116 N. Main Street, PO Box 1171, Fond du Lac, WI 54936-1171 
(920) 322-8778, grants@fdlawomensfund.org

FOND DU LAC AREA WOMEN’S FUND GRANT GUIDELINES 

Adopted November 12, 2024 

MISSION STATEMENT 

The Women’s Fund promotes positive change in the lives of Fond du Lac area women and girls through grants to local 501(c)3 organizations for programs consistent with its mission; engages women in philanthropy; and creates community understanding of the strengths and challenges of Fond du Lac area women and girls. 

FUNDING PRIORITIES 

The Fond du Lac Area Women’s Fund will consider awarding grants to 501(c)3 non-profit organizations for programs or projects primarily targeted to benefit female-identifying individuals in the Fond du Lac area that align with any of our five pillars:

• Health and Well-Being 
• Leadership Development 
• Safety, Dignity, and Freedom from Violence 
• Education 
• Economic Self-Sufficiency 

GRANT ELIGIBILITY 

To be eligible for a grant: 

• Your program/project must be consistent with the funding priorities of the Women’s Fund 
• Your program/project must primarily benefit female-identifying individuals in the Fond du Lac area 
• Your organization must be a tax-exempt, non-profit organization recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)3 organization 
• Your grant application must be complete 

Grants will generally not be awarded in the following instances: 

• Capital campaigns, individuals, or endowments 
• National and statewide umbrella organizations that cannot demonstrate a local presence 
• New staff positions without a substantial plan for sustainability
• Religious organizations for religious purposes 
• Retroactive projects 
• Political parties, candidates, or partisan activities 
• Event sponsorships for events not tied to a specific initiative or program of the Women’s Fund
• Co-educational programs that do not clearly communicate a specific and unique focus on female-identifying individuals
• Debt reduction or operational deficits 
• Supplanting funds 
• General operating expenses or overhead (except as a realistic, necessary component of a project budget) 
• Interim or bridge funding

GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS 

December 1st, 2025: Community Catalyst Grant and Strategic Grant Applications available online 

January 31st, 2026: All Year End reports are due for prior year FDLAWF grant recipients 

February 15th, 2026: Community Catalyst and Strategic Grant Applications are due. Interviews with organizations submitting completed applications will be scheduled if needed.

March 2026: Recommendation of funding disbursement is given to the board for final approval at the March Board meeting

March 2026: Checks are dispersed and organizations are invited to PoP

April 22nd, 2026: Power of the Purse luncheon; Grantees/partners may be invited to be celebrated at the event

Grant applications are to be submitted via the online portal below. Incomplete applications will not be accepted and the grant application portal does not allow you to save a partial draft. When preparing to submit your grant application, we recommend that you have the following information readily available: 

• The legal entity name of the organization 
• The address of the organization 
• The contact person for the grant 
• The name of the program or project 
• The amount requested for the grant 
• The duration of the project with start and end dates 
• The date by which funds are needed 
• The date the agency or organization was established 
• The number of full-time equivalent employees 
• The purpose of the grant (special program/project, start-up costs, technical assistance, general operating, education, economic/financial self-sufficiency, leadership development, safety, dignity, and freedom from violence, or other (please specify)) 
• A project budget outlining expenses for personnel/stipends, office and supplies, travel and meals, training expenses, printing and public relations, and other. The budget section will also require you to share the total project budget and outline other revenue sources for the project and additional in-kind sources for this project. 

GRANT REVIEW PROCESS 

Grants will be reviewed by the Fond du Lac Area Women’s Fund Grants Committee. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Grant applicants will be notified of their grant status. 

All applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:

Grant Details

• The agency is a 501(c)3 non-profit serving Fond du Lac County
• The mission and current services have been stated effectively 
• The number of staff and volunteers seems sufficient to ensure the success of the program 
• The grant amount requested reasonably matches the number of people to be served 
• At least one funding priority is identified 
• The program/project summary adequately explains the overall intent
• The agency appears to be fiscally sound 
• The agency structure and governing body appear stable and sufficient 

Community Need and Collaboration

• There is evidence that the program/project is needed to address issues concerning the needs of female-identifying individuals 
• The program/project aligns with the Fond du Lac Area Women’s Fund funding priorities and grantee effectively explains the relationship 
• The program/project addresses diversity, equity, and inclusion

Goals, Outcomes, and Objectives

• The stated goals are clearly defined 
• The outcomes are achievable and measurable and show a direct correlation to the funding priority/priorities 
• The objective(s) are articulated well, are measurable, and are related to the goal(s) 
• The implementation plan for addressing the need/problem is reasonable and achievable 

Target population

• The target population is clearly identified 
• The project/program maximizes the number of female-identifying individuals serviced directly and indirectly 
• Female-identifying individuals with other marginalized identities will benefit from the project/program 
• The applicant demonstrates meaningful collaborations with other agencies and organizations

GRANTEE’S RESPONSIBILITIES UPON AWARD 

Grantees will complete and submit evaluation forms throughout the year and may be asked to present a program evaluation at a Fond du Lac Area Women’s Fund Board meeting. All grant activities are to take place within the grant cycle. Future grant applications will not be considered if grantee responsibilities are not met. 

NON-DISCRIMINATION 

The Fond du Lac Area Women’s Fund will not consider race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical and mental ability or attributes, religious or ethical values systems, national origin, and political beliefs when making grant decisions nor will funding continue for grantees who are found to be discriminatory.