Greater Rome Impact Fund

The Community Foundation for Greater Rome is offering the Greater Rome Impact Fund as one of three grant opportunities in its 2026 grant cycle. The Foundation is moving toward fewer, more substantial grants intended to produce significant and measurable community benefit. Through the Greater Rome Impact Fund, the Foundation expects to make approximately three to four grants ranging from $20,000 to $25,000 each. Applicants are directed to select the funding opportunity that most closely aligns with their proposal, although Foundation staff may contact an applicant when another funding category appears to be a better fit. The Foundation seeks proposals addressing a meaningful community need and creating lasting benefits for individuals, families, or the broader community in Rome and Floyd County. Competitive proposals are expected to demonstrate measurable results. The Foundation also identifies several characteristics that may strengthen a proposal, including preventing problems or reducing the need for crisis response, strengthening collaboration among organizations or sectors, promoting long-term stability for participants, building nonprofit capacity, leveraging additional funding or community resources, and providing a clear and compelling benefit to Rome and Floyd County. Available FY2026 resources are intentionally being concentrated into fewer, larger grants, and the Foundation notes that many worthy organizations and proposals may therefore not receive funding. Eligible applicants are tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations serving Rome or Floyd County, as well as churches or charitable groups working through a qualified fiscal sponsor. Grants will not be made to individuals or for political campaigns or lobbying activity, fundraising events, endowments, debt repayment, projects that have already been completed, or work conducted primarily outside Rome and Floyd County. Applicants may submit only one grant proposal during the grant cycle. The supplied information does not state a required matching or cost-sharing contribution for the Greater Rome Impact Fund. The 2026 grant cycle uses a two-step application process. In Step One, every applicant completes a short initial application describing the community need, proposed work, expected results, people served, amount requested, and alignment with the selected grant opportunity. Foundation staff review these initial applications for eligibility, completeness, fund alignment, and fit with the Foundation's grantmaking priorities. Selected applicants then advance to Step Two as finalists. Finalists are invited to provide supplemental information that may include a detailed project budget, organizational financial information, implementation plans, and additional details about expected results. Finalists may also be invited to participate in a brief conversation about their proposals. Advancement to the finalist stage does not guarantee an award. The initial application opens August 5, 2026, and the initial application deadline is August 21, 2026. An applicant information session is scheduled by Zoom for August 10, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.; the session explains the available funding opportunities, application changes, and the two-step review process, and a recording and written FAQ will also be made available. Finalists are scheduled to be invited to submit supplemental information on September 24, 2026, with finalist information due October 15, 2026. Applicants are scheduled to be notified of decisions on November 17, 2026, and the awards ceremony is scheduled for December 1, 2026. The supplied material does not specify an award performance period or establish an explicit recurring schedule for the Greater Rome Impact Fund. Questions about the grant process may be directed to Jennifer Scott at 706-728-3453 or jscott@cffgr.org. The Community Foundation for Greater Rome also lists its office at 215 Broad St, Ste 105, Rome, Georgia 30161, with the general office telephone number 706-728-3453 and email address office@cffgr.org. The source references a 2026 Grant Step One Application but does not provide an explicit application URL or direct PDF URL in the supplied text. Applicants should use the Foundation's Step One process and ensure that their proposal clearly establishes the community need, measurable expected results, population served, requested amount, alignment with the Greater Rome Impact Fund, and a compelling benefit to Rome and Floyd County.

Demonstrate measurable results and a meaningful, lasting community benefit; clearly show benefit to Rome and Floyd County; where applicable, show how the work prevents problems or reduces crisis response, strengthens collaboration, promotes long-term stability, builds nonprofit capacity, or leverages additional funding or community resources.