Apply For A Grant

The Sunstate Equipment Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) charitable corporation, whose purpose is to make a positive impact on the communities in which Sunstate employee’s live and work through grants to other 501 (c)(3) non-profit organizations.

Most grants are made to organizations located in the vicinity of a Sunstate Branch or Metro Area in which Sunstate operates. For current locations, please visit the Sunstate Equipment website at https://sunstateequip.com.

Funding for the Foundation comes from contributions made by employees of Sunstate Equipment, which are matched by the Sunstate Equipment Co., LLC.

The Foundation has 2 grant cycles per year. The deadline for these grant cycles are:

• April 1
• September 15

Non-profit organizations wishing to be considered for funding must first submit a completed Grant Application, along with copies of the organization’s 501 (c)(3) determination letter and list of current board members. Grants are reviewed by employee committees who make recommendations to the board, which meets quarterly. The board meetings are scheduled for approximately 6 weeks after each grant cycle closes. Applicants are notified by email approximately two weeks after the board meeting if their application has been funded, denied, or held for consideration during the next grant cycle. Organizations that submit applications that do not meet these guidelines, or are incomplete, will not be considered and no notification will be sent.

Organizations that submit applications that do not meet these guidelines, or are incomplete, will not be considered and no notification will be sent.

In general, the Sunstate Equipment Foundation does not provide financial support to / for:

• Grant requests greater than $10,000
• In the form of multi-year pledges
• To underwrite the cost of fundraising events, such as dinners, golf tournaments, etc.
• Construction projects that will provide administrative facilities
• Grants that would be used, in any way, to teach or promote religious beliefs.
• Activities outside of the US

1. Verification of Tax Exempt Status. Applicants must be able to verify their 501 (c)(3) status by submitting a copy of their tax determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service. There are no exceptions to this policy, and no other types of tax exempt organizations will be considered.
2. Verification of Current Address. The address on the tax exemption letter must match the current address of the organization. If it does not, the organization must submit a copy of the first sheet of its most recent Form 990 filing, showing the current address of the organization. If the organization is not required to file a Form 990, it may alternatively submit to the Foundation a letter, signed by the Executive Director or other official with authority to bind the organization, explaining the change of address (when, where, etc.) and affirmatively stating that, but for the change of address, the organization is the same organization that has been designated by the IRS as a 501 (c)(3) organization, that there has been no change in that status since the issuance of the IRS letter and that, to the best of the writers knowledge, there are no circumstances that would warrant a change in that status.
3. Recognition as an Affiliate of another Organization. If the organization applying for a grant is an affiliate of a parent organization that holds 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt status, the applicant must submit a copy of the parent organization’s tax-exemption letter along with a letter from the parent organization, on the parent organization’s letterhead, recognizing the affiliate and confirming the affiliate’s current address.