The Legacy Foundation’s Bright Ideas Community Enrichment Fund was established in 2011 to support charitable intentions of the various 501(c)(3) not for profit organizations that serve to enrich the quality of life for the residents of the City of Ottumwa and Wapello County. Embedded in all that we do is a commitment to advance the health, education and community vitality for our citizens.
We are always looking to support new and innovative ideas and efforts that can have measurable impact on the residents and communities in Wapello County. Further purposes of the Bright Ideas Community Enrichment Fund include, but are not limited to, providing for the promotion of and expanding access and distribution of human services, recreational programming, art, cultural, and humanities needs and issues of the City of Ottumwa and Wapello County. Thank you for considering us as a prospective partner in your work!
Eligibility Criteria for Grant Requests
The applying organization must be an IRS designated 501(c)(3) not for profit providing services in Wapello County. Priority is given to programs and projects most likely to have a positive impact on area residents. The Legacy Foundation will fund only single year grants, no multiple year grants will be funded through this program. Eligible projects for this program will range in size from $2,500 to $30,000.
In reviewing grant applications, the foundation gives careful consideration to:
- Programs and projects that are unique, creative and without duplicative services
- Programs and projects which are responsive to basic human needs
- Programs and projects which promote inclusiveness and diversity
- Programs and projects which connect individuals and families to our community; particularly those programs and projects that advance the Foundation’s strategic priorities of economic prosperity, educational opportunities, quality of life and housing availability.
- Potential impact of the grant and the number of individuals in the area who will benefit
- The ability of the organization to obtain the necessary additional funding to implement the project and to provide or obtain ongoing funding after the grant has been expended
- The possibility of using the grant to match funds from other sources
- Larger grant requests (those above $20,000) are recommended to have a minimum of a 25% funding match
Application submission to the Bright Ideas Community Enrichment fund will not be considered
- To individuals or for profit organizations
- For event sponsorships
- To organizations that do not have a 501(c)3 status
- To organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, creed, gender or sexual orientation
- To programs that do not fall within the specified geographic region
- To sectarian religious activities or direct political lobbying
- For debt reduction
- From organizations that have not completed a requested follow-up report or evaluation form from a previous grant award
- From organizations whose values do not align with those of the Foundation
Proposal Process
Applicants must complete and submit the online grant application by the specified deadline. Applicants may not apply more than once per cycle and may not apply more than twice in a calendar year. In some cases, during the evaluation period, a site visit may be requested. The Bright Ideas Community Enrichment Fund Grants Committee will make its recommendations to the Board of Directors who has the final authority to approve or deny any grant request.
To Apply
Organizations that are a 501c(3) not for profit and interested in applying for a grant from the Bright Ideas Community Enrichment Fund must first submit an application by clicking the link below during an open grant cycle round. The Foundation uses an online grant application process. No paper applications will be accepted. For your convenience, you may review the Grant Checklist prior to applying. You may also access the narrated tutorials below (be advised that the file will open as a PowerPoint in a new window:
Access the narrated tutorials
(file will open as a PowerPoint in a new window)
Bright Ideas applications will be accepted during the following cycle timeframes throughout the 2024 year
February 1 – February 28 (5:00 p.m. CST)
June 1 – June 30 (5:00 p.m. CST)
September 15 – October 15 (5:00 p.m. CST)
