Eighty Four, PA -The Washington County Community Foundation (WCCF) is accepting applications through March 1 for its annual President’s Choice Award, which includes a $10,000 Acorn Fund grant.
The President’s Choice Award, previously the Director’s Choice Award, was created by the Board of Trustees in 2008 to assist a small but improving charity in recognition of the WCCF’s earliest supporters who were willing to invest in the Community Foundation in its earliest days. It was initiated in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the Foundation’s first full-time executive director, Betsie Trew, under whose leadership the WCCF has grown from less than $250,000 in assets to more than $35 million.
To be eligible to apply for the award, 501(c)(3) charities are required to have an operating budget of less than $250,000, have been in existence for at least three years, and provide a program in one of the seven areas supported by the Acorn Fund – arts and humanities, community improvement, education, environment and animal welfare, health and fitness, human needs, or religion and faith-based.
Past recipients of the President's Choice or Director's Choice Awards are not eligible to apply. Charities who have applied in the past, but have not received the award, are encouraged to re-apply.
Applicants will be judged on the following criteria: quality of programming, community impact as gauged by the number of people served, programs offered or other measurable component, and improvement in the organization’s financial position since inception or over the last five years.
Interested charities should visit www.wccf.net to access the online application. Questions should be directed to the WCCF at 724-222-6330 or allocations@wccf.net.