The Coop Foundation

The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod Charitable Foundation Trust

Overview:

The mission of The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod Charitable Foundation Trust (The Coop Foundation) is to cultivate vibrant and thriving communities. The Coop Foundation considers grant requests that enhance quality of life through programs and initiatives that meet the fundamental needs and challenges of our friends and neighbors in the communities the Bank serves.

In order to make the greatest impact on our communities, the Bank has identified five core areas of impact that will be considered for grants. They include the following:

Economic Development & Self-Sufficiency

The Coop Foundation is committed to improving our communities’ financial literacy and promoting economic self-sufficiency. We provide funding to nonprofit organizations providing financial literacy education, training and resources that empower individuals to build a strong financial foundation for themselves and their families. Economic development also includes supporting programs that spur business growth; attract, engage, and retain qualified professionals; and support key economic drivers.

Community Vitality & Sustainability

The Coop Foundation believes that there’s a special and unique way of life on Cape Cod. We’re committed to help sustain that way of life by supporting organizations actively working to bring vitality to our communities through various initiatives including small business innovation and entrepreneurship, environmental stewardship, multicultural and inter-generational programming, affordable and accessible housing, and the economic and environmental challenges facing the region.

Thriving Youth & Families

The Coop Foundation supports programs that help our youth and families live healthy and happy lives. We support organizations working in the areas of education, childcare and after-school activities, mentoring, food insecurity, child and family safety, early childhood learning, recreational youth development, and other programs that give our youth a sense of community, purpose, and self-worth.

Education & Learning

The Foundation provides funding for organizations invested in bringing the Arts, Science, Technology, Marine Study, and the Trades to the community and creating a stepping stone from study and training to the workforce.

Health & Human Care

The Foundation understands that when our communities are healthy, we all win. We believe in a holistic approach to creating a healthy environment for people of all ages and walks of life. We support organizations providing health services to the most vulnerable members of our society including at-risk youth, senior citizens, veterans and military personnel, those struggling with addiction and recovery, and people living with mental illness.

Types of Giving

We recognize the need for nonprofits to receive significant gifts from local funders. We consider all fully-completed applications submitted with the requested documentation, and strive to create partnerships with our local charitable organizations; however, at this time, we do not consider requests from newly formed or created non-profits. Please keep in mind that we receive many requests throughout the year and are unable to fund them all. For organizations applying for a grant from The Coop Foundation, we provide grants for the following types of requests:

Capital Campaigns

  • The Coop Foundation understands that many capital campaigns are building-related. In order to qualify for a capital campaign building request, sufficient evidence must be provided that the mission of the organization will be jeopardized without repairs, renovations, or new construction of a building. We do not contribute to the preservation of historical buildings. The impact to the community and the people benefitting from the work of the nonprofit needs to be clearly outlined.

Scholarships

  • Requests should have a specific focus area and address a critical need.
  • Precedence is given to requests that provide accessibility to all regardless of economic standing.
  • Examples include scholarships to pursue the arts, music education, continuing education, and career training.

Programmatic

  • Launch a new program or initiative with clear data supporting the need for a new program.
  • Expand an existing program or initiative with past success.
  • Opportunity for bank employees to be involved in financial literacy education

Matching Grants

  • Provide a challenge for the community to raise a set amount of dollars for The Coop Foundation to match.
  • Partner with other local funders to increase the size of a matching grant.
  • Provide a partial or full match to what has already been committed.

Multi-Year Grants

  • Most requests totaling more than $15,000 will be considered for a multi-year commitment.
  • Continued funding is dependent on reports from the nonprofit organization that the campaign, program, scholarship, etc. has successful performance and a positive impact on the community.
  • Allows for a higher grant amount and building a positive and symbiotic relationship with our nonprofit partners.

Guidelines

The Coop Foundation has four main grant cycles per year. Grant requests should be a minimum of $2,500 for consideration. The Coop Foundation has four main grant cycles per year: February, May, August, and November. Deadlines for each quarter are as follows:

  • Quarter 1: December 15
  • Quarter 2: March 15
  • Quarter 3: June 15
  • Quarter 4: September 15

We want to make applying for a grant from The Coop Foundation as straight-forward and accessible as possible, so please abide by the following guidelines:

  • All requests must be from a 501(c)(3) Non Profit Organization located on Cape Cod, or directly benefitting Cape Codders. 100% of the monies received must stay in Barnstable County.
  • The request must align with our mission, fall within one of our five Areas of Impact, and abide by our Types of Giving.
  • All grants awarded are required to provide an annual report to help The Coop Foundation track the progress of the project, its impact on the community, and assess the project’s effectiveness. 
  • For multi-year grants, each non-profit will be required to provide additional reporting on the impact of the grant at the end of each year. This report will help to determine the continuation of the multi-year grant.
  • We expect requests for support will be reasonable and in line with the scope of the project or the number of people who will benefit.
  • Requests must be made through our electronic form. We provide no guarantee that a paper request sent through the mail or through direct email will be reviewed.
  • Please include all relevant information as attachments.

Additionally, we’re committed to supporting organizations that do not discriminate based on race, color, gender, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, genetic information, U.S. veteran status or active U.S. uniformed service, or any other classification protected by law. We seek to fund programs and projects with a demonstrated, tangible record of success, so we reserve the right not to support:

  • General operating support.
  • Individuals.
  • Religious organizations, including restoration of church buildings.
  • Labor and fraternal organizations (including fraternal orders of police/firefighters).
  • Political organizations or projects.
  • Operating deficits.
  • Governmental and quasi-governmental public agencies or organizations.

 

Apply Now