Our purpose is to lend financial support to a wide range of religious, charitable, and educational organizations.

 
Guidelines for grants:  The FCCPA Community Grants Committee typically issues grants to local organizations rather than to individuals, unless the Committee determines that a grant to an individual will benefit the charitable purposes of the organization. The grants are to be for seed money or capital funds rather than for ongoing or operating purposes.
 
Review process:  Preference will be given to activities promising to have the greatest impact. The following factors should be considered:

• Service to the greater Palo Alto area.
• Number of people who will benefit.
• Seriousness of issues the organization addresses.
• Degree to which the activity will encourage self-help.
• Level of financial need.
• Likelihood that other sources of funds are not available to the organization.
• Level of participation of FCCPA members in the organization (for example, does the FCCPA Outreach Board offer ongoing support? Are FCCPA members personally involved, or could they be?.

Grant Application Procedure:
Please fill out the on-line grant application. In general, we make one-time grants in the $2,500 - $10,000 range, though in exceptional cases we have gone above that range. We are open to proposals that would use our funding for matching grants or other ideas that would increase its impact. We would review the materials, and likely ask you (or someone familiar with the project) to be available to answer questions at one of our Committee meetings. We accept applications on a rolling basis.

​What FCCPA members can do:

• Recommend projects for consideration.
• Encourage organizations to apply for appropriate grants.
• Make a gift to the FCCPA for the benefit of the Community Grants Fund.
• Encourage others to make gifts to FCCPA for the benefit of the Community Grants Fund.

 
Administration: The FCCPA is a charitable organization and able to receive gifts and memorial funds for the benefit of the Community Grands Fund. This fund is managed as a restricted fund of the FCCPA. It is administered by the Community Grants Committee, made up of seven directors, a majority of whom are members of the FCCPA, who serve renewable three-year terms.
 
Gifts:  The Committee welcomes gifts (cash, securities, real estate, or life insurance) at any time during a donor’s lifetime or by bequest. Gifts of real estate with right of occupancy or of investments with lifetime income retention are also acceptable.
 
The FCCPA is a duly qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charitable organization, EIN: 94-1243683.