Scope and Types of Grants
Geographic Limits:
501(C)3 organizations who provide services or programs in Monterey County, California are eligible to submit grant proposals to the Foundation. The Harden Foundation does not make grants to organizations headquartered outside of Monterey County unless they demonstrate service to the area. The Foundation will consider grants in the following seven focus areas: Children, Youth, & Families, Senior Citizens, General, Health, Agricultural Education, Animal Welfare and Environment, and Arts & Culture.
Type of Grants
The Foundation provides both general support and project support to a broad range of nonprofits working in the Foundation’s focus areas. The Foundation will consider proposals for one-time capital grants, special projects, and operating support. Requests for ongoing operating support are discouraged. In general, operating grants for start-up programs will be made for a maximum of two (2) years. Thereafter, operating grants will be made at the Board's discretion and, if granted, will be on a matching basis. Operating grants will not be made in amounts exceeding one-third of the operating budget of the organization except for start-up funds. Typically, grants range from $5,000 to $100,000, and higher for major or capital projects.
The Foundation will consider one grant request per organization in a calendar year. Multi-year grants will be considered only in exceptional cases. Grant requests should not exceed $100,000.
Deadlines for submitting grant applications are MARCH 1 and SEPTEMBER 1 of each year. Grants will be reviewed and funded semi-annually, in January (for previous year September 1 deadline) and in July for March 1 deadline.
Exceptions:
The Foundation does NOT fund:
• Organizations that do not have a current 501©3 status
• Organizations that support sectarian religious programs
• Creation or addition to endowments
• Annual events, conferences, or fundraising events
• Academic or medical research or scholarships to individuals
• Foundations or associations established for the benefit of an organization which receives substantial tax support
• Individuals
• Political parties, candidates or partisan political organizations or activities
• Organizations whose activities are located outside of Monterey County
• The Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals from public or private institutions of primary, secondary or higher education. However, grant proposals from public institutions will be considered for special projects, which are agriculture related.
