Grants
Funding that stays in Oak Mountain.
Eligibility
Who May Apply
OMCIF funds work that serves the Oak Mountain community, its youth, families, schools, athletics, arts, and the places neighbors gather. What your organization is matters far less than who the project reaches.
You do not have to be a nonprofit to apply. You have to be doing something for Oak Mountain.
Who Can Ask
Eligible Organizations
Public School
A school in the Oak Mountain community.
School Program
A class, department, club, band, or team inside a school.
Athletic Booster Club
An organization raising support for a school's teams.
PTO / PTA
A parent-teacher organization at an Oak Mountain school.
Nonprofit (501(c)(3))
A registered charitable organization serving the area.
Community Organization
A civic, neighborhood, or service group.
Youth Program
A program serving young people outside the school day.
Something else? Choose “Other” on the application and tell us what you are.
Scope
What We Fund
Projects, programs, equipment, enrichment, facility improvements, and outreach. Every request is filed under one category on the application, and the categories line up with the three pillars that shape everything OMCIF does.
Support
Enriching Opportunity
- Educational Enrichment
- Youth Development
Serve
Elevating Arts & Athletics
- Athletics
- Arts & Culture
- Wellness
Build
Community Enhancement
- Community Development
- Facility Improvement
- Service Project
Not sure which one fits? Pick the closest, the board reads the whole request, not the label. There is an Other category for anything that genuinely fits none of them. More about the three pillars
How We Decide
How Requests Are Scored
Every application is scored against the same six criteria. We publish the weights so you know where your effort is worth spending.
Community Impact
30%
The difference the project makes for Oak Mountain, the need it addresses and what changes once it is done.
Number of Individuals Served
20%
How many students, families, or residents the project actually reaches.
Alignment with OMCIF Mission
20%
How squarely the request sits inside Support, Serve, or Build.
Financial Need
15%
What the project costs, what you have already raised, and what happens to it if we do not fund it.
Sustainability of Project
10%
Whether the benefit outlasts the grant, or the need returns next year.
Innovation / Collaboration
5%
New approaches, and work shared across more than one organization.
Total 100%
Prepare
Before You Start
The application runs six steps. Three of them carry the required fields; the other three are optional, and they are where most of the scoring above happens.
ApplicantRequired
Your organization, its type, and who we should reply to.
ProjectRequired
Project name, funding category, the amount requested, and total cost.
Narrative & ImpactOptional
The need, who benefits, how many, and what changes if it is funded.
Budget & TimelineOptional
How the money breaks down, other funding, and your dates.
DocumentsOptional
Anything that backs up the request.
Certify & SignRequired
Four certifications, your name, and the date.
Have These Ready
A budget, vendor quotes, an approval letter from your school or organization, a W-9. PDF, JPG, or PNG, up to 10 MB each and 10 files in total. Attachments are stored privately for board review.
You Can Stop and Come Back
The form saves your progress in your browser as you type, so you can close the tab and pick up where you left off on the same device. Nothing reaches us until you submit.
What Happens Next
After You Apply
The board reviews your request
Every complete application is read and scored against the six criteria above. Submitting one does not guarantee funding, the board makes all final decisions.
You hear back within 30 days
We reply to the email address on your application, either with a decision or with a follow-up question.
Approved grants come with terms
An agreement, receipts, or documentation may be required, and funds must be used for the purpose described in the application.
You report back within 90 days of finishing
A brief outcome report: how the funds were used and what the project achieved. Every applicant agrees to this at signature.
Good to Know
Questions
What applicants ask us most about eligibility, amounts, and how the application works. Still have a question? We are happy to help.
Do we have to be a 501(c)(3)?
No. Public schools, school programs, booster clubs, PTOs and PTAs, community organizations, and youth programs are all eligible. Nonprofit status is one option on the application, not a requirement.
How much can we request?
There is no published minimum or maximum. Tell us what the project costs in total and what you are asking OMCIF to cover, the two are separate fields on the application, and the gap between them is part of how financial need is scored.
What should we attach?
Whatever makes the request easy to verify: a budget, vendor quotes, an approval letter from your school or organization, a W-9. PDF, JPG, or PNG, up to 10 MB each and 10 files in total. Attachments are stored privately for board review.
Can we finish the application later?
Yes. The form saves your progress in your browser as you type, so you can close the tab and pick up where you left off, on the same device and browser. It is not sent to us until you submit it.
We have a question that isn’t answered here.
Ask before you spend time on an application. We would much rather point you in the right direction early than turn down a request that was nearly a fit.
Ready to Apply?
Tell us about your project. You will hear back within 30 days.
Not sure your project is a fit? info@oakmountainfoundation.org