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What are Community Grants?
Under Nevada law, the Board of County Commissioners may award grant funding to non-profit community organizations that provide a substantial benefit to the residents of the County.
NRS 244.1505 states that a Board of County Commissioners may grant or donate monies to a non-profit organization created for religious, charitable, or educational purposes, or to a government entity, for any purpose which will provide a substantial benefit to the inhabitants of the County. These grants must be awarded by resolution.
To qualify for funding an organization is required to submit a completed application to Douglas County with the following:
* Organization information (i.e. history, mission, the geographical area served)
* Organization’s financial information (i.e. availability of alternate funding, financial statements)
* Information regarding the program/project the requested funding will be used for
* The results achieved from any prior year’s grant funding that was received (if applicable)
How Community Grants are Funded
General Fund
During the budget process, the Board of County Commissioners approves a budget for the Community Grant Program from the available one-time, adjusted opening fund balance, resulting from prior fiscal year savings. As such, funds may increase, decrease, or be eliminated based on available financial resources.
Social Services Indigent Fund
Social Services funds include a dedicated tax rate which must be awarded to benefit the County’s indigent population. During the budget process, a portion of these funds is budgeted for the Community Grant Program.
Over the past 15 years, the Community Grant Program has awarded over $1,990,200 to help support countless Douglas County non-profit organizations.
Please NOTE: All grant awards are conditioned on the Board of County Commissioners appropriating sufficient funding for the Community Grant Program during the grant cycle, and approving the grant award resolution.
How the Program Has Evolved
Community Grant Committee
During Fiscal Year 2015-16, the community grant committee was assembled to review applications and provide a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners. The grant committee consists of one social services staff, one finance staff, and one staff from the County Manager's Office. During Fiscal Year 2020-2021 the community grant committee recommended updating the policy and procedures, to include program forms, to improve the expectations and consistency of the program.
2021-2022 brought continued improvements with awardee training.
2022-2023 The Awardee Success Page was born. Information from the awardees regarding the success of their projects is viewable to the public.
2024-2025 Applications will be open 16 February 2024 and awarded prior to the fiscal year start in July. There will be a webinar on TEAMs explaining grant changes: program overview, evaluation criteria, application requirements and forms as well as answering questions on 20 February 2024. Funding for FY2024-2025 Community Grants was not approved. If there is available funding at mid-year funding may be possible.
How are the funds awarded?
A committee is assembled each year that evaluates all applications in accordance with the assigned criteria. Any grant awards are allocated based on available funding for that fiscal year. The committee presents its recommendations to the Audit Committee which reviews and either accepts or rejects the Community Grant Committee's recommendations. The final step is with the Board of County Commissioners, where the recommendations are considered by the Board and the public is able to provide comments. Once a final consensus is reached, a resolution is presented as passed. Awardees are then notified.
Please NOTE: All grant awards are conditioned on the Board of County Commissioners appropriating sufficient funding for the Community Grant Program during the grant cycle, and approving the grant award resolution.