Idaho Community Foundation grant cycle open until Jan. 15

The Idaho Community Foundation grant cycle is open for North Idaho counties, including Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai and Shoshone. The deadline to apply is Jan. 15.

In the 2013-14 grant cycle, ICF awarded more than $164,000 to 74 organizations in North Idaho. Roughly the same amount will be available this year.

Eligible organizations may apply for as much as $5,000. Individuals are not eligible for the regional grant program. Grant areas include, but are not limited to: arts and culture, education, emergency services, libraries, conservation/environment, health, recreation, social services and public projects.

In general, the Idaho Community Foundation favors activities which:

* Reach a broad segment of the community, especially citizens whose needs are not being met by existing services normally expected to be provided by private rather than government sources

* Request seed money to realize unusual opportunities to meet urgent needs in the community

* Stimulate and encourage additional funding

* Promote cooperation and avoid duplication of effort

* Help make a charitable organization more effective and efficient and better able to sustain itself over the long term.

Grant awards will be recommended by the Northern Regional Grants Panel, which is composed of community participants from the counties of the northern region. Distribution of grants is scheduled to begin in June.

For more information or to apply, go to ICF's homepage, www.idcomfdn.org.