Grant Application | Spotlight Miami

2026 Grant Application

Spotlight Miami is blessed to consider partnering with you and your charity organization!

Important Dates:

Deadline to submit application is Friday, February 27, 2026 by 11:59 p.m. (with respect to all applying organizations, Spotlight Miami cannot make any exceptions for late applications).
Grants Committee meets to review applications and establish semi-finalists on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Selected organizations will be asked to meet with the Spotlight Miami Board on Tuesday, March 31 (30-minute, in-person interviews will be scheduled at a later date).
Site visits to semi-finalist organizations will be scheduled in the month of April.
Spotlight Miami Check Distribution Event will be held on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (location TBD)

Spotlight grants are for a one-year granting cycle. Grantees can reapply every three years (three full funding cycles must pass before reapplying). Spotlight Miami prefers to fund organizations that have little access to major giving, an annual Miami-Dade County operating budget of $1.5 million or less, are an emerging charity, and for which our funds will have a big impact.

Once your application is submitted, no revisions can be made.

If you have trouble sending your application, please email Spotlightmiamifund@gmail.com.

Legal Name of the Organization

Address

Country/Region

Address

City

Zip / Postal code

Phone

Must include 1 + area code

Website Address

Effective Date of the Organization’s IRS 501 (c) (3) status

Month

Day

Year

Miami-Dade Operating Budget

Population(s) Organization Serves

Primary Grant Contact (Name, Telephone and Title)

Organization’s Mission Statement (500 characters or less)

Grant Request Amount (not to exceed $15,000)

Purpose of Grant (250 characters or less)

How did you find out about Spotlight Miami?

The undersigned hereby affirms that I have read the Spotlight Miami grant application requirements, minimum grant consideration information set forth below, and grant selection calendar and agree to all of the contents thereof. By signing this Executive Summary and submitting the attached Spotlight Miami Grant Application I do further affirm that in the event that our charity is awarded a Grant, all grant moneys shall be used in accordance with the Application. I further acknowledge that by accepting a Spotlight Miami Grant, we are required to participate in the Fall Event and to report on the impact of the Grant on the lives of those served.

Print Name and Title

Signature

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Organization Information

Brief summary of organization’s history & vision (1,800 characters or less)

Number of people annually served

Description of current programs and overall accomplishments (1,800 characters or less)

Current sources of funding for the organization in Miami-Dade County – describe affiliation with federal, public, or private funding sources, as applicable (be specific). (1,000 characters or less):

Purpose of Grant / Description of Your Specific Project

Describe the project for which you are requesting support, the target population, and benefits the project will render (1,800 characters or less)

Describe project’s overall goal, measurable outcomes, and methods of evaluation. Include how this project will measurably expand an existing initiative or establish a new initiative; and define the project’s key performance indicators.

Timeline for implementation of the project: Spotlight Miami may audit the grant process/activity at any time before the grant’s completion date.

Start Date

Month

Day

Year

End Date

Month

Day

Year

Name two successes specifically related to the project for which you are requesting support that occurred in the last year. If this request is for a new project, then share a story of success that your organization previously achieved. (<1,000 characters)

What capacity currently exists to achieve program implementation, including staff (either funded or not funded by this grant but who are essential to project implementation), volunteers, etc. (1,800 characters or less)

Long-term strategy to sustain the program beyond the grant (1,800 characters or less)

A. Detailed Operating Budget for Miami-Dade County only (current fiscal year)

B. Detailed Grant Budget - Provide an itemized Grant Budget Request clearly stating how the Grant monies will be used.

Please note Grant Request amount must not exceed half of applicant’s current operating budget. Grant request for advertising, marketing and salaries in total must not exceed 20% of the amount requested. Grant requests must not include ongoing operating expenses, rent or endowments.

C. Comparative financial statements (audited if available) for the most recent two-year period. For example, if you are applying for a grant in the year 2026, we require comparative financial statements for the years 2025 and 2024.

Please note these statements must include a Balance Sheet (a statement of Assets and Liabilities) and an Income Statement or Profit and Loss Statement.

D. Organization’s current IRS Form 990 (applies to organizations with annual gross receipts of $200,000 or more, or assets of $500,000 or more). The 990 must be dated no later than the 15th day of the 5th month after the close of your tax year.

E. 501 (c) (3) IRS letter approving your tax-exempt status

F. Current list of Board of Directors (names, titles, and company)

G. Organization Chart for Miami-Dade County (names and titles)