Adams County Grants

Letters of Intent (LOI)
Adams County Grants are awarded twice each year. Nonprofits may submit up to two letters of intent per grant round. Your LOI must be received on or before the last business day before January 13 for grants awarded in April, or by July 6 for grants awarded in October.

Objective
The Adams County Community Foundation focuses its Adams County Grants program to encourage bigger thinking around strengthening vulnerable people on a systemic level through three primary focus areas. Special consideration is given to those nonprofits addressing issues related to the Adams County Affordable Housing Initiative now known as @ Home in Adams County.

Eligibility
Nonprofits with tax-exempt status under IRS Section 501(c)(3) serving Adams County residents, whose nondiscrimination policies are consistent with the Adams County Community Foundation Nondiscrimination Policy on Employment and Grantmaking.

Focus Areas:
1. Capacity Building Grants
 intended to help nonprofits become more effective at addressing the needs of vulnerable residents. (Up to $25,000)
2. Program Grants to help nonprofits make a meaningful and sustained difference in people’s lives, by helping low-income residents move toward self-sufficiency. (Up to $25,000)
3. Collaboration Grants to support significant collaborative projects that advance affordable housing, transportation and economic development. (Up to $30,000)

Adams County Grants Will Not Fund:

  • Organizations that are not tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) Public Charity of the Internal Revenue Code
  • Organizations based outside Adams County, unless it can be clearly demonstrated that Adams County residents will benefit from the grant requested
  • Grants to individuals
  • Private foundations
  • Projects aimed at promoting a particular religion or construction project for religious institutions
  • Programs at private schools that benefit only their students
  • Political campaigns or direct lobbying efforts
  • Debt retirement or funding for projects already completed
  • Fundraising events and galas
  • Core curriculum for schools
  • Travel for bands, sports teams, classes and similar groups

How to Apply

  • Review the criteria.
  • Before writing your letter of intent, schedule a time to discuss your request with us by calling 717-337-0060.
  • After that conversation, prepare a letter of intent of no more than two pages (12 pt. type with normal margins) that includes your federal tax identification number, focus area, the amount you intend to request (rounded to the nearest $1,000), the purpose of the request, an overview of your intended activities, and basic background on your organization. If you intend to collaborate with other entities, please list each organization and the expertise and resources they will contribute. Please let us know what other financial support you are seeking for this proposal and how the project will be sustained.
  • Submit your letter of intent by email as an attached Word document to lisa@adamscountycf.org.
  • If there is alignment between your intent and our objectives, you will be invited to submit a full proposal to the Distribution Committee.

Final Report Forms for grants already awarded can be found here:

Recent Adams County Grants:

Adams County Grants are made possible through the generosity of the following Funds for Adams County:

  • Fred & Rita Diehl Fund for Adams County
  • Eric & Suzanne Flynn Fund for Adams County
  • Ben Franklin Fund for Adams County
  • Thomas P. & Roberta C. Henninger Fund for Adams County
  • Donald H. & Mildred C. Hershey Fund for Adams County
  • M.C. Jones Fund for Adams County
  • Sharon Trew Cline Magraw Fund for Adams County
  • Thomas E. & Florence B. Metz Fund for Adams County
  • Jack and Bobbie Phillips Fund for Adams County
  • John S. & Kimberly L. Phillips Fund for Adams County
  • Charles Ritter Family Fund for Adams County
  • James D. & Eleanor B. Sheen Fund for Adams County
  • George & Roberta Wood Fund for Adams County