Grant Focus Areas and Guiding Principles
Informed by resident surveys and determined by community providers and residents on the KCR Fund’s Community Advisory Committee, the KCR Fund will provide grants targeting the following six issue areas that have been identified as being most important to community residents. Applicants should be able to demonstrate how their work aligns with, advances, and supports at least one of these areas.
- Public Safety and Gun Violence
- Youth Development (birth to age 24)
- Workforce Development and Training
- Beautification and Blight Removal
- Connecting Residents to Resources
- Building Resilience Addressing Community Trauma
In addition to these issue areas, KCR Fund grantees should share a commitment to advancing the following guiding principles that cut across all key issues, either currently or in their future work:
- Building social cohesion, collaboration, and connectivity
- Utilizing trauma-informed principles and practices
- Being informed by community voices
- Advancing equity and racial and social justice
- Demonstrating cultural competency and relevance
- Being informed by data, evidence, and best practices
Grantee Eligibility
The KCR Fund encourages any organization located or providing services in the Kensington community (see boundaries below) to apply for this new place-based funding opportunity. We particularly encourage smaller and grassroots organizations/projects to apply. Additional eligibility requirements include:
- Must be physically located within the following boundaries in the Kensington, Harrowgate, and Fairhill communities, or bring a track record of providing programming/services in this area: Lehigh Ave. to Erie Ave./Castor Ave and 5th Street to Aramingo Ave
- Have current 501(c)3 IRS status OR a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)3 status* and be in good standing with the IRS, including faith-based organizations (*We can help applicants identify a fiscal sponsor if they do not already have one)
- Can demonstrate that funds from this grant will benefit community members living in the boundaries noted above
- Can document how work supports at least one of the six funding issue areas stated above
- Can document and report on use of grant funds
- Demonstrate a commitment to equity and inclusion with respect to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical and cognitive ability, immigration status, and religion, among participants, board members, leadership team and staff
- Have decision makers (board members, leadership team, staff) that reflect the communities being served by the organization/project
To apply, click here.