Grant Guidelines

What We fund

The Charitable Trust supports programs that contribute to the quality of life in Charles County. We fund programs that keep our community strong, diverse and vibrant.

The Charitable Trust is dedicated to improving the health and effectiveness of nonprofits serving Charles County.

  • We welcome applications that focus on health and human services, civic and community development, culture and arts, education, the environment and other nonprofit endeavors.
  • We do not provide grants for capital campaigns, fundraising events, vehicle purchase or maintenance, legal costs, costs associated with IRS or State of Maryland registrations, or construction, maintenance, or repair of nonprofit-owned office buildings.
  • The maximum grant amount for this grant cycle is $65,000.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Applicants must have IRS recognition as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and must operate in Charles County.
  • Proposed program activities must be carried out for the benefit of Charles County residents.
  • If the proposed grant request involves collaboration with one or more other nonprofits, one organization must act as the lead applicant and submit a single application.
  • Nonprofits must be operational for a full three years before applying for a grant, operate with an annual budget, and have a board of at least three members who are not related to one another.

Grant Application Review Process

The Charitable Trust strives to ensure equal access and opportunity for applicants by establishing and publishing clear criteria and guidelines.  

  • Applications must be electronically filed by the published closing date of the application process. 
  • Each application is reviewed for completeness and eligibility. 
  • Applications found to be eligible and complete are assigned to a review panel that scores and discusses each application, making funding recommendations to the Charitable Trust Board.
  • Each Board member then reviews each application and the aggregated list of panel recommendations.
  • Lastly, the Board meets in a plenary session for the sole purpose of determining the grant recipients and the amount of the awards.

Criteria for
awarding Grants

  • Preponderance of need in the county to the extent that need can be determined.
  • Goals, objectives and outcomes are clearly defined and achievable, given the available financial and staff resources.
  • Potential impact program(s) will have on the quality of lives of underserved populations, such as those living in poverty or from low-income households and individuals with disabilities.
  • Potential impact on the quality of life for residents of Charles County at large, such as arts and culture, the environment and education.
  • The extent to which partnerships are formed with other organizations to better target services, improve programs and reduce costs.
  • The extent to which a diverse mix of funding is obtained to support and/or expand programs.

Conditions of
Grants

  • Grant recipients must continue to meet all eligibility requirements during the grant application review period and, if awarded a grant, during the grant period.
  • Grantees must remain in good standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation during the application review period and, if awarded a grant, during the grant period.
  • During the grant period, the Charitable Trust may request the grantees participate in local research related to programs and services. Grantees are expected to assist in providing information for these studies.