Nonprofit FAQ's Frequently Asked Questions

PACF awards our traditional annual grants once a year. In early December, a grant application is posted on the PACF website (in the “Grantees” section) with the due dates for the upcoming grants cycle. A nonprofit organization seeking funds needs to complete the application and submit it by the due date according to the instructions on the grant application. We also have other grants including the Dave Mitchell Impact Grants, Emergency Grants, and the Cammie Vail Executive Director Grants, for which we do not accept applications.

Grantee selection is guided by the PACF Grants Committee, including members of the Board of Directors and the CEO. Each application received is reviewed for community impact, financial soundness, and clarity of purpose. Grants Committee representatives interview each applicant. Group meetings are held to analyze and evaluate both the organization and the grant proposal. In the Spring, the slate of grantees is reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors.

There are many ways to remember the Palo Alto Community Fund in your estate plan.

Leave a bequest in your will.
Name the Fund as a beneficiary of assets remaining in your living trust.
Make the Fund a beneficiary of an entire retirement plan or a percentage of assets in the plan.
Designate the Fund as a beneficiary of any individual or group term life insurance policy.

By remembering the Palo Alto Community Fund in your estate plan, you are perpetuating our mission to improve the quality of life in our community by supporting the work of new and existing nonprofits serving Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and Menlo Park.

Your personal attorney or financial planner can assist you to ensure that all of the documentation is completed correctly and that your intentions are fulfilled. To learn about more ways to leave a legacy, contact our CEO Irene Wong at 650-690-0370.