Grants  |  Healthy Community Grant

Healthy Community Grant

The Arras Foundation invests in transformational solutions that positively impact the people and region of Lancaster County, Fort Lawn, and Great Falls, South Carolina.

Healthy Community Grants are designed to connect and support organizations whose work builds on community assets or proposes ways to turn community challenges into opportunities for positive change and for seeing the possible.

The grant application focuses on multi-sector collaboration, planning, and outcomes. Seekers of Healthy Community Grants must complete steps before they are invited to apply for a grant. Please see the process outlined below.

Healthy Community Grant applications are accepted throughout the year.

Mural Court groundbreaking
Learn to Swim program
Cultural Arts Center, Lancaster

Eligibility & Fit

Please review each of the following sections carefully to determine eligibility and fit.

An organization seeking a Healthy Community Grant must answer “yes” to all of the following questions:

  • Does your organization align with the North Star of the Arras Foundation?
  • Is your organization headquartered in or does it serve in at least one of the following communities:
    • Lancaster County,
    • Fort Lawn, or
    • Great Falls, South Carolina?
  • Does your organization work to build community health in at least one (1) of the Arras Foundation’s Community Health Priority Indicator Areas:
    • Economic Vitality,
    • Education,
    • Health,
    • Natural Environment, or
    • Social & Cultural Wellbeing?
  • Is your organization in good standing with the IRS and the South Carolina Secretary of State?
  • Has your organization been fully operating for at least one (1) year?

If you answered “no” to one or more of the questions above, your organization is not currently eligible for a grant. Please subscribe to our newsletter to learn about other ways to get involved with the Arras Foundation.

Organizations must be located in or provide services in Lancaster County, Fort Lawn, or Great Falls, South Carolina.

Organizations must align with one (or more) of our Community Health indicator areas: Economic Vitality, Education, Health, Natural Environment, or Social & Cultural Wellbeing.

The following types of organizations may be eligible for a Healthy Community Grant:

  • 501(c)3 nonprofits that are in good standing with the IRS and with the South Carolina Secretary of State
  • Governmental agencies
  • Publicly-funded educational institutions

The following are not eligible for Healthy Community Grant funding:

  • Businesses
  • Debt relief
  • Individual requests
  • Political or partisan proposals
  • Professional associations
  • Projects that are typically the funding responsibility of federal, state, or local government
  • Projects that promote specific political or religious views
  • Sponsorships or fundraising events
  • Startups
  • Travel and conferences

Grantmaking Guidelines

Successful Healthy Community Grant seekers comply with the following guidelines:

  • Your approaches and programming are informed by data, needs assessment, and/or direct engagement with the communities you serve
  • You prioritize collaboration and/or multi-sector work with other nonprofit organizations, businesses, and/or government entities
  • Your organization has an operating budget for your current fiscal year

For your planning purposes, the Healthy Community Grant process may take up to 6 months.

Application Process

Determine Eligibility & Fit

Before applying, please review the Eligibility & Fit section and the grantee guidelines to determine whether or not your work aligns with the Arras Foundation.

Please also review our Community Health Indicator Project and identify which priority indicator area(s) your proposal is intended to strengthen or support. We require that proposals strengthen at least one priority indicator area to be considered for funding.

Fill out Healthy Community Grant Interest Form

Once you have determined that your organization and intended proposal meets all criteria, you may proceed by filling out an online Interest Form. Interest forms are reviewed by members of the Arras Foundation staff.

Once reviewed and determined eligibility, scope, and mission alignment, you will be contacted directly regarding next steps. If your interest form shows your proposal is clearly not within the scope of the Foundation, you will be notified.

Grant Application Process (by invitation only)

Organizations that exhibit complete understanding of eligibility, readiness, and guidelines, and that have submitted an eligible interest form will be contacted directly to begin the Healthy Community Grant application process:

  • Exploratory process
    • Conversation-based and relationship-building meetings with foundation staff to determine that your need aligns with the foundation
  • Submit letter of intent
    • Applicants will be invited to submit a formal letter of intent to apply
  • Submit full application
    • After letter of intent review, applicants will be invited to submit a formal grant application through our grants management system portal
    • Please be prepared to submit with your application the following materials:
      • Organizational budget for the current fiscal year
      • Healthy Community Grant Budget (download template here)
      • Most recently-approved strategic or business plans
      • Most recent year-end financials
      • Most recent audit
      • Any additional research that supports the need of your request

Grant Review

Arras Foundation staff conduct due diligence and will perform financial review. During the review process, any clarifications or other information needed will be communicated.

Arras Foundation Grants Committee, comprised of trustees and community advisors, may be interested in conducting a site visit to your organization to ask any clarification questions or to connect further.

Grant Decision

All grant decisions are made by the Arras Foundation Board of Trustees.

Our Process

Contact Us

Healthy Community Grants are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.

If you have questions regarding Healthy Community Grants or the application process, please contact our Director of Grantmaking & Community Engagement, Cynthia Curtis.