785-772-5124
[email protected]

Grants and Funds

The “savings account” for Cheyenne County

Apply for a Grant Here!

Apply Here

Grants are typically restricted to the geographic areas served by the community foundation.

All grant projects must completed in one year or less from the date the grant award is approved.  If you are requesting a grant for a multiyear project, please contact us prior to applying.

Final reports are required upon completion of the project.  The final report is available through the Grant Portal and must include receipts demonstrating how the grant funds were used and pictures of the completed project.  Unused funds must be refunded at the time of the final report. Please mail refunds to GNWKCF, PO Box 593, Bird City, KS 67731 (reference the project name on the memo line).

Pictures of the completed project are subject to our Photo Release Consent Agreement.  When uploading media content within a grant application and/or final report, you will be required read and agree to this consent form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Grants can be made to nonprofit organizations exempt from federal taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and to educational, governmental or religious institutions. Grants cannot be made to individuals, businesses, or nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status.

The criteria for each grant application may vary. The majority of applications require some or all of the following:

  • List of organization’s board members and their board positions
  • Recent financial statement (i.e. – income statement, balance sheet, annual spending budget) – not a full audit report
  • Budget sheet for project breakdown – download and complete: Budget Project Spreadsheet (Excel or PDF)
  • Organization’s IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter (exception – Governmental, Educational or Religious Entities)
  • Letters of support are generally not required but HIGHLY encouraged. Up to three letters may be added. It is at the discretion of each community foundations as to whether or not they require letters of support.

You can download a PDF giving detailed instructions on how to apply here: Download. All applications must be made online using the Grant Portal.  

The applications are due on the last day of each month. All applications will be reviewed at the following board meeting, which is held on the third Monday of every month.

Want to learn more about the funds and their history?

In December 2016, the Cheyenne County Impact Fund was established through a matching initiative provided by the Dane G. Hansen Foundation. Currently, the goal is to spend the earnings at the rate of 5% of the average 3-year-end Fund balance.  Incoming donations into this endowment fund were eligible for a $1 for $1 match up to $50,000 during the month of December in 2016.  In subsequent years, incoming donations were once again matched $1 to $1 up to $50,000 by the Hansen Foundation, and an additional match  was offered by Stanion Wholesale Electric Company / the Bill and Cindy Keller Family.  The fund has grown to more than $400,000! Annual matching campaigns will continue through 2021 to build this endowment fund. As this fund grows, the interest will be used to fund projects throughout Cheyenne County. Click HERE for more information and to apply!

This Fund supports any charitable cause to benefit residents in Cheyenne County, Kansas and/or the communities within.

This endowment Fund was established in 2018 to be used for the charitable purpose of supporting the needs of the Cheyenne County Village. Grant recommendations will come from the Cheyenne County Village board of directors. Currently, the goal is to spend the earnings at the rate of 5% of the average 3-year-end Fund balance.

To date, Cheyenne County is one of 26 counties in northwest Kansas that has been awarded eleven rounds of $50,000 grants from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, with 12 of those county funds established through the Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation. This grant fund was established in March 2015 to allow qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations; or educational, governmental or religious institutes per IRS, to apply for funding assistance for projects intended for Cheyenne County benefit. Qualifying entities may apply online; grants are awarded through a competitive application process.   The Hansen Foundation has guaranteed additional rounds of funding to continue through 2021, providing continual county-wide participation in the Cheyenne County Strategic Doing Initiative. Click HERE for more information and to apply!

To learn more about Strategic Doing, go to https://www.gnwkcf.org/initiatives. 

This Fund mirrors the previous New Generation Fund, Inc. as an endowment fund. Therefore, only the earnings (no principal) from this fund can be spent for charitable purposes for the betterment of St. Francis and Cheyenne County. Currently, the goal is to spend the earnings at the rate of 5% of the average 3-year-end Fund balance. A portion of the earnings may also be utilized for necessary expenses to educate and promote the work of the Fund. Awards are typically made once per year through a competitive application process. Click HERE for for more information and to apply!

This Fund is established for the benefit of the USD 297 school district. The annual net income from the Fund will be distributed to St. Francis USD 297. Net income shall be defined as an amount that shall be computed annually based upon the current spending policy of the Community Foundation (currently 5% of the average past three year-end Fund balances). Such net income may be distributed in May or June each year, that is, toward the end of the school district’s Fiscal Year (which ends on June 30 each year). If any portion of the net income is not distributed in a particular Fiscal Year (July 1-June 30), the undistributed net income for such year shall be added to principal.

All Awarded Grants

Interested in checking out what grant money has gone to? Click here to see all of the grants that have been awarded since 2015.

Grant Highlights

Want to see what organizations have done with their awarded money? Click here to see their story and photos of their projects

Help Build the Foundation For Tomorrow

Donate Now