Operating Grants is a grant from the Pinellas Community Foundation that provides flexible, unrestricted two-year funding to help nonprofits cover core operating expenses such as staffing, rent, supplies, outreach, and infrastructure. Funding is distributed in two equal installments at the beginning of each calendar year, giving organizations consistency for long-term planning.

The program offers two application tracks: Direct Community Services and Arts and Culture, each further segmented by organizational budget size. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with a physical presence in Pinellas County, Florida, and at least one year of operation.

The 2026-27 cycle application window opens in July 2025, making this a valuable opportunity for organizations providing direct services or focused on arts and culture in the region.

Operating Grants | Pinellas Community Foundation 727-531-0058 727-531-0058 Operating Grants PinellasCF 2025-09-17T09:13:54-04:00 PCF’s two-year operating grants are designed to meet nonprofits where they are—providing flexible funding that supports what organizations know they need most.

These unrestricted grants help cover the core operating costs that keep programs running and communities supported—from staffing and rent to supplies, outreach, and infrastructure. Funding is distributed in two equal installments at the beginning of each calendar year, offering both consistency and breathing room for long-term planning. The application window for the 2026–27 Operating Grant Cycle opens on July 14, 2025.

You’ll find eligibility criteria, award details, application guidance, and supplemental resources below. Before reaching out, we encourage you to review our FAQs —your question may already be answered there. Eligibility and Track Details Organizations providing direct services or focused on arts and culture are eligible to apply.

The application process offers two distinct tracks—Direct Community Services and Arts & Culture—with each track further segmented to meet the unique needs of both small and large organizations. At PCF, we recognize that many nonprofits deliver a blend of services that may not fit neatly into one category.

If you’re unsure which track best aligns with your work, we encourage you to reach out —we’re here to help guide you through the process.

You are eligible to apply for an operating grant if your organization: Has 501(c)(3) public charity status under the code of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and has had such status for one calendar year at the time of application Has a physical presence in Pinellas County Will only spend funds within Pinellas County Fits within the focus areas identified by the PCF Board of Governors (listed under “Funding Priorities” below).

Is a direct service provider or arts and culture organization Has been operational AND providing direct services/programs in Pinellas County for at least 1 year prior to application The PCF Board of Governors has identified four core areas as priorities in its discretionary grantmaking: Access to behavioral health Enhancing Quality of Life Access to affordable housing Financial assistance programming Outreach and community education Promoting Arts and Culture Improve cultural awareness Enhance public access to arts The following organization types are not eligible for these awards: S chools and school-affiliated groups (including colleges, universities, and booster clubs) V ocal and musical ensembles An imal welfare and environmental organizations C ontinuing care retirement communities P rivate foundations and grantmaking foundations (if your organization files a Form 990-PF, it is ineligible to apply ) Organizations with multiple programs or sub-organizations may only submit one application.

Fiscally-sponsored organizations may apply, provided the fiscal sponsor does not also submit a funding request. Please email our grants team if you have any questions about your organization’s eligibility. By supporting both direct service and arts and culture organizations, PCF invests in the full spectrum of what makes a community thrive.

From meeting critical needs to enriching lives through creative expression, this funding helps strengthen Pinellas County in lasting, meaningful ways. The application process is shared across both tracks, with tailored questions that reflect the distinct nature of each type of programming. Please review the details below carefully to determine which track best aligns with your organization’s work.

Direct Community Services Your organizations fits in this category if its programming focuses on resolving individual and community needs, or bettering the community, through direct services. Examples include food banks, nonprofit behavioral health providers, free health clinics, and literacy programming.

Your organization fits in this category if its programming focuses on encouraging clients to create original works of creative expression, fostering an appreciation of the arts locally, or helping educate audiences on specific types of creative works. Examples include museums, arts education programming, nonprofit performing arts venues, and arts alliances.

If your organization operates an arts and culture festival as part of its programming, your organization must have a year-round presence in the community, have the arts as its primary purpose, spend the majority of its budget on arts activities, hire professional artists, and include education and outreach programs. PCF does not intend to fund arts organizations whose primary programming is a singular event or festival.

Operating Grants funding request amounts will be based upon organizational operating budget size which serves Pinellas County and is not inclusive of major one-time or non-routine capital expenditures. Organizations with budgets of less than $500,000 may seek up to $15,000, per year. Organizations with budgets between $500,000 to $2,500,000 may seek up to $20,000, per year.

Organizations with budgets greater than $2,500,000 may seek up to $25,000, per year. Operating grants are distributed in two equal installments at the start of each calendar year. For example, if your organization is awarded $30,000, the first installment of $15,000 will be disbursed in January 2026, and the second installment of $15,000 will follow in January 2027, pending the completion of all grant requirements.

This structure is designed to provide steady, reliable support that organizations can plan around with confidence. Due to the extremely competitive nature of operating grants, your organization may not receive its full request. This webpage will be updated as we progress through the below timeline – download the full description of PCF’s 2026-27 Operating Grants process here for a complete picture of the entire process.

2026-27 Operating Grants Overview (PDF) 2026-27 Operating Grants Overview (PDF) We’ve designed this application process with accessibility and transparency at its core. We strongly encourage applicants to complete both the Letter of Intent (LOI) and full application early, as late submissions will not be accepted. Before reaching out, please review our FAQs—your question may already be answered there.

During the LOI window, PCF staff will be available only for technology-related support. To guide you through the process, we’re offering two webinars: a general overview on July 10 and a deeper dive into outcomes and review criteria on July 31. Links to register for the webinars or view the recordings are below.

Once the full application window opens on September 2, additional support will include a walkthrough webinar and live office hours with the PCF Grants team. Organizations invited to submit a full application will be asked to include a client impact story, financial documents (such as a Form 990 and audit, if available), board details, and demographic information.

For applicants not invited to move forward, the PCF Grants team will offer an opportunity to review your LOI and provide feedback. Review Criteria for Direct Services Organizations For direct community service nonprofits, Letters of Intent will be evaluated by the strength of organizational programming and outcomes.

Full applications will be evaluated on the following criteria: Clear Story: PCF uses a unique storytelling application to better understand who is served by your organization and how. We want to make sure we understand your clients’ challenges, and your organization’s role in helping.

Solution-oriented: Demonstrating that your organization has strong leadership, clear and measurable outcomes, and a reasonable plan to implement your mission allows us to understand if you are effectively meeting your clients’ needs. You can use internal data or research to show the impact of your work. Need: Your request for funds must clearly support services delivered in Pinellas County.

We want to understand how this award from PCF will help you achieve your mission and which programs or services will benefit. Financials: We want to be sure that all proposed projects are financially sound. Strong applications will have a reasonable, cost-sensitive budget with achievable outcomes that display all sources of funding.

If there are budget variances, they should be explained. Review Criteria for Arts and Culture Organizations For arts & culture organizations, Letters of Intent will be evaluated by a clearly defined audience for programming and the strength of the outreach to that audience.

Full applications will be evaluated on the following criteria: Clear Story: PCF uses a unique storytelling application to better understand who is served by your organization and how. We want to make sure we understand your mission and how you support arts and culture in Pinellas County.

Community Impact: Demonstrating that your organization has strong leadership and engages in the local artistic community allows us to understand how you are supporting engagement in the arts. You can use internal data or research to show the impact of your work. Need: Your request for funds must clearly support arts programming delivered in Pinellas County.

We want to understand how this award from PCF will help you achieve your mission and which programs or services will benefit. Financials: We want to be sure that all proposed projects are financially sound. Strong applications will have a reasonable, cost-sensitive budget with achievable outcomes that display all sources of funding.

If there are budget variances, they should be explained. PCF values the opportunity to highlight the important work of our grantees and the impact of PCF funding on the community. If awarded an operating grant during this cycle, your organization agrees to: Complete two reports during the grant period, reflecting the work done by your organization as a result of the awarded funds.

These reports should include internal data and photos from the supported programs/services. Properly accredit PCF through use of the most recent logo on: Your organization’s website with our logo and a link to https://pinellascf.

org Collateral, letterhead, and other external marketing material that feature sponsors (where appropriate) Allow PCF the opportunity to visit your board of directors regarding partnerships and further opportunities with PCF Provide up to 3 PCF board members and/or staff with a tour of facilities during the grant period July 10, 2:00 PM – Webinar: Operating Grants Overview + Letter of Intent (click here to view recording) July 14 – Letter of Intent Window Opens July 31, 11:00 AM – Webinar: Outcomes + What Reviewers Look For (click here to view recording) August 11, 12:00 PM (noon) – Letter of Intent Window Closes September 2 – LOI Decisions Shared & Full Application Window Opens September 3, 11:00 AM – Webinar: PCF Operating Grants – Full Application Walkthrough (click to view recording) October 14, Noon – Full Application Window Closes PCF staff will be available July 14–August 11 to assist with technology-related questions only during the LOI window.

We encourage applicants to start early to avoid last-minute delays. PCF’s Grant Portal: Whether you’re new to our system or a returning applicant, we recommend confirming your login early. This helps ensure our staff can prioritize support once the LOI window opens.

If you’re unsure about your account status or need help logging in, please reach out to PCF staff before July 14. Access the Grant Portal Access the Grant Portal Webinar and Resource Links These webinars are designed to guide you through every step of the operating grant process—from understanding PCF’s funding approach to navigating the grant portal and preparing a strong application.

Recordings will be available within two business days after each live session. Use the links below to register or view the recordings.

Access Recording: Operating Grants Overview and LOI Webinar (July 10, 2:00p) Access the Overview Webinar Q&A Summary Access Recording: Outcomes Webinar (July 31, 11:00a) Access the Outcomes Q&A Summary Access Recording: Full Application Webinar (September 3, 11:00a) Access the Full Application Q&A Summary Frequently Asked Applicant Questions We’ll continue updating these FAQs as new questions come in.

We encourage you to review them carefully before reaching out. If your question isn’t addressed here, on the webpage above, or in one of our webinars, please don’t hesitate to contact us—it may be helpful to others and added to this list. How do I access the PCF grant portal?

Access to PCF grant portal here . What should I do if the grant portal isn’t working? If the grant portal doesn’t seem to be working, follow these steps: If you have trouble signing in, email PCF for support.

Sign out, clear your browser’s cache, and then sign back in. If the error persists, take a screenshot of what you see, or describe the process in an email to PCF’s Grants team at grants@pinellascf. org.

I accidentally submitted my LOI or application before it was finished—can I make changes? Provided the LOI or full application windows are still open, PCF can revert your submission back to draft status. Please email these types of requests for the fastest response.

What does a portal error mean and how can I fix it? The solution will depend on the type of error – please take a screenshot of the error message and email it to the PCF Grants team at grants@pinellascf. org.

How will PCF communicate with me about my application? We use our grant portal to communicate directly with applicants via email – please ensure that the email address listed in your account is a monitored account and that you have added administrator@grantinterface. com to your organization’s safe list.

We recommend checking your spam filter at least weekly during the application process, and on the important dates noted above. Replies from applicants to those system-generated emails will be sent directly to the Grants inbox. I’m not sure how to answer a question in the LOI.

What should I do? Please review the Operating grants Overview and LOI Walkthrough webinar recording (presented on July 10). We will also be providing a webinar about outcomes on July 31.

We recommend waiting to submit your LOI until the outcomes webinar has concluded, to ensure you have the full picture on what we are asking for in these questions. When will decisions be announced for Letters of Intent and full applications? Applicants will be notified about the status of their Letter of Intent on September 2.

Applicants that receive an award will be notified in late December 2025, or early January 2026. Applicants that are not receiving funding will be notified at the same time. Who reviews the Letters of Intent and full applications?

The Letter of Intent review process is conducted by PCF’s internal team and assesses each application’s eligibility, alignment within the Funding Priorities, and clarity of community impact. Members of PCF’s Board of Governors chair the Full Application review committees, which also utilize the volunteer efforts of community members who bring a variety of experiences, expertise, and perspectives to the process.

The reviewers will examine the overall strength of the organization and the effectiveness of the organization in delivering impactful services or programming What does “having a physical presence in Pinellas County” mean for eligibility? PCF wants to know that your organization is embedded in the community of Pinellas County and that you are invested in making a difference for our residents.

A physical presence might be a traditional office, a shared working location, or a dedicated resource space where your clients know you can be reached. If you are concerned about your eligibility, please email our team with specific details about your organization’s physical space. I’m behind on reporting or acknowledgement for another PCF grant—am I still eligible?

Technically yes, but we need to receive any overdue reports as soon as possible. Please review your reports in the grant portal and reach out to the grants team if any report is overdue. If you have not yet acknowledged PCF on your website, please reach out to be sure you have the most updated logo and branding guidelines.

Who is eligible to apply for this operating grant?

Organizations that meet the following criteria are eligible: Has 501(c)(3) public charity status under the code of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and has had such status for one calendar year at the time of application Has a physical presence in Pinellas County Will only spend awarded funds within Pinellas County Fits within the focus areas identified by the PCF Board of Governors Is a direct service provider or provides arts and culture programming Has been operational AND providing direct services/programs for at least 1 year prior to application How should I credit PCF on my website or materials?

Awarded organizations should include PCF’s logo on their website, linking to logo to PCF’s main website, https://pinellascf. org. We should also be mentioned in any other marketing effort that recognizes sponsors or supporters.

Access PCF branding tools here . 2026-27 Operating Grants Overview (PDF) Have questions about our grants? We’re here to help.

If you’re not sure where to start, use the form below to connect with our team. We’re happy to answer your questions and help you explore the best opportunities for your organization. I agree to let Pinellas Community Foundation use the information I provide to respond to my request and follow up with relevant communications.

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