Grants Awarded in 2022

• James Valley Pheasants Forever - $5,000 for Native Plants in Hanson Arts Park
• Ave Maria Village - $2,500 for Portable Oxygen Concentrators
• Essentia Health Foundation - $1,995 for Essentia Health Jamestown Digital Otoscope Project
• Salvation Army - Jamestown:  $1,864 for their food pantry
• Jamestown Area Grief Support Team - $1,000 for Grief Support Group

Grants Awarded in 2021

• Marketplace of Ideas $1,000 Virtual Conversion of Marketplace for Kids Programming
• Anne Carlsen Center $10,585 Pathway For The Future

Grants Awarded in 2020

• South Central Homeless Coalition - $2,000 Laundry Love
• Jamestown Gymnastics Club - $4,530 Raise The Roof
• Jamestown Park & Recreation Foundation - $5,000 Meidinger Splash Park

Grants Awarded in 2019

• BIO Girls - $1,500 Program Support
• Anne Carlsen Center - $1,100 River's Ben & Horsehoe Park Med Cart Computers
• Marketplace of Ideas - $2,500 Marketplace for Kids "Igniting the Spirit of Innovation"
• Jamestown Fine Arts Association - $1,000 Downtown Arts Market
• Jamestown Park & Recreation Foundation - $2,000 Community Bike Fleet
• Eventide Living Center - $1,100 Resident Patio Project
• Gussner PTO - $2,000 The School Snack Fund

Apply for a Grant from the Jamestown Community Foundation

Grant Guidelines

• Grants may be directed to programs and services that benefit a broad segment of our community. Emphasis is placed on applicants who have limited access to other sources of funding.
• Organizations or groups seeking funds must be able to demonstrate effective leadership, sound fiscal management and clear goals.
• Organizations or groups should have at least one full year of operating experience, sufficient resources to accomplish stated objectives, and the capacity to make a significant, favorable impact on the community.
• Grants are limited to one per year per organization or group; multiple grants to the same organization over several years are also limited. The Jamestown Community Foundation does not make continuously recurring grant commitments. Grants do not normally exceed $5,000.

Grants will generally not be considered if they are:

• Outside the purpose and scope of the Jamestown Community Foundation or activities which jeopardize the Foundation’s tax exempt status;
• For general operating support;
• To reimburse costs for a past project or to assist with an event that has already taken place;
• To individuals or groups seeking support for research, planning, personal needs, or travel;
• To religious organizations for support of denominational causes or to religious/church affiliated schools;
• To public service, political campaigns, or political lobbying activities;
• To fraternal, veterans, state or national professional or trade associations;
• For athletic scholarships or advertising sponsorships;
• For publications, audio-visual productions or special broadcasts;
• To other Foundations, Endowments or endowment campaigns, or for capital debt reduction.

Grants will generally not be considered if they are: 

• From a group or an organization located outside a 5-mile radius of the City of Jamestown. Exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis based on the level of impact or benefit to the local community.

Application Procedure:

To be considered, the grant application must be completed online at www.NDCF.net/Jamestown and include the following supporting material:

• A description of the organization or group
• A description of the project including cost, goals and objectives and time frame.
• Explanation of the possibility of the grant leveraging additional support from other sources.
• The level of local involvement and support.
• The number of people served and the impact of the project on the community.
• The degree to which the project duplicates or complements the work of other community organizations.
• The impact of the requested grant on the success of the project.

For grants requests of $2,500 or more, the supporting material must also include:

• The project budget and other sources of financial support.
• A copy of the most recent financial statement (preferably audited) and the most recently filed Form 990, if applicable.
• A list of management, staff, and the board of directors.
• A personal interview with a Jamestown Community Foundation board member and /or presentation to the JCF Board, if requested.

If you have questions or need additional information, including a grant application, you may contact the North Dakota Community Foundation (701-222-8349) or visit our website jamestowncommunityfoundation.com.

Deadline: The committee reviews applications twice a year. Applications received by January 1 will be reviewed in February. Those received by September 1 will be reviewed in October.

How to Apply

Step 1 - Review

Review the grant guidelines above to make sure your organization qualifies.

Step 2 - Register

Create an account on our Grant Portal. You will need your organization’s name, EIN, and executive officer's name. Be sure to write down your user name (email address) and password.

Step 3 – Complete Your Application

After registering or logging in, you will arrive at the application section. Click “Apply” to the right of the grant program to which you wish to apply. If you do not see your desired grant program on the list, contact our office. You will be able to save your application and return later to complete it.

Click here for more detailed instructions and tips for using our online grant system.

Plan Your Legacy

Making a lasting difference in our community or for future generations may be easier than you realize.  With very simple language in your will or trust, you can help the Jamestown Community Foundation Endowment Fund (JCFEF) continue to support important projects and programs in our area forever.

Gifts to the JCFEF are carefully invested by our partner foundation - the North Dakota Community Foundation - to generate a  permanent source of charitable income.

If you have children or other relatives, you can leave a portion of your estate to them and a percentage to JCFEF. Doing so provides for your heirs while honoring your charitable values.

Brothers Russell and Dale Brown left gifts to the communities of Lisbon and Milnor, ND, in their estate plans.

Getting Started

1.  Download our free Estate Planning Guide - it contains helpful information and things to consider as you develop your own unique plan.

2.  Reach out to a Jamestown Community Foundation committee member to learn more about the charities and needs in our area.

3.  Consider discussing (confidentially) your vision with our NDCF gift planner Kara Geiger.  She has many years of experience helping donors create their charitable vision and better prepare for their discussions with financial planners. You can reach Kara at 701-222-8349 or you can email her at Kara@NDCF.net.

4.  Contact your professional advisors (financial planner, attorney and/or accountant) and ask for help in establishing a charitable gift to our foundation.

5.  Make sure your will or living trust is up-to-date and reflects your charitable goals.

6.  Consider notifying the charitable organizations about the gift you plan to leave them.  They will appreciate your generosity and will want to know what you’d like them to do with your eventual gift if it isn't clear.

Language for Your Will or Living Trust

Susanne Mattheis wished to support several different charitable organizations in Bismarck after she passed. NDCF helped her craft a plan that accomplished her charitable goals and provided long-term support to the Public Library, Symphony Orchestra, and five other local entities.

If you would like to include the Jamestown Community Foundation in your will, here is some sample language to consider:

“I give and bequeath to the North Dakota Community Foundation (Tax ID Number 45-0336015), a qualified charitable organization under IRS 501(c)(3), located in Bismarck, North Dakota, ___________ (a percentage of the estate, specific dollar amount, or remainder of estate) for the Jamestown Community Foundation, a permanent component of the North Dakota Community Foundation.”

*  Be sure to contact your legal advisor.

There are many other ways to make a deferred gift to your community, including

• Making NDCF (and your specific community fund) the beneficiary of your life insurance policy, IRA, 401K, or commercial annuity
• Establishing a Charitable Gift Annuity with NDCF
• Other more sophisticated tools, depending on your unique situation

To investigate options and learn more about how other North Dakotans have given back, visit our planned giving website at www.NDCF.net/Plan.