Guidelines for Grant Applicants
The Bama Works Fund of Dave Matthews Band in the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation supports charitable programs in the Charlottesville area. Grants are limited to the City of Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Greene, Orange, Louisa, Fluvanna, Buckingham, and Nelson. Proposals from organizations beyond the Charlottesville area are considered by invitation only.
Grants are made to tax-exempt public charities under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and to government agencies without regard to factors of race, religion, sex or national origin.
Program interests include, but are not limited to: disadvantaged youth, needs of the disabled, protection of the environment, and the arts and humanities. The Fund generally does not support: endowment programs, fund raising events, annual appeals of well-established organizations, or grants to individuals.
Please note that the Bama Works Fund receives far more requests each grant cycle than it can support. The average grant allocation is between $1,000 and $10,000. While organizations may receive funding more than once, grantees that have received multiple years of support form the Bama Works Fund are strongly encouraged to diversify their funding base and develop alternative sources of support.
Grant applications should be submitted in triplicate on the organization’s letterhead and signed by the Chief Executive Officer. The following information must be included:
- Bama Works Cover Sheet – Fully completed Bama Works Grant Proposal Cover Sheet.
(Word document)
- Proposal Narrative - Clear description of the project or program for which support is sought, including information as to how it will be funded in the future (one typewritten page).
- Organization Description - A description of how the project fits into the organization’s objective, history, and other programs, and the geographical area and demographic groups it serves (one typewritten page).
- Tax Exemption Information - Evidence of 501(c)(3) public charity status (IRS tax determination letter). Government agencies are also eligible to receive support.
- Financial Information - A current detailed financial statement including annual budget and operating expenses.
- Board/Staff Information - A list of the organization’s staff and Board and information regarding Board commitment to the organization.
Each of these pieces of information is very important to our review committee. Failure to provide all required information will prevent consideration of the application.
The Bama Works Fund is administered by the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (CACF), and all proposals or inquiries should be directed to that organization. All proposals will be acknowledged by the Foundation and reviewed by the Bama Works Fund Screening Committee. A member of the Screening Committee may contact the applicant to schedule a site visit.
Grant decisions are normally made twice per year in June and December. Applicants seeking a June decision must apply no later than February 1st. Applicants seeking a December decision must apply no later than August 1st. Applicants may not submit a proposal more than once in any twelve-month period.
Grant proposals should be submitted to:
Bama Works Fund/CACF
P. O. Box 1767
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Phone inquiries: (434) 296.1024