Community Assist Grants

An important note: Due to the large number of grant applications we receive, each non-profit should understand that there is only so much funding the Sharks Foundation has available to allocate and that we cannot fund every request. If your non-profit is not selected it does not mean that you are not doing incredible work in the community, or that we do not value that work you are doing. Quite the contrary! We appreciate and respect all the important work being done to better our community. Additionally, any non-profits that submit an application will be kept on our preferred partner list for the year and will be notified of other opportunities as they arise.

The Sharks Foundation accepts applications for program funding and project grants that align with our focal areas of giving. We then dedicate a month of the year to honor and celebrate that focal area through our Annual Giving Campaign. 

Campaign Months:

• September - Latinx and Hispanic Heritage Month
  • Celebrating the history and culture of the Latinx and Hispanic communities, support of the Latinx and Hispanic community
• October - Healthy Living Month
  • Fitness, wellness, medical (non-cancer) and mental health
• November - Hockey Fights Cancer Month
  • Cancer-related patient care, support services, survivor programs
• December - Holiday Assist Month
  • Basic human services, food, clothing, shelter, holiday programs
• January - Education Month
  • Pre-K thru college, literacy, STEM, music/arts, programs outside school
• February - Black History Month
  • Education, support services, anti-racism work, honoring important people and events in black history, etc.
• March - Gender Equality Month
  • Women's rights, empowerment, female mentorship, girls-specific non-profits
• April - Environmental Awareness Month
  • Beautification, sustainability, recycling, science, world health
• May - Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
  • Celebrating Asian and Pacific Islanders, anti-AAPI violence, and support of the API community
• June - Pride Month
  • Equal justice and equal opportunity for the LGBTQ community, awareness, history, and allyship

Difference Between Program Funding and Project Grants

Program Funding:

Programs are annually run and have set parameters; usually a subdivision of a non-profit, it is a service they provide. Program examples (not limited to):

• Afterschool services 
• Mentorship programs
• Reading assistance 
• Environmental sustainability 

When a non-profit applies for program funding, they are putting their name in the running for various fundraising opportunities provided by the Sharks Foundation during the course of the year, including but not limited to: 50/50 Raffles, Goals for Kids, Mystery Pucks, Events, etc. The Sharks Foundation will assign the type of funding to a non-profit based on recommendations from the grant review committees and the Foundation's discretion. Please do not request a specific type of funding in your application.

We pride ourselves on creating deep and meaningful relationships with our non-profit partners and therefore, are looking for reciprocal, multifaceted partnership with non-profits. Non-profits selected for funding will be designated one of the avenues below as determined by the Sharks Foundation:

50/50 Raffle

• Proceeds from a 50/50 Raffle can range anywhere from $3,500-$30,000+. If you are chosen as a 50/50 Raffle beneficiary, the raffle will take place at a Sharks home game during the month for which focus area you are applying for (ie: if you apply under the Hockey Fights Cancer focus, your organization would be the beneficiary of one of the raffles taking place in November). To receive 50/50 funding, your non-profit organization must have a California chapter and be able to provide 6-12 volunteers to assist our sellers on your assigned game date. Click here to learn more about the 50/50 Raffle. 

Goals for Kids

• Click here to review information on the Goals for Kids program. 

Sharks Fundraisers 

• Specialty Auctions, Mystery Pucks, Beer Booths, partial proceeds from a foundation event, etc. 
• Click here to learn about Sharks Foundation fundraisers. 

Project Grants:

An activation or project is typically a one-time execution and one-time cost. Examples (not limited to):

• Beautification/clean-up project
• Upgrades to an existing structure or installation of a new structure
• Bike build
• Educational vehicle retrofitting 
• Home renovation
• Clothing or food packing/distribution
• Playground build

The Sharks Foundation provides project grants up to $200,000. If you apply under this category, you will need to provide a budget and timeline that will become contractually binding if your project is approved. Proposals should offer a volunteer opportunity for Sharks/Sharks partners to be involved. Additionally, the volunteer opportunity, groundbreaking date or project completion date must fall within the campaign month for which focal area you are applying.

If you are interested in a playground build, please apply with our community partner KABOOM! by clicking here. 

Funding Priorities:

The Sharks Foundation provides funding to organizations that support youth and families, with special emphasis on at-risk and underserved populations. 

The Sharks Foundation will not support:

• General operating deficits
• Sponsorships of fundraisers of any kind 
• Endowments or reserve funds 
• PTAs, booster clubs 
• Organizations outside the San Francisco Bay Area that cannot keep 51% or more of funding local (in the Bay Area) 

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 5 years
• A program must be in existence for a minimum of 3 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

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

• Fall under one of the focus areas: Latinx and Hispanic Heritage, Healthy Living, Hockey Fights Cancer, Holiday Assist, Education, Black History, Gender Equality, Environmental Awareness, Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage or Pride
• 100% of grant funding received from the Sharks Foundation are used for the exclusive benefit of youth or youth and their families
• 51% of the funding received must directly benefit youth/families in the Bay Area
• Funding must be applied to the costs associated with a specific programming element of the applying organization or the project you are submitting an application for
• Funding must be used by July 1, 2022

Activation - Provide opportunities/ideas on the partnership:

• The Sharks Foundation continually seeks deep and impactful relationships with the non-profits we support. As such, there should be an activation component within the campaign month under which you are applying between your organization and the Sharks Foundation.
• An activation component should be well thought out, creative/unique and multifaceted (ie: more than a check presentation). How can we collaborate to show the community what we have accomplished together? How can we amplify the partnership? How can volunteers from our organization support the work you do? 
• Non-profits are asked to thoroughly explain their idea(s) in the application narrative. 

Process & Notification:

• May-June: Community Assist Grant cycle opens
• June 18: Deadline to submit online application
• June-August: Review process
• September: Applicants notified of status
• October-June: Funds dispersed, site visits & projects break ground/complete

Important Notes Before Applying: 

• Once you begin the online application your work cannot be saved - do not skip steps 2 and 3 in the instructions below
• Each organization may submit one grant application per cycle 
• Do not wait! The Sharks Foundation will not extend the application deadline under any circumstance 
• Allow time in the event you experience technical or other difficulties with the application process
• An application will be deemed ineligible if it is incomplete, incorrectly formatted, not submitted by the deadline, submitted by an organization that does not qualify per the outlined funding priorities 
• You must hit the "submit" button on the online application before the deadline (June 18, 5PM PST)

Application Instructions:

• Step 1: Determine if you are applying for program funding or a project grant 
• Step 2: Review the Program Funding Packet or Project Grant Packet
• Step 3: Complete the Program Funding Worksheet or Project Grant Worksheet
• Step 4: Use the completed Worksheet to submit your application online!