2027 Cottage Grove Community Foundation Community Grants
The Cottage Grove Community Foundation (CGCF) is accepting its 2027 community grant applications from October 23 to December 1, 2026. The grants support modest, measurable community projects benefiting residents within Oregon’s South Lane School District service area, including Cottage Grove. The governing foundation guidelines and current 2027 application form control eligibility and submission rules.
Applicant award and funding conditions
Community grants generally range from $500 to $1,000, unless an individual donor specifies a different amount. This is the usual range, not a firm universal award maximum or guaranteed award. The current guidelines do not establish a total 2027 funding pool or mandatory percentage match. Projects must be completed within one year of the award notice, with a progress report after six months.
Eligibility
Applicants must have IRS-recognized nonprofit status and submit proof of status. A qualifying IRS designation other than 501(c)(3) may apply but is subject to additional reporting if funded. Eligible projects must provide services in the South Lane School District area, unless a specific donor provides otherwise. Organizations with overdue prior CGCF project completion and evaluation reports are ineligible for subsequent rounds; a previously funded group may submit an interim report as specified in the current guidelines.
Eligible projects and exclusions
CGCF favors projects with tangible local impact addressing educational, medical, cultural, social and civic needs, especially work underserved by existing public funding. Projects funded within the preceding two years receive lower preference. Unless a donor specifies otherwise, CGCF does not fund emergency or deficit needs, debt retirement, conference travel, routine operating expenses except startup support of up to three years, exclusively sectarian activities, scientific research, previously purchased goods, or retroactive work performed before grant decisions. Church-affiliated projects open to all residents for educational, medical, or social services may be considered.
2027 application — significant new requirements
Complete and sign the official 2027 grant application, limiting the application form to four pages, and supply the IRS nonprofit letter, board list with daytime contacts, latest financial statement or audit, current operating budget, project itemized budget and committed funding sources. Government applicants are exempt from the financial statement and operating-budget attachments as stated in the instructions. New: include a YouTube link to a video of no more than five minutes explaining the organization, the local benefit, ongoing Cottage Grove work, key milestones and whether the project offers long-term or targeted short-term value. New: a representative must attend the March 2027 award ceremony to receive funds.
Deadline and submission
Email the signed application and complete supporting materials to director@cgcfoundation.org. Both the 2027 official guidelines and the application say they must be received by “midnight, Tuesday, December 1, 2026”, without identifying a time zone and without clarifying whether midnight refers to the beginning or end of December 1. To avoid that ambiguity, plan to submit before December 1 and ask CGCF for written cutoff clarification. Incomplete or late applications will be rejected. Applicants are expected to hear decisions by the end of February 2027.
Verified October 25, 2026 against the foundation’s current 2027 grant webpage, two-page guidelines and four-page application. This is an applicant-facing nonprofit community grant, not a vendor procurement or state allocation.