Head, Heart and Hands of Indian River Club Grant

Head, Heart and Hands of Indian River Club is a private grantmaking initiative supported by contributions from residents and members of the Indian River Club. Through its Request for Proposals, the organization seeks to support charitable projects, programs, and services that benefit Indian River County, Florida. The maximum grant award is $20,000. Funding is focused on education and training, youth activities, homeless and family issues, physical and mental health, needs of seniors, cultural programs, environmental challenges, and scientific research. Competitive grants are geographically limited to organizations located in and/or serving Indian River County. Eligible applicants must be organizations with current Section 501(c)(3) status that serve Indian River County and satisfy the requirements of the RFP. An applicant must have an Audit or Review prepared by a CPA for its most recent fiscal year and must hold a Silver Level or higher rating on the GuideStar.org Nonprofit Search. Organizations failing to meet these requirements will not be considered. The Foundation's general restrictions also exclude individuals, federated appeals and organizations collecting funds for redistribution to other nonprofit groups, institutions limiting services to persons of a single religious sect or denomination, and requests concerning social or political problems outside the United States. Grants are not provided for propagandizing, influencing legislation or elections, voter registration, political candidates or campaigns, political organizations, or litigation. Grant requests may support new program development, existing programs, program expansion, and specific capital projects that are not part of a capital campaign. Requests will not be considered for programs managed by or submitted through organizations without 501(c)(3) status, programs outside the identified core subject areas, capital campaigns, endowment campaigns, grants to individuals, or programs that have already been completed. Projects intended to further political or religious objectives are also ineligible. The Foundation currently does not consider multi-year requests. No matching or cost-share requirement is stated in the supplied materials. The application process begins with a Letter of Idea, or LOI. For this funding opportunity, the LOI deadline is August 31, 2026. Organizations that qualify and present compelling ideas will be asked by October 1, 2026 to submit full applications and will be invited to a brief information session in mid-October. Invited full applications are due November 30, 2026. LOIs and applications must be submitted electronically using the HHH-IRC Grant Application form through the Indian River Community Foundation website. Unsolicited full applications that have not been requested following review of an LOI will not be considered, and submissions received after the applicable deadline will not be considered. Applicants may also be asked to make an oral presentation or permit a site visit during evaluation. Letters of Idea are reviewed for eligibility and competitive qualities, while full proposals are evaluated competitively. Evaluation considers whether a proposal efficiently addresses an unmet need of a targeted population and produces clear community betterment. Applicants should reference the most recent Indian River County Community Needs Assessment and support claims concerning unmet needs and targeted populations with data and cited sources. Efficiency considerations include cost-benefit analysis, use of volunteers, collaboration with other agencies where appropriate, and sustainability. Organizational ability is assessed through documented expertise, strong leadership, and a record of success in the same or a related area. Special consideration is given to programs targeting south Indian River County, generally ZIP codes 32962 and 32968. Proposals should also provide a framework for tracking budget detail, timelines, milestones, and measurable and meaningful outcomes. Successful applicants will be notified no later than March 1, 2027. Grantees must submit an interim report and a final report describing expenditure of grant funds and measurable outcomes. Reports from past grants must be on file before an organization may apply for additional Foundation funding, and applications from organizations with delinquent reports are considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed. Applicants' Executive Officers must certify in writing that relevant information will be updated between application submission and award decisions, funds will be used only as specified in the proposal and consistently with charitable status, and reporting requirements will be met on time. Questions about the application process or program eligibility may be directed to Paul Pronsky, Board Member and Grant Manager of HHH-IRC, at pronskypaul@gmail.com. Applicants that submitted an LOI but have not received notice by October 1, 2026 are instructed to contact him.

Reference the most recent Indian River County Community Needs Assessment; support unmet needs and targeted populations with data and cited sources; demonstrate cost-benefit efficiency, appropriate volunteer use, collaboration, and sustainability; document organizational expertise, leadership, and relevant record of success; provide budget detail, timelines, milestones, and measurable meaningful outcomes; note that programs targeting south Indian River County, generally ZIP codes 32962 and 32968, receive special consideration.