How to apply for funding

Thank you for your interest in applying to the Globeville Elyria Swansea Community Investment Fund! Read on to learn who can apply, what types of projects are accepted, how applications are scored, and reward amounts.

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What is the a Community Investment Fund?

Community Investment Funds (CIF) provide dollars targeted to communities that have been affected by policies and decision making that systemically harm people economically, educationally, environmentally, and/or sociologically.  Communities receiving CIF resources can be neighborhoods, cities, countries, etc., or as particular populations in an area.

CIFs typically prioritize funding ideas that look to solve imposed inequities that prevent a  community from thriving in place, and sustaining healthy, productive living across generations. 

In the long-run, CIF projects and initiatives can directly contribute to deconstructing inequitable systems and replacing them with equity-based investment systems. However, the model has a mission and strategies to  immediately impact lives in communities constructively – improving in the near-term the day-to-day health of and opportunities for residents and businesses.

Who can apply for funding?

Individuals, groups, and organizations are welcome to apply at all funding levels.  An individual is one person, a group is multiple people, and an organization has a particular status (such as a 501c3, LLC, etc.).

What types of projects can be submitted?

We are seeking to fund aspirational projects that benefit the community and challenge gentrification, build community empowerment, and combat the historic and systemic marginalization of the GES communities. 

Projects can benefit individuals, but should also show investment in a block, a street, more broadly across your neighborhood in Globeville, Elyria, and Swansea. 

Applications which show support from immediate neighbors, and/or shows involvement of multiple community members and/or groups, and those that express how their project will benefit the community broadly, will likely be highly scored. 

Proposals could include, but are not limited to:

  • Funding for iwheelchair ramps, interior and accessibility home modifications, individual home repairs, upkeep, and/or items for safety

  • Including funding for food access programming, mental health resources, exercise classes and clubs, flower and garden bed maintenance

  • Including funding to support locally owned and operated small businesses and cooperatives, efforts to support neighborhood workers, businesses courses including how to open, operate, sustain and market a business

  • including funds for art therapy projects, spoken word poetry, supplies, community organizations, preserving history and local storytelling

  • including childcare programs, after school programming, career preparation, mentorship opportunities, recreational activities and visits to locations across the city, activity clubs (coffee, book, bike, walking) and athletics

  • including funding for community led conversations, how to start a community based organization, civic engagement trainings, organizer trainings, leadership courses

  • including funding for programs that teach the the history of environmental racism in GES, know your rights trainings, programs that inform, mitigate, and/or improve local air, water, and soil

How much money will be awarded?

We anticipate funding award amounts and number of grants awarded at following levels, but final decisions will be made by the grant committee:

  • 20 grants at $500 

  • 10 grants at $1,000 

  • 8 grants at $2,500 

  • 4 grants at $5,000 

  • 2 grants at $10,000

What is the scoring criteria?

Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

  • Meets a defined community benefit (Housing, Health, Economic Opportunity, Art, Youth/Elder Engagement, Community Voice, Environment)  

  • Aligns with the CIF Mission: Based on historic inequalities and recent redevelopment projects, the CIF exists to support and fund community wants, needs and aspirations that focus on those inequalities in the surrounding neighborhoods of Globeville, Elyria, and Swansea. 

  • Application comes from GES residents or people/groups with historic relationships in the neighborhoods

  • Viability

  • Does the budget seem reasonable?

  • Is the project partnered with other organizations, people in the neighborhoods?

Application Resources

We created these resources to support you in the application process. Please make a copy of these documents in order to write in them.

Information Sessions

Check out our virtual information sessions, available in English and Spanish. These videos include slides that walk viewers through all of the application questions.

Ready to Apply?

If you have any questions about the application or need support to complete it, please do not hesitate to contact us