Sections:
The mission of the Martinez Community Foundation (MCF) is to promote, champion, and enhance an equitable and sustainable quality of life for the people of Martinez. Programs and projects funded by the MCF must respond to a need identified annually by the Board of Directors that address one or more of the five focus areas below.
Community Engagement
Promoting cooperation and collaboration among Martinez residents to build community resilience and prosperity.
Environment
Sustaining the quality and health of the natural resources of Martinez with emphasis on clean air, water, and soil.
Arts & Culture
Celebrating the diversity of Martinez through community celebrations and art installations.
Economic Opportunity
Encouraging entrepreneurship and the creation of community-based small business to support and sustain Martinez residents.
Education & Skills Development
Fostering informal opportunities for community learning and skills development via workshops, work events, camps, and volunteer service.
The Board of Directors is pledged to utilize the funds of the MCF as a community incubator to foster a rich and sustainable legacy that benefits the whole of Martinez.
Available Funding and Proposal Deadline
An allocation of $20,000 will be distributed by the MCF to eligible proposals meeting the requirements of this 2024 Request for Grant Proposals (RGP).
The deadline for receiving proposals under this RGP is Wednesday, June 5, 2024. Proposals received after June 5, 2024 will not be considered for funding.
Eligible Proposals
On February 29, 2024, the MCF Board of Directors adopted, “Building Community from the Ground Up” as the focus of the 2024 RGP.
Eligible proposals meeting the “Building Community from the Ground Up” focus may include:
- Planning of a new community garden space in Martinez
- Establishment of a new community garden space in Martinez
- Expansion of an existing community garden space in Martinez
- Adaptation of a school garden to include a community garden space in Martinez
In this RGP, community garden is defined as a publicly accessible space which benefits the community via:
- The demonstration, education, production, distribution, donation, or sale of edible vegetables, fruits, berries, flowers, or honey
- The demonstration, education, production, distribution, or donation of green and/or food waste compost
- Demonstration and education of fire safe, low water use, and/or soil conserving landscape practices
- Demonstration and education of the value of biodiversity, native plant communities, wetlands, and/or wildlife habitat
- Demonstration and education of air, water, and soil testing methods and/or integrated pest management practices that promote safe gardening
Proposal Requirements
- Proposal submissions must meet the established “Building Community from the Ground Up” criteria on page 2 as well as be applicable to one or more of the MCF focus areas listed below:
- Community Engagement
- Environment
- Arts & Culture
- Economic Opportunity
- Education & Skills Development
- An IRS qualified 501c3 non-profit organization must be the lead organization (applicant) on the RGP submission.
- The submitting 501c3 must include a partnership with at least one other community organization (non-profit, business, school, religious or fraternal) or city department.
- Proposals must include documentation of the partner relationship. The submission should clearly identify the partnership’s purpose as well as the role of each partner. What cooperation and collaboration are represented by the partnership?
- Submissions must demonstrate that the funding awarded by the MCF will be leveraged via the partnership in the form of one or more of the following:
- In-kind services
- Capacity building via civic engagement or volunteer hours
- Material donations
- Supplemental funding
- Proposals must include a detailed description of the proposed project including:
- The role of each project partner
- Performance objectives (metrics for success)
- Project schedule
- Budget (including MCF component and total project cost)
- Measurable and sustainable impact on the community
- Proposals may include administrative costs not to exceed 20% of the grant awarded by the MCF. Example: $2,000 request = Maximum $400 administrative costs paid by MCF. Eligible costs include permits, fees, video/photography, and final report preparation. Salaries may NOT be included.
- Proposal submissions must include three references addressing past performance on community projects; history of successful community engagement and partnership.
Evaluation Criteria
Project submissions will be evaluated using a scoring rubric of 25-points across 5 criteria. Please be sure to keep these in mind when preparing a proposal submission.
Community Impact [5 points scored in breadth or length]
- 1 pt = single group/area – narrow, limited impact
- 2 pt = short term impact (1-2 yrs); limited to applicant + partners
- 3 pt = medium term impact (3-5 yrs)
- 4 pt = broad community impact beyond applicant + partners (5-7 yrs)
- 5 pt = broad and ongoing community engagement (≥ 7 yrs); environmental quality; project serves as bridge to larger scale sustainable impact(s)
Quality of Proposal Submission [5 points]
- 1 pt = Project description, performance metrics, schedule, budget, and impact statement need additional definition and clarity
- 2 pt = Proposal needs additional performance metrics, schedule, budget, and impact statement definition and/or clarity
- 3 pt = Proposal needs additional schedule, budget, and impact statement definition and/or clarity
- 4 pt = Proposal needs additional impact statement definition and/or clarity
- 5 pt = Proposal meets or exceeds RGP requirements
MCF Focus Areas Addressed [5 points]
- 1 pt = one focus area addressed
- 2 pt = two focus areas addressed
- 3 pt = three focus areas addressed
- 4 pt = four focus areas addressed
- 5 pt = five focus areas addressed
Partnership [5 points]
- 1 pt = applicant + 1 partner
- 2 pt = applicant + 2 partners
- 3 pt = applicant + 3 partners
- 4 pt = applicant + 4 partners
- 5 pt = applicant + 5 or more partners
Leveraging [5 points]
- 1 pt = materials donation
- 2 pt = in-kind services + above
- 3 pt = volunteers + all the above
- 4 pt = ongoing community engagement + all the above
- 5 pt = supplemental funding + all the above + community sustainability
Proposal Submission
This RGP shall be open for submissions from Wednesday, March 20, 2024 to Wednesday, June 5, 2024. Submissions received after June 5 will not be considered for funding.
Applicants are encouraged to submit their completed proposal online at the MCF website. As an alternative, proposals can also be mailed to the address below. Please keep in mind that proposals must be received by June 5, 2024.
Martinez Community Foundation
PO Box 789
Martinez, CA 94553
Should you have any questions or require additional information or clarification, please contact the MCF office at (925) 372-6286.
Proposal Preparation Workshop
To assist prospective applicants with the preparation of a proposal, a public workshop will be held on Friday, April 24 from 10:00 AM to Noon at the Martinez Yacht Club 111 Tarantino Drive, Martinez CA 94553. All interested parties are requested to register in advance for the workshop.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to attend the workshop with potential partners and to ask questions about the submission requirements and screening process.
Please register to attend the Grant Proposal Workshop through Eventbrite or contacting MCF at (925) 372-6286.
Submission Timeline
2024
- March 20
RGP posted on MCF website; notification of RGP mailed to public
- March 20 – June 5
RGP open for submissions from eligible applicants
- April 24
RGP preparation workshop for interested parties
- June 5
RGP submission deadline for all applicants - June 26
Notice of grant awards posted on MCF website; notification of award sent to grant recipients
- October 30
Grant recipient progress report deadline; submission of updated project schedule and budget; submission of progress video, images, and blog story
2025
- February 26
Grant recipient progress report deadline; submission of updated project schedule and budget; submission of progress video, images, and blog story
- March TBD
MCF annual meeting; grant recipient recognition - June 25
Grant recipient final report deadline; submission of expenditure documentation; submission of final project video, images, and blog story; MCF notice of project completion
Grant Award Decisions
The MCF will announce grant decisions on its website on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.
Direct communication with the Board of Directors regarding a submission will not be of assistance to the applicant and is discouraged.
Non-Discrimination
In establishing criterion for funding and selecting recipients, the Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, national origin, sex, life style, non-disqualifying handicap or other non-merit factors beyond those described in this document.
