Frequently Asked Questions

Grant seekers

Does my organization have to be located in Mercer County to receive a competitive grant?
The Community Foundation’s competitive grants are made to nonprofits located in and/or directly serving residents of Mercer County, New Jersey, and the immediately adjoining areas of surrounding counties.

Who can apply for a grant?
Nonprofit organizations that have tax-exempt status under Section 501 (c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code are eligible. They must be registered with the State of New Jersey as a charity, unless they are religious organizations, or schools that file their curricula with the Department of Education and are exempt from the provisions of the New Jersey Charitable Registration and Investigation Act.

When can an application be submitted?
Applications are accepted twice each year for the spring and fall grant cycles. Please visit our Events page for specific deadline dates.

What can an organization apply for?
Applications can be submitted for: Program and/or Operating Support for Organizations that Address the Needs of Low-Income Individuals and Families Or Program Support for Projects that Build Community Within and Among Municipalities. (Please see the Greater Mercer Grants Guidelines at www.pacf.org/grants for more details)

Can I apply for a multi-year grant?
Grants are for one-year terms. Current grantees are welcome to submit new applications. Organizations that have received prior-year funding, or funding for consecutive years, are not guaranteed continued support for the same project.

What if an organization doesn’t use all of the funds for the approved project?
Grant money must be used exclusively for the purposes and activities specified in the grant application. Grantees may be required to return grant funds not used in the manner described in their grant proposal. Grantees should notify the Community Foundation as soon as possible if their needs or circumstances change.

How do I request a grant from a donor advised fund?

Who can I contact with other questions about Greater Mercer Grants?
Deborah Aubert Thomas, Director of Grants and Programs can be contacted at daubert-thomas@pacf.org or be calling 609-219-1800.

Is this a grant from the fund advisor or the Princeton Area Community Foundation?
Because donors to Advised Funds have already received a tax deduction for their gift to the Community Foundation, this is a grant from the Princeton Area Community Foundation. Any receipt or public recognition for the grant should recognize that. There is no need to send the Community Foundation a thank-you letter or receipt. We consider the cancelled check as proof of your acknowledgement that no goods or services were received by the fund advisor in exchange for the grant. We do suggest that you thank the fund advisor when appropriate for recommending that the Community Foundation make a grant to your organization, but please do not send them a tax receipt.

How do we contact the fund advisor who made the recommendation?
You may already have the contact information for this fund advisor in your organization’s records. If not, it may be listed in the lower left hand corner of the grant letter. If it is not listed on the letter, the fund advisor has requested that their contact information not be released. The Community Foundation does not divulge such fund advisors’ addresses, nor are we able to forward mail sent to them in care of the Community Foundation.

May I apply for another grant from this Fund?
The Community Foundation does not accept proposals directed to Advised Funds because grants from Advised Funds are based on consultation with and recommendations from fund advisors.

Whom should we list in our Annual Report or other Donor Recognition Listing?

Please list the “[Fund name] at the Princeton Area Community Foundation.”  If the grant is anonymous, simply list the Princeton Area Community Foundation.  When acknowledging gifts from multiple Funds within the Community Foundation, we recommend the following example:

 Princeton Area Community Foundation

-Clark and Candy Fund
-The Fund for Women and Girls
-Michael and Mary Jones Family Fund