Organizations eligible to apply for the IMPACT 100 Gulf Coast grant must confirm the organization is:
● Defined as a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
● Operating in Bay, Gulf, Calhoun, Jackson, Washington and/or Holmes Counties in Florida, providing the majority of the services to individuals in these counties, or applying for a collaborative IMPACT 100 Gulf Coast grant with organizations of a similar footprint
● Registered with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations
● Registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, unless the organization is exempt
● The grant seeking agency would be ineligible should a staff member or current Board of Directors of such agency should concurrently be serving on the IMPACT 100 Gulf Coast Board
Projects eligible for the IMPACT 100 Gulf Coast grant must:
1. Serve residents of, and expend funds fully in the six county region.
2. Be a new program, expansion of an existing program, or a new or expanded collaborative effort of multiple nonprofit organizations.
3. Have a total project budget for the full IMPACT 100 Gulf Coast grant amount.
4. Expend funds within 24 months of May 2025, with provisions for claw back and extension options.
Focus Areas
● Arts, Culture & History: Initiatives that cultivate, develop, enhance and preserve the artistic, cultural and historic character of the Panhandle.
● Education: Initiatives that further the educational process or improve access to education for children and/or adults in the six county region.
● Environment & Recreation: Initiatives that will restore, revitalize or enhance the environment and/or create or improve recreational opportunities.
● Family: Initiatives that strengthen and enhance the lives of children and families living.
● Health & Wellness: Initiatives that improve the mental and/or physical well-being of people living in the Panhandle.
IMPACT 100 Gulf Coast will not provide grants for:
1. Debt reduction or operational deficits
a. Applying IMPACT 100 Gulf Coast funds to reduce or extinguish existing debt
b. Using IMPACT 100 Gulf Coast funds as operating funds to cover budgeted or non-budgeted shortfalls
2. General operating (day to day) expenses or overhead.
a. The exception to this is the request for items of an operating or overhead nature that are a part of a new or expanded initiative or project to be funded by IMPACT 100 Gulf Coast. Salaries can be covered by grant funds as long as the salary is paid to someone with significant involvement in the grant initiative. A sustainability plan must be provided.
3. Grants to individuals
4. Endowment funding
a. Includes any type of arrangement whereby funds are held temporarily or in perpetuity and not expended within the 24-month period required by IMPACT 100 Gulf Coast
b. Includes replenishment of previously existing endowment funds
5. Interim or bridge funding
a. Using IMPACT 100 Gulf Coast funds as interim financing or in anticipation of financing or of refinancing existing debt
b. Using IMPACT 100 Gulf Coast funds until permanent financing or other funding is received
6. Partisan, legislative, or political activity.
7. Projects of individual churches, synagogues or other religious institutions will not be funded unless a separate tax-exempt entity that is not under the umbrella of the church, synagogue or other religious institution exists for receiving IMPACT 100 Gulf Coast funds.
8. Faith-based projects or programs which require participation in activities of a particular faith, denomination or religion in order to benefit from the project or program.
a. Benefits of the project or program must be available to any person, regardless of religious beliefs or practices
b. Benefits of the project or program must not be dependent on any person being required to participate in any religious activity, ceremony or service
9. Capital improvements or renovations to property for the grant project if the organization does not own or have a lease of at least ten years.
For additional information or questions regarding these criteria and guidelines, please contactus at impact100gulfcoast@gmail.com.
As we continue to grow and evolve, Impact100 Gulf Coast reserves the right to change its eligibility criteria without notice at any time.
