Community Enrichment Grant

The Community Enrichment Grant is a competitive grant opportunity offered by the Derby Community Foundation. The Foundation was established to help the Derby community and its citizens raise a shared standard of excellence. Through the Community Enrichment Grant program, the Foundation supports tax-exempt nonprofit organizations and governmental entities conducting innovative and meaningful work consistent with the Derby Community Foundation's mission. Projects must serve residents of the Derby community within USD 260 boundaries. The Foundation awards up to $10,000 annually through one competitive grant cycle, and individual grants range from $500 to $2,500. Eligible applicants include organizations classified as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service Code and governmental entities. The source specifically identifies 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, schools, and government and municipal agencies such as the Police Department, Fire Department, Library, and Senior Center. An organization's nonprofit status will be verified, and the organization name appearing on the application must match the name associated with its Tax ID. Organizations may apply each year, except that projects receiving a Community Enrichment Grant in the immediately preceding grant cycle are not eligible for the current cycle and must sit out for one year. Funding is intended for projects that meet the mission of the Derby Community Foundation and serve residents within the Derby community's USD 260 boundaries. The Foundation does not fund clinical or medical research, contributions to capital campaigns, debt retirement or deficit financing, endowments, private foundations, real estate acquisitions, political projects of any kind, or programs promoting a specific religious denomination. Organizations that practice discrimination based on race, color, creed, sexual orientation, gender, age, or national origin are also ineligible for funding. Applications must be submitted online through the CommunityGiving Grant Management System, and all sections of the application must be typed. Applicants are instructed to complete the application form and attach the required documents. The application opens July 1, 2026, and the deadline is September 30, 2026. The Foundation states that applications open July 1 and close September 30 each year, establishing an annual recurring cycle. No separate letter of intent, concept paper, pre-proposal, or other pre-application gating requirement is identified in the provided material. Grant recipients are selected through a review process involving Derby Community Foundation board members and community representatives. The Grant Advisory Committee recommends applications for funding to the Board of Directors, and the Board makes the final funding decisions. The Foundation does not provide an oral or written explanation for applications that are denied. Applicants receive grant notifications by email approximately 60 to 90 days after the application deadline, and all notifications concerning the grant are communicated through email. Grant payment occurs upon receipt of an electronically signed Grant Agreement. Grant recipients are required to complete a six-month status report for the project. The listed grantee required documents are the Grant Agreement and Final Report, and a Progress Report may also be required if requested. Required follow-up documents are submitted through the CommunityGiving Grant Management System. Questions about the grant may be directed to the Derby Community Foundation at derby@communitygiving.org or (316) 788-9815. For questions about the grant or the online Grant Management System, the source also provides (320) 257-9715.

Ensure the organization name on the application matches the name associated with the Tax ID; clearly demonstrate that the project serves residents within USD 260 boundaries and fits the Derby Community Foundation's mission; confirm the project and organization do not fall within the stated funding exclusions