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Community Foundation Grant Kit

Apply to your local community foundation with an application that shows local need, local partners and local results, backed by a budget and outcomes that match.

8 files · Word and Excel · $39

$39

Secure payment with Stripe. Instant download. Your link works 5 times over 30 days.

What's inside

Word files

  • US_CommunityFoundation_User_Guide.docx

    Your step-by-step guide to this kit, with official sources and the final checklist.

  • US_CommunityFoundation_Boilerplate_Library_TEMPLATE.docx

    Your organization's facts and standard wording, in three lengths, with sources.

  • US_CommunityFoundation_Application_TEMPLATE.docx

    A short pre-application or letter of intent, a full application built around the questions community foundations commonly ask, a budget summary, a one-page summary for fund advisors and an attachments checklist.

  • US_CommunityFoundation_Final_Report_TEMPLATE.docx

    Final report structure that compares what you promised with what you delivered, including the financial summary.

  • US_CommunityFoundation_AI_Prompts_TEMPLATE.docx

    Copy-ready prompts that make any AI tool work from your own facts, with ground rules.

Excel files

  • US_CommunityFoundation_Budget_TRACKER.xlsx

    Budget workbook with formulas: budget lines, totals, checks, a draft justification for every line, and budget vs actual.

  • US_CommunityFoundation_Logic_Model_TRACKER.xlsx

    Logic model, indicators, evaluation plan and reporting log, with example indicators.

  • US_CommunityFoundation_Grant_Calendar_TRACKER.xlsx

    Funder research, application pipeline, deadlines with alerts, reports due and a dashboard.

Who it's for

  • US nonprofits applying to a community foundation's open grant round
  • Groups new to grant writing that start with local funders
  • Organizations working with a fiscal sponsor on a local project

How the documents work together

  1. The Boilerplate Library holds your facts, local data and partners.
  2. The logic model and budget workbooks give your outcomes and costs.
  3. The Application template covers the short pre-application and the full application; the calendar tracks rounds and reports.

Is this the right kit?

Applying to a private foundation outside your area? See the Private Foundation Grant Kit.

General information

Templates and general information only, not legal, tax or fundraising advice. No template can guarantee funding: each funder decides on its own priorities and budget. Always follow each funder's own guidelines.

What's not included

  • Writing, reviewing or submitting your application for you
  • Legal, tax or accounting advice for your situation
  • A list of funders or a database subscription
  • Any promise of funding

Format & delivery

Instant download after payment: one ZIP with editable Word (.docx) and Excel (.xlsx) files, personalized with your order details. Made for Microsoft Word and Excel; the files also open in Google Docs, Google Sheets, LibreOffice and Apple Pages or Numbers, where some formatting, drop-downs or checkboxes may behave differently. Your download link works 5 times over 30 days.

Questions about this kit

How is a community foundation different from a private foundation?

A community foundation is a public charity that manages many funds for a local area, including donor-advised funds, and often runs open grant rounds. The guide explains how that changes the way you apply.

How do I find my community foundation?

The guide points to the Council on Foundations community foundation locator and shows what to read on the foundation's own site.

Can donor-advised fund holders fund us directly?

Grants from donor-advised funds are recommended by the donor and made by the community foundation. The guide explains how to approach them appropriately.

Helpful guides

Bundles that include this kit

Bundle of 6 kits

US Foundation Bundle

Everything a small US nonprofit needs to approach private foundations, community foundations and companies, and to report afterwards.

Kits bought separately: $189. You save $100 (53%).

$89View bundle
Bundle of 16 kits

US Complete Bundle

Every US kit: the six Essentials, the four US funder kits (private foundations, community foundations, companies, government) and the six sector kits.

Kits bought separately: $544. You save $395 (73%).

$149View bundle
Bundle of 20 kits

All-Access Bundle

All 20 kits: Essentials, US funders, UK, Canada and the six sectors. For organizations working across borders and for teams that want every tool.

Kits bought separately: $700. You save $521 (74%).

$179View bundle

The Funder File is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to any funder or government agency named on this site. All trademarks belong to their owners.

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