At Cambridge, we believe culture counts, values matter most, and by working together, we will make a positive difference in our communities. The Cambridge Foundation’s mission is to be a valued member of our extended community, adding to its quality of life economically and culturally.
Charitable Priorities
The Cambridge Foundation Board continually refines relevant objectives for the Cambridge Foundation while assessing and awarding grants based on annual funding goals. Vitality is important, and we firmly believe that stronger communities are catalysts to healthier economies and happier people. With this in mind, we strive to focus our charitable goals and objectives in these strategic areas:
- Arts, Culture, and Community Engagement
- Education, Scholarship, and Workforce Development
- Health, Human Services, and Environmental Sustainability
The Cambridge Foundation makes contributions to organizations with tax-exempt status under Section 501(c) (3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Organizations must have broad community support and address specific community needs while demonstrating fiscal and administrative responsibility. Most grants are single year awards, and the Cambridge Foundation Board generally requires a final report from the grantees summarizing the use of funds.
Today, the Cambridge Foundation Board may give preference to grant requests related to the six county areas that are home to the majority of home office associates commuting daily into the corporate campus. This includes communities in the following counties: Jefferson, Keokuk, Henry, Van Buren, Wapello, and Washington. Grant requests focused on communities outside this preferred region are considered on a case-by-case basis.
It bears repeating that our Cambridge Foundation Board is focused on our beliefs that culture counts, values matter most, and by working together, we will make a positive difference in our communities. Vitality is important, and we firmly believe that stronger communities are catalysts to healthier economies and happier people.
Matching Gifts and Dollars for Volunteers
The Cambridge Foundation program also includes the Matching Gifts and Dollars for Volunteers programs which provide a funding match to qualified requests from Cambridge’s home office associates and independent financial professionals. In essence, these annual programs enable the extended family of associates and financial professionals to direct program funding to the non-profit efforts they support with their personal dollars and volunteer time.
While grant request/applications are accepted on an ongoing basis, the Cambridge Foundation Board meets quarterly to review and finalize grant awards. Awards are subject to fund availability and grantee organizations are encouraged to complete and submit grant applications as early as possible in a calendar year. Cambridge Foundation grant awards are limited to one per year, per grantee organization.
The typical annual schedule for the Cambridge Foundation is based on a quarterly review with grant request submission deadlines of March 1, June 1, September 1, and November 1 as follows:
| Applications Complete and Received By | Review Process | Final Award Decisions |
|---|---|---|
| March 1 | March 15 | April 1 |
| June 1 | June 15 | July 1 |
| September 1 | September 15 | October 1 |
| November 1 | November 15 | December 1 |
Generally, no grant awards are made until the end of March in any given year and any grant applications received after November 1 will be considered for the following year (and be included in the following March review cycle).