Guidelines and Policies
Generally, it is possible to qualify for funding if your project and/or organization does NOT fall into any of the following categories:

• Lobbyists, political or religious organizations
  
• Fraternal and labor organizations
  
• Fund raising dinners, raffles, and other similar events
  
• Individuals (disaster relief or special circumstances)
  
• Capital fund campaigns
  
• National fund drives
  
• Advertising
  
• Field trips
  
• Athletic teams

All application decisions:

• Are based on need
  
• Give priority to W-H members
  
• Are based on the availability of funds
  

Evaluation Factors
The following factors will be considered in the evaluation of all funding requests:

• Potential benefit to area residents and the entire community;
  
• Level of community support for the program or project or the organization requesting funds;
  
• Fiscal and administrative capability of the organization to deliver a quality service or program;
  
• Results that are predictable and can be evaluated;
  
• Local scout and youth programs will receive priority over state and national funding;
  
• When funding equipment, the W-H board will evaluate historical data and use the lowest price level whenever possible;
  
• Priority given to organizations with low administrative costs;
  
• Lower priority given to applicants that have the power to levy.

Major Funding Categories
Although there are many worthy charitable and educational projects and community needs in our local area, the limited availability of funds requires us to establish funding priority categories as follows, with annual budget allocation ranges for each category:

Community Service:

• Programs, projects and organizations, which are important components of a community’s overall quality of life, with emphasis on public safety, health care, self-sufficiency, and basic human needs.
• Programs and projects, which enhance the cultural environment of communities in our local area.
  
• Programs and projects that promote community recycling and natural resource preservation.
  
• Community-based environmental quality education.

Education and Youth:

• Programs that are designed to combat critical social problems affecting children and youth, with an emphasis on children and teens at risk.

Emergency Energy Assistance:

• Community action programs, Heatshare and other local and statewide fuel funds established by an energy provider within the service area of Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association, or any other entity that collects and distributes money for low-income emergency energy assistance and meets the minimum criteria, including income eligibility criteria, for receiving money from the Federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the Program’s Incentive Fund for Leveraging Non-Federal Resources.

Disaster Relief:

• Programs and projects to provide disaster relief, food, clothing, shelter, medical care, clean up and repairs and reconstruction in an emergency following an accident, a severe storm or other causes.
  
• Provide assistance for families or individuals in crisis due to a natural or medical disaster.