Community Grants Fund a Variety of Programs

Applications to the Community Grants program must address one or more of the following issues:

Arts, Culture, and Historic Preservation
Adult or Non-Traditional Education (not Children's Education)
Community Betterment (improving neighborhoods, youth development and leadership, programs for seniors, transportation, violence prevention, racial equity, etc.)
Health and Human Services
Wildlife Conservation in Missouri – open to agencies statewide

people outside doing yoga — Gilda's Club Kansas City received a grant to support local cancer support groups for patients and caregivers.

Eligibility Criteria

Organizations must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits, units of local government, or public education institutions
Must be located in or serving individuals or communities in Eastern Jackson County (East of I-435), suburban Jackson County (outside KC), and Cass County
Funding requests are for activities that will take place in the next fiscal year. With proposals due in March, it is recommended that your project have a start date of November/December of that year OR begin in January of the following year.
Statewide applicants are accepted when applying for Missouri Wildlife Conservation projects.

3-Year Rule

Beginning in 2024, a 3-year rule was implemented. Programs, projects, and general operating grant awards are eligible for funding for up to three consecutive years. All previous grantees and their programs/services had a "re-set." in 2024. 2024 grantees will be in their FIRST year of funding. Grantees will be eligible for two additional years of funding (a new application is needed each year). Once an agency has received grant monies three years in a row, the agency MUST take one year off before reapplying for a grant.

Apply for Only ONE Grant

Eligible organizations may apply for ONLY ONE grant, either through Community Grants OR the Jelley Family Foundation Grants. This is also a change that begins 2024.

Incomplete Applications will Be Disqualified

The THCF grants process is very competitive and we want to ensure that each proposal receives fair consideration. We ask that organizations double-check all attachments and ensure that the proposal is completed accurately and submitted before the deadline.

In the event that an error is identified, Foundation staff may reach out if time allows to help alert you of errors. However, incomplete applications will ultimately be disqualified from review.

Apply Now Applicant Tutorial (New Dashboard)

Young people teaching toddlers t-ball — Raytown Youth Baseball-Softball Association received funding to provide a viable and affordable opportunity for local children to participate in youth sports programs.

What Is A Typical Community Grant Award Amount?

The average Community Grant award is $5,000-$7,000. The maximum award is $10,000. There will approximately $300,000 available through the Community Grants program. A percentage of these funds will be awarded to “NEW” grantees (agencies who have never received a THCF competitive grant).

Important Dates for Community Grants

Applications are due the fourth Monday of March
Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by early October
Grant checks will be issued in November at our annual Grants Luncheon
All recipient organizations must submit a written final report to THCF at the conclusion of the program funded or twelve months from the date of the award

Grant APPLICATIONS	DATES
Grant Applications Open	First Week of January	Login to Portal
Free Grants Workshop	Thu, Feb 6, 2025	Register Now
DUE: Jelley Family Foundation	Mon, March 10, 2025	Sample Application
DUE: Community Grants	Mon, March 24, 2025	Sample Application

Apply Now Applicant Tutorial (New Dashboard)

Youth Advisory Council students voting with a young man in front raising his hand — Youth Advisory Council students make a real difference in the THCF grants process.

Youth Advisory Council: Grant Evaluations

THCF's Youth Advisory Council (YAC) students participate in our Community Grants program each year. Students review Community Grant proposals that serve the communities where they live and go to school.

YAC members conduct site visits to applicant organizations during June and July. The members then share their findings and provide recommendations to THCF's Grants Committee. YAC also uses these site visits to determine how they will award their annual grant dollars from their Endowment fund.

If your proposal proceeds through the first round of reviews, your agency may be asked if it is willing to host a site visit to discuss your grant proposals with our Youth Advisory Council members. This is entirely optional and will not affect final grant award decisions if you choose to decline.

What Does The Application Include?

GRANTS BUDGET SHEET: Download a Grants Budget Sheet that must be included in your application. This is not needed for General Operation requests.
GRANTS REPORT FORM This form should be used to create an interim or final report. All organizations that have previously received grant funding must submit a final report regarding their most recent completed grant award. This would be any grant awarded prior to the most recent November check distribution.
SAMPLE APPLICATION: This is a sample of information requested on the Community Grants application.
TAX-EXEMPTION LETTER: If you do not already have one, request a copy of your organization's tax-exempt letter from the IRS. Here is a SAMPLE of a correct 501(c)(3) letter.

Download Sample Application

Apply Now Applicant Tutorial (New Dashboard)