Region Development Grants
The Region Development Grant program is designed to provide supplemental funding by the SCCA Foundation for eligible programs of the SCCA Regions. An eligible Region program must have an educational or charitable purpose consistent with the mission and purpose of the SCCA. That educational or charitable purpose must be clearly stated or described in the answer to Question 7 (Goal/Purpose of the Program) of the grant application.
Grant requests will be reviewed by a committee made up of members of the SCCA Foundation Board of Directors and National Staff Region Development department. Submissions will be judged on merit, strength of justification, and identified needs.
DEADLINES
Grants will be considered for award quarterly. Grant submissions must be received by the Foundation no later than 30 days prior to the start of a new quarter to be considered during that quarter:
February 28
May 31
August 31
November 30
OUT OF CYCLE REQUESTS
Late submitted grant requests will be held and considered during the next quarterly round of grants. “Out of cycle” grant requests may be submitted due to a justifiable hardship. Grant awards typically will be announced within 30 days of the start of a new quarter (April 30, July 31, Oct. 31, Jan. 31).
HOW TO APPLY
Applications must be complete and submitted by the Region's RE and include a detailed project management plan, with goals and objectives, timelines, overall budget, the schedule, and region-provided, or sponsor-provided financial resources that are in addition to the grant funding being requested. These grants are for SCCA Regions that have done their homework but require financial assistance to make it happen.
Grant dollar amounts will normally not exceed $3,000 but may exceed that on a case-by-case basis with sufficient justification as determined by the Foundation.
What types of programs quailfy?
YES
A Region may need funding for an exhibit space at an auto show to educate the public about teen safe driving and SCCA activities. In addition to or as an alternative to promoting the Tire Rack Street Survival program, there might be educational flyers providing safe driving tips, suggestions for ways parents might help their teens to learn to drive safely, and opportunities to build driving skills at local SCCA events.
YES
A Region may need funding to help pay for hosting a novice school available to the general public, to learn about how to autocross in a safe manner, the advanced driving skills learned through autocross, and the capabilities of the car through instruction by qualified instructors. (Having the program be available to the general public goes to who is invited to participate but does not prohibit compliance with the sanction and insurance requirements around weekend memberships once the member of the public decides to participate.)
NO
Grant applications for the purchase of equipment that will only benefit members of the Club or event sites generally will not qualify as an educational or charitable purpose without further explanation. For example, asking for $3,000 toward the purchase of a new tow truck for road racing events would not qualify as an educational or charitable use of the funds.
Eligibility Criteria
In evaluating a grant, the selection committee will give the most attention and focus to projects which meet the following criteria:
Educational or charitable purpose:
It is consistent with the SCCA Foundation’s 501(c)(3) status by having an educational or charitable purpose. The program also must be within SCCA’s purpose (for example, building low-income housing may be a charitable purpose but is not within the SCCA’s purpose).
Open to or benefitting the general public and not just Club members:
Having the program be available to the general public goes to who is invited to participate but does not prohibit compliance with the sanction and insurance requirements around weekend memberships once the member of the public decides to participate.
It is innovative or demonstrates need:
The request should directly add value to Region and Club activities or represent a new and innovative approach, or an approach that could potentially serve as a pilot project to test a concept for adaptation by other Regions.
Facilitates the start of a new Region program or enhances existing Region operations or event experience in a meaningful way (i.e., starting a rallycross program or road rally program that educates the general public about these programs and the driving skillsets to be learned through them, or funding a race worker hands-on training program, and the related outreach to the general public or educational purpose in support of the program).
It is backed by a detailed project management plan that includes:
Description of request: What are the goals and objectives, deliverables (what you will deliver to meet your goal), metrics (how you will measure the success of your request), budget and financial plan (what is the overall projected budget, what other funding sources will be used)?
Project Schedule that identifies the overall timeline as well as major milestones for the entire project.
Project Management: Who are the people who will lead the project/request and who are the primary contacts?
It is supported in part by funding from other sources:
The SCCA Foundation Grant should be for only a portion of the projected costs. The Region should be able to demonstrate that it has or will raise part of the costs from other sources such as Region funds, member donations, and local business sponsors.
Eligible Costs
All eligible expenses must be based upon real costs. Applications without a realistic and cost-effective budget will not receive consideration. Expenses must:
Be required for the project’s success: All expenses must be directly linked to the budget and financial planning components of the project management plan. Expenses that reflect the use of external vendors (consultants, contractors, etc.) must be precisely defined
Be directly invoiced by the Grant applicant: Eligible expenses which involve external vendors (consultants, contractors, etc.) must be invoiced by the Grant recipient. External vendors will not be paid directly by the Foundation Grant.
Comply with the principles of sound financial management.
Any Grant funds not used for the project shall be returned to the Foundation for other projects.
Application
At a minimum, the application should include:
Region Name
Project Contact(s)
Project Name
Project Narrative Summary
Goal/Purpose
Anticipated Result (allow or aid a region’s ability to conduct an SCCA program, the anticipated increase in participation, additional Region revenue generated, marketing exposure, etc.)
Project Timeline including identification of major milestones.
Project Budget (total amount needed for success)
A summary of region-provided, or sponsor-provided financial resources that are in addition to the grant funding being requested.
Amount of Funds Requested
Questions that are not applicable should be marked as “N/A”
Conditions of Award
If an SCCA Foundation Grant is awarded, there will be conditions associated with acknowledging the award including SCCA Foundation branding or acknowledgment in other forms from the receiving Region. This program is only possible if there is awareness of the SCCA Foundation and its fundraising efforts.
Additional Requirements
Grant awardees will be required to report project progress and outcomes at the completion of major milestones to the Foundation via email: info@sccafoundation.org.
At the completion of the project/program/event associated with the grant, awardees will submit lessons learned to the Foundation via email: info@sccafoundation.org.
Donations
Foundation grants are made possible by the generous donations of members and Regions. If your Region would like to help this program continue to flourish, donations to the SCCA Foundation can be earmarked for this program. Contact info@sccafoundation.org for more information.