Disability Grants

Disability Grants is sponsored by FCIDD (Fellowship of Civitan International for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities). Supports nonprofit programs and research that improve the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through community partnerships and innovation.

Civitan Club Grants | Community Disability Funding | FCIDD FCIDD Civitan Club Grants are available to all Civitan Civitan Clubs in the FCIDD’s 15 state footprint who complete a simple online application and agree to have​: an active representative on our board of directors (3 meetings/year) and/or an active representative on one of our committees​​ ​ The FCIDD accepts Civitan Club grant applications from participating Civitan Clubs in our 15 states.

Applications are completed online through our Submittable (formerly called WizeHive) grants portal (select FCIDD Club Grant Requests). Grant submission rounds close on the 28th of each month at 11:59 p. m.

The applications are reviewed and approved at the next monthly FCIDD Executive Committee meeting. Applications submitted after the due date will be put into consideration for the following submission round. Find out more about the types of funds, application process, and frequently asked questions (FAQs) below, and ​please contact us at fciddgrants@fcidd.

org or call us at 410-696-4686 if you have questions. ​​ Completing an Application New Member Grants are approved in form and substance by the Foundation to promote sponsorship of new members in Participating Clubs. This grant program is approved by the Board of Directors of the FCIDD on an annual basis.

The grant is for $500 paid to a registered 501(c)(3) or equivalent whose primary purpose or whose project is to support individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities on behalf of the New Member's sponsor. Sponsors of dual, associate or reinstated members are not eligible. The eligibility period expires 18 months after New Member’s Date of Entry.

New member grants are available for up to 15 members per club per FCIDD fiscal year (October 1- September 30). This privilege can be earned by the successful sponsorship of a new Civitan member.

The Civitan Club will certify the following requirements before completing an application: The Membership application must be completed and appropriate fees paid The new member will participate in a formal Initiation Ceremony The new member will attend at least four Civitan Club meetings or service projects during the next quarter.

Upon successful completion of all requirements, the application for a New Member Grant can be submitted, which includes a recent copy of IRS 501(c)(3) Determination Letter or equivalent for the organization to receive the donation on behalf of the sponsor.

NOTE: All New Member Grant applications must include a completed "Adult Member Certification Form" (see button below) which should be downloaded, printed, filled out, and then scanned and attached to the online application where indicated.

Adult Member Certification Form For use with New Member Grants only Participating Club Grants ($2,000) Participating Club Grants are made available annually, one per Participating Club, for the amount of $2000 per club, to be used at their discretion for an I/DD project or program in their local community.

All eligibility requirements shall be approved by the Executive Committee of the Board and stated on the current Participating Club Incentive Grant Process as attached to this policy. The eligibility period for a Participating Club Grant is the once during the current fiscal year (which runs October 1 to September 30).

An application for a Participating Club Grant shall be filed with the Foundation President along with proper certification of all requirements. The President will ensure the proper signatures and required documentation have been received. The application is then forwarded to the Foundation Treasurer for review and further processing.

The Foundation Treasurer will approve the eligibility of the requirements as stated on the Participating Club Incentive Grant Certification form. Upon satisfying the requirements on applications received, the Foundation Treasurer will present all Participating Club Grants received for approval to the Executive Committee of the Board.

Disbursement of Club Funds Held by Foundation When a Participating Club gives money to the Foundation, it relinquishes all legal title to that money, however when it asks the Foundation to reserve some of these funds for a purpose to be designated later; the Board of Directors is willing to accept the funds under those conditions and to follow the suggestions of the Participating Club as to how they will be disbursed, with the provision that the recipient is a 501(c)(3) or equivalent.

The application for disbursement indicates the intended recipient 501(c)(3), or equivalent, of the disbursement. Specific Endowment Fund Disbursement These disbursements are available to particular clubs or regions to be released as per prior agreements between the Chesapeake District and the FCIDD (e.g., Glen Burnie, Washington) regarding funds held by the FCIDD on behalf of that club or region.

The application indicates the intended recipient 501(c)(3), or equivalent, of the disbursement. Please read all instructions in Section 1 before beginning. Add any additional users from your club (known as "Collaborators" within Submittable) whom you would like to access the application by clicking the "Add/Manage Collaborators" icon at the top of the application.

You can do this at any time in the process. Complete any fields with a red asterisk (*). You'll be unable to submit your completed application if one of these fields is left empty.

When appropriate, simply use "n/a" in the field. Once all appropriate sections are completed, you'll be able to click the "Submit" button at the top of the application. The staff will preliminarily review all applications at the end of a round and may contact you for more information.

Two things before you begin an application: FCIDD Participating Club Grants are due on the 28th of each month by 11:59 p. m. Any grants received after that will be included for the follow round.

Club grants are reviewed and approved at the FCIDD Executive Committee meeting, typically held monthly on the second Tuesday of the month. Notifications of grant approvals will go out to club representatives within a few days of the meeting. If this is your first time using the online portal through Submittable (formerly WizeHive), please call our staff at 410-696-4686 or contact us by email at fciddgrants@fcidd.

org so that we can set up your account. Creating an account allows you to preview and download a review copy of the online application. Once you begin an application, it also allows you to come back to the application for further editing, as well as monitor the status of the application once it's submitted.

This is also how you'll make any adjustments if requested by the Executive Committee. How can our club learn more about FCIDD grants and participation? The FCIDD board consists of Civitan members.

Please contact us and either a staff member or board member will be able to schedule a presentation to your club either virtually or in person. Can our club arrange to receive the check and present it to the selected nonprofit organization? Due to legal requirements, funds must be sent directly to the organization.

However, we strongly encourage clubs to still make a public presentation, possibly with a giant presentation check for visibility. We ask that you include reference to the FCIDD in the source of funding, but not to the exclusion of your club's name. Where appropriate, we can also provide you with an official FCIDD logo for your online or print materials.

Register for an Upcoming Participating Club Webinar Spend an hour with us to learn how the FCIDD can work with your Civitan club. Registration required prior to the session.