• Request must fall into one of the Foundation’s areas of interest.
• The organization must provide services to Frederick County, MD residents. Only the costs of the programs or projects associated with the services provided to Frederick County residents will be considered for funding.
• Minimum amount considered for grant requests is $2,500.
• Requested dollar amounts must be realistic and supported by documentation. A clear description of the need for funding must be provided.
• Operating costs include the fixed and variable expenses of the organization.
• Program costs include expenses associated with the providing the services related to the organization’s mission.
• Project costs include expenses associated with a specific activity that moves the organization’s mission forward.

The goal of the matching funds component is to encourage others to give, including inspiring board members to support the organization and to leverage new donors and contributions in the community. Grantees have a defined time frame in which to raise matching funds as well as restrictions on eligible donations. In-kind and government funding cannot count toward matching funds.

• Funds must be raised within the grant-award period.
• Matching funds’ parameters are requested by the applicant and reviewed and approved by Trustees.
• The Grantee may request disbursement of the matching funds by:
  • Providing a statement signed by an executive on staff and a board officer that the donations are accurate and in line with the terms in the Grant Covenant
  • OR use the previous method of proving matching donations by providing a list of donors, the dates of the donations, and the amount of the donation given toward the matching grant, plus any materials that support the donations, such as check copies, charges, and online donations. The list of donations and the supporting materials must be submitted in the same order.
• Foundation funds are distributed after the matching funds are raised and documentation is provided to the Foundation.

• Grant seekers will receive email confirmation when the Letter of Inquiry (LOI) is received. Ausherman Family Foundation Staff may request additional information.
• The Grants Committee will review the Letter of Inquiry. If a full application is requested, the grant seeker will receive an email inviting them to complete the full application.
• The request will be presented to the full Board of Trustees for the funding decision.
• Grant seekers will be contacted and informed of the Trustees’ decision.
• If the request is approved, grant recipients will review and sign a Grant Covenant/Agreement which can be accessed via the online portal.

• Generally, checks are sent out 2 to 3 weeks after signing the grant covenant.
• If the grant is matching, checks are sent out 2 to 3 weeks after a proof of match is provided.

• Refer to our Selection Process page.

• This is at the discretion of the Executive Director, but in most cases one report is assigned via the grant portal. The purpose of the report(s) is to inform the Ausherman Family Foundation of the organization’s achievement of their goals.
• Reports are due 11 months from the grant award date.

• If you need additional time for fundraising or will be unable to meet your full match and wish to close the grant, please email the formal request to Leigh Adams, Executive Director, at gro.namrehsua@smadal

• This is at the discretion of our Executive Director. Please email gro.namrehsua@ofni. 

• Funds must be raised within the grant-award period.
• Matching funds’ parameters are requested by the applicant and reviewed and approved by Trustees.
• The Grantee may request disbursement of the matching funds by:
  • Providing a statement signed by an executive on staff and a board officer that the donations are accurate and in line with the terms in the Grant Covenant
  • OR use the previous method of proving matching donations by providing a list of donors, the dates of the donations, and the amount of the donation given toward the matching grant, plus any materials that support the donations, such as check copies, charges, and online donations. The list of donations and the supporting materials must be submitted in the same order.
• Foundation funds are distributed after the matching funds are raised and documentation is provided to the Foundation.

• Refer to our Recognition Guidelines page.

• General Grants primarily focus on funding specific programs or projects, but they can also provide support for general operating costs, offering flexibility to address the organization’s immediate needs. On the other hand, Capacity Building Grants are specifically designed to strengthen the organization itself by investing in activities aimed at enhancing its long-term effectiveness and sustainability.

  The use of Capacity Building Grants to hire consultants is a practical example of how organizations can leverage external expertise to address areas where they may need assistance, such as strategic planning, technology implementation, or fundraising strategy development.