Of course, investing funds back into our community is the whole point of The Legacy Fund. Our goal is to be strategic with our grants, to have the greatest impact on the community.

Our regular grants program awards grants to qualified organizations who submit proposals to The Legacy Fund. These proposals are reviewed by the Fund's grants committee, which then recommends grant awards to the full Advisory Board.

To see our current Grant Guidelines, click here.

The Legacy Fund is also proud to have partnerships with individual donors, who wish to specifically designate their gifts to a specific agency or specific purpose. These donor-designated grants must fall within the mission of The Legacy Fund, and they are entirely within the discretion of the donor. At times, The Legacy Fund can serve as a catalyst for funding by matching donors and their directed gifts with organizations.

To see a list of our Legacy Fund grant recipients, click here.

For more information on Legacy Fund Grants, or to receive a copy of the current Request for Proposals, please send an e-mail to GLBTLegacy@cs.com.

Mission:

The Legacy Fund is the first and only long-term endowment fund created to safeguard and improve the quality of Central Ohio's GLBT community. Through the investment of financial assets from charitable donations and planned giving opportunities, The Legacy Fund is able to provide the support and resources for grant-making dedicated to strengthening nonprofit organizations that work for the community's benefit.

Guiding Principle:

The Legacy Fund is dedicated to supporting programs and nonprofit organizations, which recognize that members of the GLBT community deserve to be welcomed and celebrated. Organizations supported by The Legacy Fund illuminate the presence and contributions of people in the GLBT community and the issues that confront them.

Grant Making Priorities:

In the early developmental years of The Legacy Fund, emphasis will be placed on funding special projects. In future years, grants will be considered for operating expenses and capital campaigns.

Grant Eligibility:

The Legacy Fund seeks to provide financial resources to organizations that celebrate diversity and dignity, invest in youth and justice, and promote tolerance and compassion.

Of special interest in 2005 are programs or projects which (1) promote stability and build capacity within GLBT community organizations; (2) build understanding in the greater community of GLBT persons and the social and legal challenges facing them; and (3) promote the mental and physical health and safety of GLBT persons. The Legacy Fund Advisory Board may further prioritize these special interests with respect to each of the two grant cycles to be held in 2005, described below.

The Legacy Fund will make grants available to 501(c)(3) Organizations, in Franklin and its contiguous counties of Licking, Madison, Fairfield, Delaware, Pickaway, and Union.

During its initial years, grant making will generally be considered for only one year and organizations will generally not receive repetitive yearly funding for the same project.

We encourage collaboration between two or more organizations in the submission of grants.

Funds must be used to execute the project as outlined in the proposal. Funds may not be used for political campaigns, or to promote the election of candidates for public office or promote specific religious beliefs. The Legacy Fund generally will not fund endowment campaigns but may provide technical support in setting up endowment funds within The Legacy Fund structure. The Legacy Fund may retain a reserve in its annual grants allocation for emergency or special needs; agencies in need of such funds should check with the Administrative Program Officer to determine their availabilty. The Legacy Fund will always respect the wishes of a donor.

Review Process:

Applicants will submit a one-page letter of intent, describing the project, its intended outcomes, process of evaluating its success, agencies involved and amount requested. A subcommittee of The Legacy Fund will review the document and request a meeting with representatives of the program. Based on this meeting, the subcommittee will either request a full proposal or indicate the project does not fit within the Funds guidelines. At any point in this review process, the subcommittee may involve other board members and or members of the larger community to participate in the review process. The subcommittee will then make a recommendation to the full board for approval. Any board member having a current interest in the applicant may participate in the discussion but may not vote on the awarding of the grant.

Dates and Deadlines:

For the calendar year 2005, The Legacy Fund will announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Cycle I by March 30. Letters of intent will be due no later than 5:00 p.m. April 30. Selection and notification of awards will be made no later than June 15. A second announcement of a Request for Proposals for Cycle II will be made by September 1; Letters of intent will be due no later than October 15, with selection and notification of awards to be made no later than November 30.

How to apply:

Applications may be made by writing to The Legacy Fund of the Columbus Foundation, care of Elliot Fishman, Administrative/Program Officer, 960 Bryden Road, Columbus, Ohio 43205-1809. Faxed or emailed submissions will not be accepted. One original and two copies plus attachments, need to be postmarked or hand delivered by 5 p.m. on the deadline dates noted above.

Criteria:

The Legacy Fund will use the following questions when reviewing applications:

• Is the proposal complete including all attachments required?
• Does the applications promote collaboration between providers?
• Are the goals and objectives clear?
• Is the evaluation process clear and concise?
• Is the budget projection realistic?
• Is the proposal consistent with the Legacy Fund's priorities?
• Does the submitting organization(s) have the financial and community stability to successfully implement the project?
• Does the submitting organization have a governance structure which provides for appropriate levels of accountability to the organization's constituents, its staff, its board, its funders, and the community?

through June 5, 2005

Grants from The Legacy Fund serve to stabilize and support central Ohio GLBT institutions and organizations; to seed new and innovative projects which serve GLBT Central Ohioans; to support necessary services to GLBT persons; and to encourage collaboration among agencies which serve the GLBT community.

*Indicates Spring 2005 Grants