for other non-profit agencies, or plan/participate in another organization’s fundraiser.

JLNV funds may not be used as an individual’s sole project and/or for religious projects, government entities, newsletters, monthly publications, media items, fundraising or capital campaigns, and political activities.

Grant request amount should not exceed 30% of the applicant's total operating budget for the most recent fiscal year.

Overhead/indirect costs (non-program-related expenses) may not exceed 15% of the total program budget. In addition, JLNV will not fund the following budget line items:
- travel expenses
- salaries and wages
- insurance
- office rent or office equipment usage
- tuition and scholarships
Organizations that have already received a JLNV grant but have not completed documentation of expenses for grant funding/volunteer time in the form of two bi-annual reports and an outcomes report are not eligible to apply or receive a new grant.

JLNV welcomes collaboration between and among organizations; however, only one organization can submit the application for the grant.

Proposal Submission Key Dates

October 2, 2023	Application Opens
October 27 2023	Virtual Information Session
December 1, 2023	Application Deadline
March 27, 2024	Notification of Grant Awards
April 15, 2024	Grant Contracts Signed
May 15, 2024	Disbursement of Awards
June 1, 2024	Projects Begin

Statement of Non-Commitment

Issuance of this Grant Application does not commit JLNV to award a grant or to pay any costs incurred in preparation of the proposals to respond to this Grant Application. Those responding to this application must follow its procedures and requirements. Failure to comply with or complete any part of this Grant Application may result in rejection of the application. JLNV reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, or to negotiate separately with competing applicants for funds described in this Grant

Application. JLNV reserves the right to modify this Grant Application, submission deadlines and notification dates without prior notice. The JLNV reserves the right to terminate its contractual relationship with any Community Grants Partner at any time with 30-days’ written notice.

All grant applications are subject to review of the organization’s reputation and activities and its agreement to comply with applicable terms and conditions. Funding exclusions include organizations that deny service, membership, or other involvement based on race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, veteran, or disability status.

Eligibility Checklist and Guidelines

Proposals must be completed in full to be considered.
There is no guarantee of funding.
Guidelines, submission deadlines and notification dates may be adjusted without prior notice.
Organizations will be notified of any decision via e-mail. All funding decisions are final.
If an organization is approved, grant checks will be mailed directly to the recipient's address listed in this application. Please allow two to four weeks for delivery.
In the event of being awarded a grant, organizations may choose to contact JLNV to schedule a formal recognition event.

Please be sure to complete all fields of the cover page, application form, and include the required appendices. Failure to complete any part of this grant application package may result in dismissal of the application. Grant applications for the 2024-2025 League year must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday, December 1, 2023. The application narrative, signed cover page, and all required attachments must be submitted in PDF format.

Organization name as shown on the 501(c)(3) determination letter:

Organization Federal Tax ID Number as shown on the 501(c)(3) letter:

Organization mailing address:

Program name:

Program address (if different from mailing address):

Website address:

Name and title of person submitting the application

Phone number

Email address

Amount of grant funding requested (not to exceed $4,000):

SIGNATURE OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OR CHAIR OF THE BOARD: The signature is mandatory. Applications without the proper signature will not be accepted.

Date

Title

Organization Information

Briefly describe your organization’s mission, key programs, and achievements:

Briefly describe the specific nature of your request. How will you employ the funding requested? Please be as specific as possible.

Please attach a line-item budget and provide a detailed budget narrative for the funds being requested. (Please note that all funding and planned expenditures must be identified and spent within 90 days of the contract award date).

What need will the funding fulfill for the communities/individuals your organization serves?

Please select the following ways your program supports women and families. Choose all that apply.

Professional Development

Essential Services

Other

Please explain how this request addresses the concern(s) identified above:

How do you envision using the JLNV volunteer base to help support your grant program and further its impact on the communities that your organization serves? Please provide a few examples.

Describe what metrics you will be using to evaluate program progress mid-year (November), and program results near the end of the Grant year (April). Specific emphasis will be placed on proposals that demonstrate measurable outcomes.

The JLNV is committed to being a diverse and inclusive organization with a membership that reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve. Our diversity enables us to more effectively address Northern Virginia’s unique challenges related to homelessness, health, and educational disparities spread across a large geographical area and partner with like-minded organizations that share our values. If awarded a grant from the JLNV, how will your organization demonstrate and ensure its own commitment to diversity and inclusion?

If awarded a grant from the JLNV, a marketing packet will be provided with information on ways to recognize our partnership. How do you intend to recognize the contribution to your program(s)? e.g., on your website, social media platforms, etc. Please provide a few examples. the contribution to your program(s)? e.g., on your website, social media platforms, etc. Please provide a few examples.

The JLNV is creating short videos that detail the impact our organization has on the programs we fund. Would your organization be willing and able to provide content for these videos before the end of the grant year (May 2024)? If not, please let us know why.

Please check each item on the list below to indicate that you have included the following attachments with your application. Please provide all items in one PDF in the order listed below. Your application is not deemed complete until all attachments (in PDF format) are received.

A. Grant Application signed cover page.

B. Internal Revenue Service 501(c)(3) determination letter.

C. List of board of directors, including their affiliations.

D. Current annual budget.

E. Audited financial statement and the Management Letter. If audited financial statements are not available, please state why and include the most recently filed 990.

Please upload a PDF with the attachments listed in the check list above.

If any of the information on the checklist is not applicable to your organization, please explain.

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