General Grants

General Grants are awarded to fund costs for a variety of grantee activities.  They can help with operating costs of an organization, and/or developing, implementing, and/or maintaining a project or program.

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How to Apply

Applications for all grant requests must be made via our online portal.
Requests received via email, phone, or direct mail will not be reviewed.

Information about General Grants

Grant Program and Timeline

  • Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for review by the Trustees.
  • There is no application deadline.
  • Applicants are eligible to receive one General Grant per 12-month period.

Qualifying for a General Grant

  • Request must fall into one of the Foundation’s areas of interest.
  • The organization must provide services to Frederick County, MD residents. Only the costs of the programs or projects associated with the services provided to Frederick County residents will be considered for funding.
  • Minimum amount considered for grant requests is $2,500.
  • Requested dollar amounts must be realistic and supported by documentation. A clear description of the need for funding must be provided.
  • Operating costs include the fixed and variable expenses of the organization.
  • Program costs include expenses associated with the providing the services related to the organization’s mission.
  • Project costs include expenses associated with a specific activity that moves the organization’s mission forward.

General Grants with a Challenge Match Component

The goal of the matching funds component is to encourage others to give, including inspiring board members to support the organization and to leverage new donors and contributions in the community. Grantees have a defined time frame in which to raise matching funds as well as restrictions on eligible donations. In-kind and government funding cannot count toward matching funds.

  • Funds must be raised within the grant-award period.
  • Matching funds’ parameters are requested by the applicant and reviewed and approved by Trustees.
  • The Grantee may request disbursement of the matching funds by:
    • Providing a statement signed by an executive on staff and a board officer that the donations are accurate and in line with the terms in the Grant Covenant
    • OR use the previous method of proving matching donations by providing a list of donors, the dates of the donations, and the amount of the donation given toward the matching grant, plus any materials that support the donations, such as check copies, charges, and online donations. The list of donations and the supporting materials must be submitted in the same order.
  • Foundation funds are distributed after the matching funds are raised and documentation is provided to the Foundation.

Review Process

  • Grant seekers will receive email confirmation when the Letter of Inquiry (LOI) is received. Ausherman Family Foundation Staff may request additional information.
  • The Grants Committee will review the Letter of Inquiry. If a full application is requested, the grant seeker will receive an email inviting them to complete the full application.
  • The request will be presented to the full Board of Trustees for the funding decision.
  • Grant seekers will be contacted and informed of the Trustees’ decision.
  • If the request is approved, grant recipients will review and sign a Grant Covenant/Agreement which can be accessed via the online portal.

General Grant FAQs

How can I see the LOI before applying? What is requested on the full application?

  • To preview the LOI and a sample Grant Application, click here. 

When can we expect to receive a check?

  • Generally, checks are sent out 2 to 3 weeks after signing the grant covenant.
  • If the grant is matching, checks are sent out 2 to 3 weeks after a proof of match is provided.

What is the selection process?

How many follow-up reports are required for General Grants?

  • This is at the discretion of the Executive Director, but in most cases one report is assigned via the grant portal. The purpose of the report(s) is to inform the Ausherman Family Foundation of the organization’s achievement of their goals.

We will not be able to meet our match. What should we do?

  • If you need additional time for fundraising or will be unable to meet your full match and wish to close the grant, please email the formal request to Leigh Adams, Executive Director, at gro.namrehsua@smadal

We have raised a portion of our match. Can we request a partial payment?

We’ve raised the match. Now what?

The goal of the matching funds component is to encourage others to give, including inspiring board members to support the organization and to leverage new donors and contributions in the community. Grantees have a defined time frame in which to raise matching funds as well as restrictions on eligible donations. In-kind and government funding cannot count toward matching funds.

  • Funds must be raised within the grant-award period.
  • Matching funds’ parameters are requested by the applicant and reviewed and approved by Trustees.
  • The Grantee may request disbursement of the matching funds by:
    • Providing a statement signed by an executive on staff and a board officer that the donations are accurate and in line with the terms in the Grant Covenant
    • OR use the previous method of proving matching donations by providing a list of donors, the dates of the donations, and the amount of the donation given toward the matching grant, plus any materials that support the donations, such as check copies, charges, and online donations. The list of donations and the supporting materials must be submitted in the same order.
  • Foundation funds are distributed after the matching funds are raised and documentation is provided to the Foundation.

I would like to publicly express appreciation for the grant. What are your guidelines?