FARO COMMUNITY GRANTS 2024
Shining a light on community work
Deadline for the 2023 year- January 31, 2024
Background: Barrio Alegria and the Wyomissing Foundation are partnering to provide FARO Community Grants to inspire community engagement and shine a light of opportunity on people and organizations working to create positive change in Reading.
These grants will be focused on those who are often excluded from institutional philanthropy and who reflect the demographic composition and lived experiences of those being served.
We are committed to working to share and shift power to the community through these grants!
One-time grants, up to $5,000 each, will be awarded through an evaluation process, using a panel of community volunteers from Barrio Alegria, to review all applications and make recommendations to the Wyomissing Foundation Board of Directors.
Grant Criteria:
Proposed projects should be designed to bring people together based on their shared values to
create positive change in the community.
Grants must benefit Reading residents and
neighborhoods and preference will be given to applying groups that are also located in Reading.
Successful grantees will have a one-year period to complete planned activities and fully spend
the grant.
One-day only events (festivals, celebrations, etc.) are not eligible unless they are an element or
concluding event of a longer-term project.
Grants also cannot be used for: individual financial assistance; fundraising or political events; or religious purposes.
Who Can Apply?
Only nonprofit organizations with an annual budget of less than $250,000 are eligible to apply.
In addition, more informal groups, associations or individuals (without a 501(c)(3) designation)
may also apply if they secure a fiscal sponsor to partner with, to manage the grant funds and reporting requirements.
Applying groups or individuals must demonstrate their ability to collaborate with others in the
community.
Process:
Applications can be completed on the Barrio Alegria website or paper applications are available from Barrio’s office at 140 N. 5th St.
The application includes applicant information, fiscal sponsorship information (if needed), and answering the following questions:
1. Explain your group’s or organization’s purpose and experience.
2. What change are you trying to create in the community? (Explain why this project is important and how you believe it will create positive change in Reading.)
3. How does this issue affect you? What other work have you done around this issue? (Describe how this issue has personally affected you or your organization in the past. Include any previous experience you’ve had
working to address this issue.)
4. Describe what activities you’ve planned for your project.
5. Are there other collaborators in this project and if so, please name them and describe their role.
6. What is the timeline for your project?
7. How will grant funds be used? Provide as much detail as possible about the type of costs involved and amounts needed for each of them.
8. What challenges or barriers might get in the way of your project?
9. How will you know if your project was successful? And, if successful, do you expect to continue or repeat the project?
Additionally, applicants will be required to submit a short video (up to 5 minutes). Information on the video is at the bottom of this page.
The deadline for submitting applications was January 31, 2024.
Grants will be awarded and funding available May 1, 2024.
Barrio Alegria is available to answer questions about the application process or provide assistance with applying, if needed.
If this is your first time submitting a grant, below are some helpful tips
DO NOT WAIT
UNTIL THE
DUE DATE
Look at the grant questions early on so you can begin framing your answers early on. Copy the questions into a separate document so you can work on them offline.
PLAN YOUR
BUDGET
ACCORDINGLY
Planning your budget can help you frame your request and scale your project. Try to be as conservative as you can with your predictions and connect the line items to your mission.
HAVE FUN
TELLING US
YOUR STORY
Only you know details of your story that can make your request unique and compelling!
Remember, you want your project to stand out, and your story can achieve that!
DO NOT FORGET to SEND US YOUR VIDEO
We have added a video component to the grant application process because we want you to bring us into your community!
We won't be looking at technical components, but content, so make that count!
Congratulations to the 2023 FARO Grant Awardees
