Program Focus and Decision Making Factors

The Foundation provides grants to tax-exempt health care, educational and social service organizations which meet its criteria and effectively assist women, children, those who are elderly and those who are poor to improve the quality of their lives.

The Foundation values working with organizations whose efforts are collaborative, ecumenical and multicultural. Its grantmaking focus is on organizations that serve the unserved or underserved.

Geographic Focus

Grants are made primarily to organizations serving the Metrolina and Western North Carolina regions. Grant requests are also considered from organizations serving other areas of North and South Carolina. Consideration of grant requests from organizations located outside North and South Carolina will be limited to ministries sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas.

Decision-Making Factors

The Foundation will award grants only to organizations qualified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Grant award decisions are contingent upon the availability of Foundation funds and will be based on various organizational and programmatic factors including:

• Organization mission acceptable to the Regional Community of the Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina and the Foundation
• Demonstration of need
• Qualifications to carry out the purposes of the grant
• Empowerment of those persons who are served by involving them whenever possible in the design, implementation and evaluation of the program
• Contribution to systemic change
• Demonstration of program sustainability over time
• Acceptable cost versus benefit comparisons
• Clearly defined and measurable program outcomes that demonstrate impact on the population to be served
• Completeness of the application, including the submission of a current audit or compilation report

Projects, Programs and Services Generally Eligible for Grants

Applications for the following categories of projects, programs and services will generally be eligible for consideration by the Foundation. However, decisions regarding eligibility, approval and the amount of the grant are at the sole discretion of the Foundation.

• Start-up grants for new organizations
• Ongoing operating expenses for individual organizations. The organization must show evidence in the grant application that it is self-sufficient or moving towards self-sufficiency.
• Specific program or project expenses
• Building renovation and equipment. (Priority will be given to ministries sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina and the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas).

Items/Organizations Generally Ineligible for Grants

The Foundation does not award grants to individuals or private foundations nor does it award grants to organizations to be used as pass-through funds for another organization that is not a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization or a governmental entity. The Foundation does not ordinarily support:

• Projects, programs or organizations that serve relatively few people
• Conferences and travel
• Capital or annual fundraising campaigns
• Administrative overhead
• Scholarships
• Private schools
• Research studies
• Units of federal government
• Political activities
• Publication of newsletters, magazines, books and the production of videos
• Endowment funds

Back to Top