Fulton Forward Foundation’s Impact Grant

The Fulton Forward Foundation Impact Grant is a private funding opportunity administered by the Fulton Forward Foundation, an independent nonprofit entity funded by Fulton Bank. The Foundation is part of a broader corporate social responsibility initiative aimed at strengthening communities across the bank’s service footprint, which includes Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. Through its philanthropic efforts, the Foundation focuses on advancing economic empowerment, particularly within underserved communities. The Impact Grant program represents its highest level of financial support, providing substantial funding to organizations that align with its strategic priorities. The primary purpose of the Impact Grant is to fund projects, programs, or initiatives that contribute meaningfully to economic empowerment. To ensure alignment with this goal, the Foundation concentrates its funding on four key pillars: affordable housing and home ownership, job training and workforce development, financial literacy, and broader economic empowerment initiatives. Applicants must demonstrate that their proposed work directly supports at least one of these pillars. The Foundation seeks to fund initiatives that create measurable and sustainable community impact, emphasizing long-term benefits over short-term outcomes. Funding is available in amounts of twenty thousand dollars or more, with no explicit upper limit stated. These funds are intended to support programmatic activities, organizational initiatives, or community-based projects that align with the Foundation’s mission. While specific restrictions on allowable expenses are not explicitly detailed, applicants are expected to clearly articulate how funds will be used and how they will contribute to meaningful outcomes. There is no mention of a matching requirement, suggesting that cost sharing is not mandatory. However, applicants must demonstrate organizational stability and the capacity to effectively manage and deploy the requested funds. Eligibility is limited to organizations that qualify as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Applicants must provide documentation confirming their nonprofit status, including an IRS exemption letter, a current signed Form W9, and an annual report or financial highlights. Additional supporting materials, such as mission statements and program descriptions, are encouraged to strengthen the application. Organizations must also demonstrate alignment with the Foundation’s geographic service areas and its focus on community development and economic empowerment. The application process requires organizations to submit a comprehensive proposal through the designated Impact Grant application system. Applicants must be prepared to provide detailed responses across several categories, including mission and vision, organizational stability, project description, implementation strategy, and prior grant impact if applicable. The application system does not allow users to save progress and return later, so all materials must be prepared in advance. Required uploads include financial documentation and organizational records, and failure to provide these materials may result in disqualification. Evaluation of applications is based on several qualitative and quantitative factors, including alignment with funding priorities, organizational capacity, clarity and feasibility of the proposed project, and the potential for measurable community impact. Applicants are asked to provide data-driven metrics to assess success, as well as a compelling narrative explaining why their project should be funded. The Foundation also considers prior performance for organizations that have previously received funding. The program operates on a biannual cycle, with two application deadlines each year. The spring cycle closes on June 30, with awards announced in October or November of the same year. The fall cycle closes on December 30, with awards announced in April or May of the following year. Organizations that receive funding must wait at least twenty four months before reapplying, ensuring that resources are distributed across a diverse set of community organizations. Due to the volume of applications, not all applicants will receive follow up communication unless additional information is required.

Collect all required documents (W9, 501(c)(3) letter, annual report) before beginning. Align proposals clearly with one or more of the four key pillars.