URJGENT Grants Program 2022
URJGENT Grants were created in 2021 to support the great work that is being done in our communities. The response from our community was amazing, so we are bringing the grant program back for 2022!
This page will provide all of the information you need about the 2022 URJGENT Grants. Please review the information and forms made available here to determine if you are eligible to apply, and what is needed for your application. The application period was open from March 23 - April 13. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
If you need any help with this application, please contact us at [email protected]
Downloadable PDF of the 2022 application
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I. Policy priorities and project preferences
The name “URJGENT” is an acronym that identifies D3’s policy priorities:
- Unhoused – We still face an affordable housing crisis that has been exacerbated during this pandemic, which means we still need projects that help provide food, warm clothes, face masks, shelter, and more.
- Racial Justice– We will continue to be visible and stand against hate, violence, and injustice. We stand in strong support of the movements that call for racial justice – Black Lives Matter, Stop AAPI Hate, Love Wins, and more. We also stand in solidarity with the Latinx, indigenous, and the LGBTQ+ communities who face the same threats, violence, and harm. We must confront prejudice and discrimination based on our immutable characteristics, be it implicit, explicit, present or systemic.
- Green – We must be strong stewards for our planet because we have no other choice. We want to acknowledge and elevate the work being done in the County of Santa Clara that promotes green practices and reducing carbon emissions, including advocating for stronger public transportation and protecting our green spaces.
- Equity – Marginalized communities have long occupied the jobs that we now classify as “essential,” particularly by women of color. Without this labor and without the courage of our BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled communities, our outlook from this pandemic would have been drastically worse. Projects that promote equity for disadvantaged communities, including Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color, LGBTQ+, and disabled – all of whom have been targeted and disadvantaged communities that have struggled before and during this pandemic – will be considered. We will not limit our support for any resident in our community.
- Neighborhoods – Communities are built around shared experiences. Projects that strengthen our local neighborhoods, such as starting community gardens, providing local activities, or supporting local businesses (without direct contributions to the businesses) are encouraged.
- Transparency – Good government means honoring the trust of our residents, so we are also looking for proposals that increase access to our local government and government resources, particularly for our disadvantaged communities. This includes providing multilingual or non-English outreach for critical government/public resources (including COVID relief) or streamline communications between our agencies and our residents. Our County does best when we are able to work together.
Applications for this grant will only be considered if they fall under one of these six categories. Additionally, proposals submitted for this grant must be project-based or supply a material need for technology or equipment. If project-based, the project must have already been in existence or on-going or be initiated in calendar year 2022. This includes projects or programs that occur on an annual basis, such as annual creek clean-ups or summer youth programs. One-time projects should be completed before March 2023, but will not be disqualified from applying. If material or technology based, the request must be for one-time purchases. Specific requests for salaries, rent, or other ongoing expenses may be included in the application so long as they are related to the provision of services or support that benefits our residents.
II. Grant tiers and eligibility
All applications must be registered as a 501(c)3 non-profit entity or have a fiscal agent that is registered as a 501(c)3 non-profit entity. Applicants who have a fiscal agent must submit the “Certification of Fiscal Agency” form along with the applications.
There are three grant tiers, and each has its own eligibility requirements.
| Tier | Grant amount | Eligibility |
| 1 | $5,000 | Annual budget of no more than $100,000 |
| 2 | $15,000 | Annual budget of no more than $250,000 |
| 3 | $25,000 | Annual budget of no more than $500,000 |
Please note: If your organization wants to apply for funding and does not meet the eligibility requirement for an URJGENT Grant, you may submit your request through the same application form. It will be considered separately from organizations that are eligible for URJGENT Grants.
III. Application requirements
All applications that are submitted must be in Times New Roman and size 12 font, double-spaced, and one-inch margins. There will be different page limits for the different tiers because the amount of information requested will be greater for Tiers that provide more funding. However, for all tiers, all applicants must provide the following information:
- Introductory narrative of the organization (maximum two pages);
- Project proposal or project narrative (maximum three pages);
- Potential impacts on (1) youth, meaning under 18 years old, (2) seniors, meaning 65 and older, and (3) environmental sustainability (maximum two page);
- Social media handles (if any);
- Primary contacts; and
- Verification under penalty of perjury that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements to apply for the grants, including annual budget caps.
For Question 3, please provide a narrative about the impact you believe your proposal will have on youth, seniors, and environmental sustainability. If your proposal is intended to focus only on one of these categories or is not intended to target any of these categories, you may simply state “not applicable.”
If you are a registered 501(c)3, please note that we will verify your status with the Charitable Trust Registry. If you are not and will rely on a fiscal agent, we will verify the status of your fiscal agent with the Charitable Trust Registry. All applicants must be in good standing with the Charitable Trust Registry.
Supplemental information such as brochures and photos may be submitted and will not count against the substantive page cap. However, each tier will have a maximum page cap. Please note that the maximum page count for each section must be tailored by the applicant to fit into the page caps that are imposed in each tier. For example, though the maximum page count for each section is greater than the maximum number of pages allowed for a Tier One microgrant, the applicant is empowered to determine how to use the space that they are allotted to supply all of the information that is required in the application.
- Tier One - $5,000 Microgrants: Applications will be no more than three (3) pages.
- Tier Two - $15,000 Grants: Applications will be no more than five (5) pages and must include a proposal budget to show how grant funds will be used and if there the proposal is being funded from other County of Santa Clara sources.
- Tier Three - $25,000 Grants: Applications will be no more than seven (7) pages and must include a budget showing how the grant funds will be used and if there the proposal is being funded from other County of Santa Clara sources. Applicants will also commit to submitting a year-end report that will be no more than four (4) pages and must meet the same formatting requirements as the application.
Grants may be approved for lower amounts than what was requested.
IV. Evaluation process
URJGENT Grant applications will be released on March 23, 2022, and applications will be accepted until 5:00pm on April 13, 2022. Applications will be reviewed and assessed on a rolling basis, so please submit your applications early.
To ensure that the grant evaluation process is fair and transparent, all applications will be evaluated by the Community Review Panel (CRP), which is comprised of County of Santa Clara Residents who were chosen after submitting their own applications to join the panel. Each panelist will score the applications received based on the following criteria:
- Urgency of the identified need;
- Thoughtfulness and uniqueness of the proposed program or project;
- Reliability and past performance of applicant (as presented by applicant and any independent thought or research of the panel); and
- Impact, either direct or projected, of the proposed program or project.
CRP evaluations will be submitted to District 3 senior staff for final decision making, and grantees will be notified no later than April 27!
URJGENT Grants documents and forms:
- Grant application questions - PDF
- Fiscal Agency Certification - PDF
- Grants contract for 2022-23 - PDF*
*Grants contract is subject to change