Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I want to mail a donation to the Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund. Where do I send it?
A: Mailed donations, in the form of a check, can be sent to the below address. Please make your check out to the Lancaster County Community Foundation and list the Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund in the memo line. Thank you for supporting local journalism!
Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund
P.O. Box 1328
Lancaster, PA 17608
Q: Who can apply for a grant?
A: The Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund only supports organizations serving residents of Lancaster County, PA.
Q: What should be included in a Letter of Inquiry?
A: Letters of Inquiry should be one (1) page maximum in length and contain preliminary information about the grantseeker’s organization and proposed grant request. Completed Letters of Inquiry may be emailed to [email protected]. We will send a confirmation email, usually within 3-5 business days, advising the grantseeker of the anticipated timetable for review of the inquiry.
Q: Is grant reporting required, and what information is requested?
A: Grant reports are required in writing. Grantees are also required to meet with the Board of Managers in person to discuss the evaluation and success of the grant. The Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund reserves the right to request information such as progress toward goals stated in your application, community impact, lessons learned, significant changes and future plans. Financial reporting will require a budget showing the use of grant funds. Additionally, the Board of Managers must be notified if the funding goal has been reached prior to the Fund’s decision, or if the project has been cancelled.
Grant evaluations or reports will be submitted at the end of the grant period and contain the following information:
- What did the organization achieve, based on the goals stated in the initial grant application and progress made towards those goals?
- What did the organization learn? (Especially in light of not meeting goals, what was learned through the process).
- Were there any major changes internally or externally that impacted the success of the grant? (Leadership changes, policy, major budget changes, external environmental changes).
Q: Are there initiatives that the Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund will not fund?
A: The Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund will not consider grant inquiries from organizations that discriminate on the basis of age, disability, economic circumstance, ethnicity, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation, or other identifying characteristics.
Additionally, requests that include activities that attempt to influence public elections, voter registration, political activity, lobbying efforts, or programs that promote a religious faith or include religious content will not be considered for funding.