If you received a one-year Community Grant awarded in December 2024 or earlier, you are eligible to apply.
If you received a two-year Community Grant awarded in December 2024 (with a second payment issued in December 2025), you are not eligible to apply.
If you received a Community Grant in 2025 (with a payment issued in December 2025), you are not eligible to apply.

My organization is not a 501(c)(3). Can I still apply to the Charitable Foundation for funding?

Non-tax-exempt organizations can only apply through a fiscal sponsor which is a 501(c)(3) and which signs a fiscal sponsorship agreement as part of the application process (an agreement template is included in the application). Organizations applying via a fiscal sponsor, if funded, will receive a project grant.

If my organization is making a request with a fiscal sponsor, do we use the fiscal sponsor’s financial information and list of board members?

The application will require both the applying organization and fiscal sponsor to provide financial information and names of members of their boards of directors.

If my organization serves as a fiscal sponsor for an applicant, are we eligible to submit a separate application for our own efforts?

Yes.

If my organization (or its fiscal sponsor) is a religious organization that does non-sectarian or secular work, are we eligible to apply?

We do not fund religious activities of any kind through the Responsive Grants program. Religious organizations are, however, eligible for project funding through this program to provide services that are non-discriminatory, non-sectarian and that benefit the larger community. (A good example of this would be a grant to support a church-run food pantry that is open to all.)

What if my organization is headquartered outside of New Hampshire, or we are headquartered inside New Hampshire but also work in other states?

Organizations that are headquartered outside of the Charitable Foundation’s service area and are currently implementing programs in New Hampshire (and/or select communities in Maine and Vermont, as listed in the geographic focus section of the Responsive Grants program webpage) are eligible and must be clear in sharing the communities they will serve with their request. If funded, the grant will be restricted to work in this service area.

My organization is focused on substance use disorders, prevention, harm reduction, treatment and/or recovery services. Are we eligible to apply?

Only those organizations that have NOT received a grant by invitation for work in this area are eligible to apply for a Responsive Grants program grant. Please note: organizations will only be considered if they are following evidence-based practice, are working in collaboration with other partners within New Hampshire’s SUD/Behavioral Health ecosystem and are in good standing with NH DHHS, if applicable. If your organization is a recovery house, the Foundation is only entertaining funding proposals from recovery houses that are certified and in good standing with the NH DHHS-sanctioned certifying agency, NH Partnership for Recovery Residencies (NHPRR). Documentation of current certification will be required as part of the grant application.

Do you fund start-ups, grassroots or emergent organizations?

Yes. New organizations without 501(c)(3) tax status must apply through a fiscal sponsor that is a 501(c)(3).

Can I apply multiple times a year for funding through this program?

No. Organizations may only submit one request in 2026.

Should I apply for a project grant or an unrestricted operating grant?

We are not asking for organizations to differentiate for this program. The application will simply ask you to describe the need you plan to address and how you intend to do so. Operating expenses associated with addressing that need are acceptable. In some circumstances, such as when an organization applies through a fiscal sponsor, or is headquartered outside of New Hampshire, funding may be restricted to a specific program and/or to work conducted within the Foundation’s eligible service area.

How do I know if my organization is eligible for funding through this program?

To receive a grant from the Charitable Foundation, organizations must be operating in New Hampshire or in select communities in Maine and Vermont and be recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Organizations that are not 501(c)(3) tax exempt must have a formal arrangement with a qualified 501(c)(3) to accept and administer the grant on their behalf.

Religious organizations are eligible for funding through this program to provide services that are non-discriminatory, non-sectarian and that benefit the larger community.

The following organizations are not eligible to request funding through this program:

Private, non-operating foundations
Private, operating foundations
Public, charter, and private schools (including nonprofit schools)
Hospitals
Colleges/universities
Municipalities
State government agencies
Non-501(c)(3) organizations (without a fiscal sponsor)
Nonprofit organizations that received a multiyear Community Grant awarded in December 2024 or a Community Grant in 2025.
Nonprofit partners receiving a New Hampshire Charitable Foundation initiative-based grant, invited grant or Tillotson Local or Large grant are not eligible to apply. Please reach out to tenagncc@aups.bet if you are unsure whether this includes your organization.

What financial information does my organization need to provide?

The ‘Financial’ tab on your GrantSource organizational profile must be current and complete. You will also be asked to upload your organization’s most recent completed fiscal year’s budget to actuals to the ‘Financial’ tab on the profile.

Is an audit or reviewed financial statement required for this program?

No, but if your organization has this document, please upload it to the GrantSource organizational profile ‘Financial’ tab.

Do we need a strategic plan to apply for funding through this program?

No, but if your organization has a current one, please upload it to the GrantSource organizational profile on the ‘Org Info 2’ tab.

How much should we ask for when applying for funding through this program?

Organizations can apply for up to $10,000 for one year of funding. Because funding is limited, please carefully consider the right amount to request for your organization. Organizations requesting a grant amount that would be a substantial percentage of their overall annual budget should explain (in the application narrative) why such an amount is needed and how the organization plans to increase funding from other sources.

Can you tell me more about the “eligibility checklist” we are asked to submit when completing our profile?

The eligibility checklist is used to ensure that nonprofits applying for grants from the Charitable Foundation follow all legal requirements for New Hampshire nonprofit organizations and have implemented basic financial controls and oversight of operations. We require that all New Hampshire organizations complete the eligibility checklist, and if the answer to any question on the checklist is “no” we provide a space to provide an explanation. The eligibility checklist responses are to be certified/signed by the applying organization’s Executive Director/CEO, Board Chair, or Board Treasurer. Other staff certifications will not be accepted. If you are not a New Hampshire-based 501(c)(3), you are not required to complete the checklist.

We have a grant from the Charitable Foundation from an agency, designated and/or donor-advised fund. Does that affect our eligibility to apply for funding through this program?

Generally, no. Requests through the Responsive Grants program are typically open to organizations that have received funding from the Charitable Foundation through agency, designated and/or donor-advised funds.

If we apply for funding and are declined, are we eligible to apply next year?

Yes. Eligible applicants whose proposals are declined are welcome to submit another proposal in 2027.

Does the Foundation fund advocacy? What about lobbying?

Yes. Systems-change work and advocacy activities such as lobbying can be important tools for community impact. Advocacy includes a wide range of activities from public education to messaging/communications, grassroots organizing, policy analysis, litigation and legislative lobbying. The Charitable Foundation, like all nonprofits, is permitted to support any or all these activities in appropriate circumstances and within relevant limits.

What are the expectations about grant reports and how are they submitted?

A brief final report is due a year after a grant from this program is awarded. This report will be available for completion and submission through the GrantSource portal. To submit a grant report, log in to GrantSource and submit your final report via the online portal. Other reporting options are available such as a meeting or phone call to update staff on grant progress. If submitting a written report poses a challenge, please contact staff to discuss these options.

How do I know if I have an outstanding final grant report?

When you log in to your GrantSource portal, you will see reports due on your dashboard.

Is there a deadline for the grant funds to be used?

The grant award letter will state the terms of the award and any deadlines for the funds to be expended. For this program that timeframe is one year. If you know you will need more time to complete the work and expend the grant funds, or you find that you need to adjust the purpose or use of the funds, a grant change request form can be added to your grant in GrantSource by emailing tenagncc@aups.bet. Then you may submit the “grant change request” through the GrantSource portal.

Do you ever provide partial funding?

Whenever possible, the Charitable Foundation aims to fully fund a request that has been selected for an award, and we encourage applicants to ask for the precise amount of grant funding that they hope to receive. However, there are circumstances in which partial funding may be awarded.

What role do donors play in funding Responsive Grants? How can I get my work in front of the Foundation’s donors?

The Charitable Foundation uses a range of different types of funds to fund our grants. Strong proposals that may align with donors’ interest are shared directly with donors. We highly encourage all nonprofits, whether you plan to apply for a grant or not, to establish a profile on GrantSource and keep it updated, so that we have easy access to information about your work to share with interested donors.

I have an additional question, to whom should I speak?

After reviewing our online grant program materials, if you have additional questions, please reach out to our Grant Management staff at tenagncc@aups.bet or 1-800-464-6641 ext. 5. Our staff are available Monday-Thursday between 8:30 am-5:00 pm and Friday 8:30 am-3:00 pm.