New for 2017-18

• The Sharks Foundation will accept grant applications for both programs and projects!  We will award $30,000-$50,000 for grants supporting programs or $50,000-$100,000 for grants supporting projects.
  • Projects (examples, not limited to): Beautification, upgrade to existing structure, an installation, street hockey court, playground, bike build, etc. Typically a one-time execution and one-time cost.
  • Programs (examples, not limited to): Afterschool services, athletic education, mentorship program, reading assistance, backpack or clothing distribution, etc. Programs are typically annually run and have set parameters. Usually a subdivision of a non-profit, a service they provide. 
• The grants funded will align with our season-long giving campaign that features a different focus each month of the NHL season. The focus areas include: healthy living, Hockey Fights Cancer, Season of Giving, Service Person Appreciation, education, character development or environmental awareness.
• The Sharks Foundation will only accept ONLINE applications for the 2017-18 grant cycle- we will NOT accept paper documents. Please follow the steps below before beginning the online application.

Grant Application Instructions

Step 1: Carefully review the 2017-18 Grant Cycle Packet

Step 2: Complete the 2017-18 Grant Cycle Worksheet
Please note this worksheet is only to be used as an aid for completing the online application- do not submit this worksheet to the Sharks Foundation.

Step 3: Submit your 2017-18 Grant Application
The Sharks Foundation will only accept ONLINE applications for the 2017-18 grant cycle- we will NOT accept paper documents. Once you begin the online application, your work cannot be saved. We recommend reviewing the Grant Cycle Packet carefully and completing the Grant Cycle Worksheet before beginning this step.

Funding Priorities

The Sharks Foundation provides grants for organizations that support youth or youth and their families, with special emphasis toward underserved populations and at-risk youth. We will award $30,000-$50,000 for grants supporting programs or $50,000-$100,000 for grants supporting projects. Each grant must fall into one of our focus areas of our giving campaign: healthy living, Hockey Fights Cancer, Season of Giving, Service Person Appreciation, education, character development or environmental awareness. Funding must be applied to the costs associated with a specific project or programming element of an organization.

The Sharks Foundation will NOT support:

• General operating deficits
• Administrative staff costs (i.e. administrative salaries, training events, etc.)
• Sponsorships or fundraisers of any kind (i.e. walks/runs, galas, tournaments, etc.)
• Recreational group outings or trips (i.e. sporting events, museums, amusement parks, etc.)
• Capital campaigns
• Endowments or reserve funds
• Grants to individuals, athletic teams or schools or any associated 501(c)(3) organizations (i.e. PTAs, booster clubs, etc.)

Organization Eligibility - to qualify for a grant an organization must:

• Be a public 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service for a minimum of five (5) years
• Provide services to children in need within the San Francisco Bay Area
• Be available for a site visit if selected as a beneficiary
• Adhere to all deadlines and application requirements

Note: The Sharks Foundation will not fund any organization for more than three (3) consecutive years. If your group has been funded for each of the past three seasons, you must wait one year before reapplying.

Grant Eligibility - to qualify for a grant an application must:

• Specifiy whether the grant will be used for a program or a project and then propose within the range ($30,000-$50,000 for programs and $50,000-$100,000 for projects)
• Fall under one of the focus areas of giving campaign: healthy living, Hockey Fights Cancer, Season of Giving, Service Person Appreciation, education, character development or environmental awareness
• Ensure that 100% of grant monies received from the Sharks Foundation are used for the exclusive benefit of youth or youth and their families
• Be submitted by the Friday, June 30, 2017, 5:00 p.m. deadline

Note: Each organization is able to submit one (1) grant application per season.

Process

2017-18 Timeline:

• June 30, 2017: Deadline to submit applications
• July-August 2017: Review process
• September 2017: Beneficiaries announced, all applicants notified of status
• December 2017: Funds dispersed, check presentation
• January-August 2018: Site visits scheduled

All applicants must submit their online application by clicking here by the Friday, June 30, 2017, 5:00 p.m. deadline.

Once the application period has closed, the Sharks Foundation staff will review and prepare all eligible applications for consideration by the Sharks Foundation Board of Directors. An application will be deemed ineligible if it is incomplete, incorrectly formatted, not submitted by the deadline, submitted by an organization that does not meet the stated criteria or if the purpose for funding falls outside of the stated priorities. All eligible applications will receive email notification of their approval status.

If you have questions regarding the application process, email sharksfoundation@sharkssports.net. Please do not send inquiries on the status of a submitted application.

Sharks Foundation 2017-18 Grant FAQs