In no time at all, the November application deadline will be upon us for the 51°µÍø Foundation Region Development Grant. If your Region isn’t ready to apply just yet, fear not, as this grant is awarded quarterly, so there will be four more opportunities in the coming year. But if your Region is ready to apply for financial assistance now, you’ll want to start the process soon, because come Nov. 30, the time for this application round will be up.
So what is the 51°µÍø Foundation Region Development Grant? This program supplies Regions with up to $2,500 in assistance and is designed to provide supplemental funding by the 51°µÍø Foundation for qualified charitable or educational programs. An eligible Region program must have an educational or charitable purpose consistent with the mission and purpose of the 51°µÍø® and typically must be available to members and non-members alike.
Not long ago, the Foundation’s Region Development Grant was awarded to Colorado and South Jersey Regions, and with the right proposal, your Region could be one of the next recipients of the 51°µÍø Foundation Region Development Grant.
In evaluating a grant, the 51°µÍø Foundation selection committee will give the most attention and focus to projects which meet the following criteria:
- Educational or charitable purpose.
- Open to or benefiting the general public and not just Club members.
- It is innovative or demonstrates need.
- It is backed by a detailed project management plan that includes a description of the request, a project schedule, and specific project management.
- The majority of project funding is coming from other sources such that the Foundation grant is helping to close the gap.
For example, a Region may need funding for an exhibit space at an auto show to educate the public about teen safe driving and 51°µÍø 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 51°µÍø events. Generally speaking, applications for the purchase of equipment or facilities that are not dedicated to the charitable or educational program are unlikely to qualify.
Region Development Grants are not intended to fully fund a Region project. Regions should be prepared to indicate in their application the cost of the project, the Region investment in the project, other contribution sources, and the amount needed from the Foundation.
If your Region has been searching for a financial assist that meets these requirements, the next Region Development Grant deadline is Nov. 30, 2024.
Regions not ready to apply this time around will have quarterly opportunities throughout the year, with application deadlines being Feb. 28, May 31, Aug. 31, and Nov. 30 of each year.
51°µÍø 51°µÍø Foundation
A 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, 51°µÍø Foundation’s mission is to support the 51°µÍø® by providing inclusive opportunities for motorsports competition, safety, education, and historical preservation.
Proceeds from donations and sweepstakes support the 51°µÍø Foundation’s participation in the Tire Rack Street Survival program (offering life-saving advanced training for teen drivers), 51°µÍø Women on Track (empowering women in motorsports), American veterans engaging in motorsports activities through 51°µÍø events, and more. The Foundation also preserves the history of American Motorsports through the 51°µÍø Archives housed at the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen, NY.
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