Grant Policies & Eligibility

Please also see our FAQs page

A. Geographic Limitations:
Baycross Foundation welcomes grant requests from otherwise eligible tax-exempt organizations under Internal Revenue Code Sections 501(c)(3) and Section 509(a) headquartered within Southwest Florida. Other grant requests should have special interest or support from one or more of our Directors.

B. Our Goals:
To support:

  • Programs which provide Human Services required by the elderly, poor, physically or mentally challenged.
  • Programs which empower the homeless and disadvantaged members of society to be self-reliant, self-maintaining citizens.
  • Faith-based outreach programs which provide spiritual nourishment to those who need it most.
  • Faith-based programs that strengthen marriages and families in our community.

The Foundation’s Board of Directors evaluates all applications. We invite you to submit an application if your non-profit organization meets one or more of the objectives of the Baycross Foundation.

C. Grant Awards:
1. Over 50% of our grants are on a challenge or match basis, either “pay-as-matched” or “all-or-nothing.”
2. Typically, grants range from $2,500 to $25,000. Many of our larger grants are on a challenge match basis.

D. General Requirements for Application
1. Applications from smaller organizations or programs whose needs may be more acute and whose total annual budgets are less than $1,000,000.
2. Programs to provide needed facilities or services for which public funds (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO MEDICAID AND MEDICARE) are not available or not sufficient and for which the Foundation’s contribution would have significant impact.
3. Applicants must be a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization as determined by the IRS.
4. Applicants will be asked to submit a written grant request with any documentation to Baycross Foundation. The request for invitation may be made to Shahla@Baycross.org. If the invitation is extended, applicants must submit a Baycross Foundation Written Grant Request with all required documentation per the Outline of Baycross Foundation Written Grant Request Requirements.

E. Grant Policy Limitations:
In addition to the Southwest Florida geographic limitation, the Baycross Foundation will ordinarily deny grant requests:

1. From chiefly tax-supported institutions, or their ‘support’ foundations (more than 50% government funding of the operations or project indicates ‘chiefly tax-supported’) or to continue dropped or discontinued government funded programs or projects until at least one (1) year or more of 51% private funding has been completed successfully;
2. To pay off deficits or pre-existing debt;
3. For endowment funds or other purely revenue generating funds
4. Advocacy organizations or advocacy component funding;

F. Reapplications:
In case a grant request is denied, reapplication on the same grant request ordinarily will not be considered. However, unless the organization is not eligible for tax or policy reasons, denial of a grant request is without prejudice to your submitting other requests on different projects or on other subjects.

G. Submission of Requests:
The Foundation will accept grant requests from January through April. All request materials received become property of the Foundation and will not be returned to sender.