The Wayne County Community Foundation is a nonprofit foundation whose primary goal is to build a charitable reserve of funds for the current and future needs of Wayne County. The Foundation uses grant resources to support a wide variety of community organizations, empowering them to thrive, grow, and become self-sustaining.

The Foundation awards grants quarterly to nonprofit agencies located in Wayne County, Pennsylvania that sustain and advance access to causes such as (but not limited to) the arts, literacy, culture, community development, education, the environment and health and human services.

The Wayne County Community Foundation funds both programs and projects. 

Programs

We define a program as an effort intended to improve the understanding of a topic(s) or issue(s) of importance to the health, happiness, and/or well-being of our community, or an ongoing, interactive effort to address a target community's need(s) by providing individuals with access to services that will improve their health, happiness, and well-being.

Some example program proposal that we encourage:

•     Applications for seed money for new programs or new dimensions to existing ones;
•     Applications for transitional funds for programs that have recently lost a secure source of funding and have a      proven record of meeting community needs.
•     Collaborative efforts among multiple agencies to address high priority community needs

Projects

We define a project as an effort to advance the effectiveness and/or operational growth of an applicant agency, or a program or initiative sponsored by the application through the acquisition of material and human resources and technology.

Example project proposals that we encourage

•     Proposals for resources to significantly enhance an agency’s ability to operate effectively or improve services;
•     Proposals that are integral to the success of new or existing program;
•     Proposals for resources associated with new or newly renovated facilities.

Evaluation will be based on whether the program/project…

•     Is likely to positively affect a high-priority, high impact community need
•     Effectively benefit an agency’s clients
•     Adequately address sustainability beyond the Foundation’s grant
•     Has a clearly defined strategy to assess goals and outcomes
•     Provides an adequate realistic strategy to assess goals and outcomes
•     Provides an adequate, realistic timeline for completion
•     Documents reasonable efforts to obtain other sources of funding
•     Considers collaboration to reduce program costs
•     Includes an investment of labor and/or funds from the applicant agency
•     Has social benefits that are proportional to its expenses

Some projects or programs that are NOT normally funded Through Discretionary Grants:

•     Multiple projects from an organization during the same year
•     Advertising, public relations, media events, or expense
•     Individual conferences and trips
•     Agencies with taxing authority
•     Public, private, or charter schools (see EITC program for more information)
•     Scholarships (See Scholarships)
•     Umbrella agencies for the purpose of re-granting
•     Endowments
•     Sectarian religious agencies unless event or activity is open to other denominations
•     Deficit financing
•     Routine operating expenses
•     Political lobbying efforts or campaigns
•     Organizations located outside Wayne County

Eligible Agencies: Organizations meeting the following description may apply for a grant:

•    Nonprofit charitable organizations exempt from federal income taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
•     Nonprofit agencies who serve the people of Wayne County
•     Nonprofit organizations registered with the Pa. Bureau of Charitable Organizations

In consideration of grant applications, the Grant Committee and Board may give preference to the following:

•     Programs that meets the greatest community need and assist the largest number of individuals
•     Applicant agencies that have not received a recent grant award (typically at least one calendar year)
•     Applicants that have submitted a quality proposal, describing a specific need

In response to changing times, the Foundation may at any time redefine its areas of interest, designate new areas of focus, or address specific emergency needs of our communities and its citizens.

In order for grants to be reviewed in a timely fashion, the following quarterly due dates should be followed:

August 1st (Q1)
November 1st (Q2)
February 1st (Q3)
May 1st (Q4)

Prospective applicants are asked to review this website, especially the report of the last 5-years of grant awards, for information concerning this topic. You may of course call the Foundation office at 570.251.9993 or email questions to info@waynefoundation.org