2025-26 Social Service League Grant Application

Grant Guidelines

Fully complete the Grant Application including a detailed program or project budget (revenues and expenses) and an overall budget for your organization. Be sure to include all documents requested below.

The grant deadline is Monday, November 17, 2025 at 5pm.

All applications (submitted online or by email) must be received by this time.

For more information on the Social Service League or this application process, or for a printable application in Word format, please visit https://hsctc.org/social-service-league/

The mission of the Social Service League is to support Tompkins County not-for-profit human service organizations in their work to address the most significant community needs.

Any not-for-profit, incorporated, human/social service provider in Tompkins County is eligible to apply. Public/government agencies and individuals are not eligible to receive funds.

Grant Guidelines:
1. To assist programs that address the most significant community needs. Applicants must prove the ability to sustain their projects without continuing support from the Social Service League.

2. Funding is not granted for the following types of requests:
a. Capital fund drives
b. Deficits
c. Proposals requiring on-going support from the League*
d. Funds to specific individuals.

3. The Social Service League takes prior funding through this process into consideration. If you have received prior funding you must submit your final project report in order to be considered for funding this year. Applicant budget size may also be considered as a factor in the Social Service League’s funding decisions.

4. Applicants are limited to submitting one proposal per funding cycle (Note: multiple applicants sharing the same fiscal sponsor may apply, as long as the applicants are independent from each other and are not simply programs of the sponsor. Contact us to clarify if you have questions).

5. Grant requests may not exceed $3,000. Over the last several funding cycles, the average grant award has typically been in the $1,000-$1,500 range.

* The Social Service League does not support regular, on-going operating expenses, unless the request shows how the activity will be supported when SSL funds are exhausted. Grants may be awarded for one-time events and initiatives that an organization’s current funding cannot support.

All completed applications must include:

Project narrative, 1200 words maximum
Project budget
Current annual budget for overall organization
Most current balance sheet
Board of Directors list for current year

Optional materials:

Annual Report
Additional supporting program information relevant to the application
Letter(s) of support, if appropriate

Please note that this online form will not save so we recommend copy/pasting your information from another file just prior to submitting your application.

Please contact John Mazzello at the Human Services Coalition with questions (607-273-8686 or jmazzello@hsctc.org).

This application and information about the Social Service League are available at https://hsctc.org/social-service-league/

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* 1. Organization Legal Name

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* 2. Organization Street Address

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* 3. City/State/Zip

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* 4. Phone Number

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* 5. Website (if applicable)

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* 6. Director's Name and title

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* 7. Contact Person and Title (if different)

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* 8. Email Address for Contact Person

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* 9. Phone Number for Contact Person

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* 10. Organization's Fiscal Year (Dates):

Start Date

Date

End Date

Date

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* 11. For Current Fiscal Year...

Budgeted Revenue $

Budgeted Expenses $

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* 12. Project Name

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* 13. Brief summary of the project for which funding is being sought (150 word maximum)

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* 14. What is the essential community need this project is addressing? (150 word maximum)

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* 15. Amount of Request (not to exceed $3,000)

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* 16. Total Project Cost

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* 17. Project funds raised or to be raised from other sources (please specify sources, 150 word maximum).

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* 18. Beginning date of project (note: funds are typically awarded in December)

Date

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* 19. Ending date of project

Date

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* 20. Please provide a detailed program/project proposal narrative. Describe the program for which funds are requested, including goals and objectives, population and area served, staffing (paid and/or volunteers), envisioned impact of program/project and project timetable. (1200 word maximum)

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* 21. Plans for continuing support of the project (if applicable, 150 word maximum)

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* 22. What do you hope will be the outcomes of your project? (150 word maximum)

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* 23. How will you know if you achieved your outcomes? How will you measure or document the results? (150 word maximum)

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* 24. How many people do you anticipate will be served by this project? (100 word maximum)

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* 25. As applicable, what strategies do you/will you take to ensure that your project is inclusive and serves people equitably? Please address any outreach efforts or other relevant activities. (150 word maximum)

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* 26. Are there other organizations in Tompkins County which are implementing similar projects? How is your project different than other programs locally? (150 word maximum)

Grant Guidelines

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* 1. Organization Legal Name

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* 2. Organization Street Address

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* 3. City/State/Zip

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* 4. Phone Number

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* 5. Website (if applicable)

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* 6. Director's Name and title

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* 7. Contact Person and Title (if different)

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* 8. Email Address for Contact Person

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* 9. Phone Number for Contact Person

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* 10. Organization's Fiscal Year (Dates):

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* 11. For Current Fiscal Year...

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* 12. Project Name

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* 13. Brief summary of the project for which funding is being sought (150 word maximum)

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* 14. What is the essential community need this project is addressing? (150 word maximum)

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* 15. Amount of Request (not to exceed $3,000)

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* 16. Total Project Cost

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* 17. Project funds raised or to be raised from other sources (please specify sources, 150 word maximum).

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* 18. Beginning date of project (note: funds are typically awarded in December)

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* 19. Ending date of project

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* 20. Please provide a detailed program/project proposal narrative. Describe the program for which funds are requested, including goals and objectives, population and area served, staffing (paid and/or volunteers), envisioned impact of program/project and project timetable. (1200 word maximum)

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* 21. Plans for continuing support of the project (if applicable, 150 word maximum)

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* 22. What do you hope will be the outcomes of your project? (150 word maximum)

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* 23. How will you know if you achieved your outcomes? How will you measure or document the results? (150 word maximum)

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* 24. How many people do you anticipate will be served by this project? (100 word maximum)

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* 25. As applicable, what strategies do you/will you take to ensure that your project is inclusive and serves people equitably? Please address any outreach efforts or other relevant activities. (150 word maximum)

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* 26. Are there other organizations in Tompkins County which are implementing similar projects? How is your project different than other programs locally? (150 word maximum)

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* 27. Please upload the proposed budget for the program/project for which funding is being sought (e.g., equipment, software, supplies, etc.) (.doc, docx, or .pdf).

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* 28. Please upload your overall agency budget (.doc, docx, or .pdf).

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* 29. Please upload your current balance sheet (.doc, docx, or .pdf).

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* 30. Please upload a list of your current Board of Directors (.doc, docx, or .pdf).

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* 31. If applicable, please provide an additional supporting document you wish the Social Service League Board to consider. (.doc, docx, or .pdf)

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* 32. If applicable, please provide an additional supporting document you wish the Social Service League Board to consider. (.doc, docx, or .pdf)

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* 33. If applicable, please provide an additional supporting document you wish the Social Service League Board to consider (.doc, docx, or .pdf).

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* 34. Today's Date

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* 35. (Executive Director or designee) By typing my name here I confirm that I am authorized to submit this application on behalf of my organization.