Financial Access Grant Application

Grant Priorities and Criteria

Purpose: These grants enable credit unions or Credit Union Outreach Alliances to implement programs that increase access to affordable financial services and products for low-income individuals and marginalized communities.

Eligibility: The Foundation will prioritize funding for credit unions or Credit Union Outreach Alliances that complete grant proposals focusing on projects serving individuals and communities in financial distress.

Grants can fund initiatives to plan for a new program, such as feasibility studies, financial analysis and modeling, policy research and development, project management expenses (staff time), and any other reasonable expenses necessary to fully develop an inclusion project implementation plan. Grant funds can correspondingly be utilized to pilot or implement an already-developed product or program.

Grant projects should be comprehensive and designed to address the financial wellness challenges of a credit union community. Whenever feasible, projects should be grounded in thorough research and reliable data.

Grants are awarded based on:

Measurable impact on the community.

Innovation with the potential for replication.
A meaningful contribution by the credit union (direct/indirect resources).
Sustainability and self-sufficiency of the project.
Matching support from other sources.

Possible Financial Access Grant examples:

Rental Security Deposit Loans: Providing low-interest loans over the course of a rental lease to decrease barriers of access to an inflated housing market with steep security deposit fees.
Down Payment Alternative Loans: Creating specialized mortgages that reduce or eliminate conventional down payment requirements.
Childcare provider loans.
Employer-sponsored small-dollar lending.
Community Development Financial Institution Certification and low-income designation.

Deadlines:

The Financial Access Grant application cycle will open in April and conclude in October. Grants will be reviewed in June and November.
Grants that are unclaimed 60 days after their closing date will be automatically closed, and all outstanding grant funds will be returned to the Foundation.

Grant Application

Date of Application(Required)
Credit Union/Group/Alliance applying(Required)
EIN/Tax-ID Number(Required)
Applicant Name(Required)
Grant Request Contact, if different
Title(Required)
Phone, with extension(Required)
Email(Required)
Credit Union CEO/President(Required)
Credit Union Address(Required)
Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP / Postal Code
Asset Size(Required)
Number of Employees(Required)
Number of Members(Required)
Field of Membership(Required)
Approved Initiative(Required)
If applicable, has this initiative been approved by your state or federal regulator?
Briefly describe the history of your organization, with an overview of current priorities and programs(Required)
Project/program title(Required)
Project/program dates or timeframe(Required)
Brief summary of your project/program(Required)
2-3 sentences
Which underserved or marginalized population(s) will this project support?(Required)
What specific financial access challenge or need does this project aim to address? How was this need identified?(Required)
Is this a planning, pilot, or implementation project?(Required)
Please explain
What are the key goals and objectives of this project/program?(Required)
Describe your project’s focus and intended impact in the community.
What activities or strategies will you implement to achieve these goals?(Required)
Please include a timeline
How is your project innovative?(Required)
Could it be replicated by other credit unions?
How many individuals do you expect to serve?(Required)
What data, metrics, or evidence will you use to evaluate success of the project/program?(Required)
What resources will your organization contribute to this project?(Required)
Staff, space, technology, etc.
Are there community partners involved in this project?(Required)
Please list and describe their role
Please upload a detailed project/program budget, including a breakdown of how grant funds will be used.(Required)
Max. file size: 256 MB.
How will the project or program be maintained/supported at the conclusion of the funding cycle?(Required)
Total Project Budget(Required)
Credit union funding contribution(Required)
Funding from other sources(Required)
Funding you're requesting from Foundation(Required)
Specifically, why does your credit union need this grant funding assistance?(Required)
Additional Supporting Documentation
e.g., research, letters of support, previous pilot results
Max. file size: 256 MB.
Authorization(Required)
By typing the name of your supervisor/manager/CEO, you attest that they consent to you applying for an OCUF grant.
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OCUF FUNDING RECOGNITION

Successful applicants must mention the Ohio Credit Union Foundation as having provided grant funding in all press releases, news stories, articles, interviews, and website references. A suggested credit line is the following: “[Your Credit Union Name] received funding through a grant from the Ohio Credit Union Foundation.” Copies of the above materials must be provided to the OCUF.

Katie Matney Director, Development E: kmatney@ohiocul.org

Kimberly Connor Executive Director E: kconnor@ohiocul.org

Grant Priorities and Criteria

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