The Community Foundation for Mississippi primarily offers two distinct types of “grants” to charitable organizations in our service area: donor-directed grants and competitive grants.
- Donor-directed grants are charitable gifts made by CFM fund advisors directly to specific charities or to their favorite causes. If you are a donor interested in starting a charitable giving fund, learn more about donor advised funds here.
- CFM’s competitive grants are built around focus areas and are reviewed by a decision-making committee based on eligibility and selection criteria. CFM provides opportunities for charitable organizations to apply for competitive grants throughout the year and offers technical assistance during the process. Two grants will launch on May 15: Community Impact Grants and Nonprofit Capacity Building Mini-Grants. There are two Community Impact Grant rounds throughout the year, while Nonprofit Capacity Building Mini-Grants will be open year-round. The grant application for the John F. and Lucy Shackelford Fund will open on July 1 and will be open year-round.
Community Impact Grants
Summer Round
Opens: May 15, 2023
Closes: June 15, 2023
Community Impact Grants are project grants available to nonprofits for up to $5,000. Eligible organizations include 501c3 nonprofits directly serving in any of the 22 counties served by the Community Foundation for Mississippi. No financial match is required, however, projects demonstrating community support will be prioritized.
Community Impact Grants will support projects in the following categories: Placemaking, Children and Families, and Community Partnerships.
Nonprofit Capacity Building Mini-Grants
Open year-round
Nonprofit capacity building opportunities at the Community Foundation for Mississippi are primarily offered through our Nonprofit Capacity Building Mini-Grants, open year-round to 501c3 nonprofits within our service area. Nonprofits may apply through a mini-grant to receive discounts or scholarships to attend professional development courses or trainings to assist their board or staff learn ways to increase their effectiveness, strengthening their internal systems and organizational management.
Nonprofit organizations may choose to apply for financial assistance for a pre-determined training course or for financial assistance to hire a specific vetted nonprofit consultant OR they may apply more generally for needed assistance within specific professional and organizational development areas. While financial grants may be awarded, the majority of grants in this category are awarded through discounted or free attendance at workshops or training courses. In some cases, such as grant-writing, endowment building and storytelling, assistance may be provided through CFM staff or CFM-hosted events.