Central Alabama Community Foundation Inc (CACF)

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $9,113,882 (2024, per IRS Form 990)
• Total Assets: $107 million
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Varies by program (rolling for some programs; fixed cycles for others)
• Grant Range: $2,500 (Technical Assistance) to $25,000 (Community Trust); Montgomery City Council grants vary
• Geographic Focus: Central Alabama (Montgomery, Lowndes, Macon counties core); affiliates serve Autauga, Elmore, Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Chambers, Russell, and Tallapoosa counties
• Charity Navigator Rating: 97% / Four Stars

Contact Details

• Website: cacfinfo.org
• Address: 114 Church Street, Montgomery, Alabama 36104
• Phone: (334) 264-6223
• Fax: (334) 263-6225
• President: Burton U. Crenshaw — [email protected]
• Grants / Community Services: Jackie Johnson, Vice President of Community Services — [email protected]
• Scholarships: Sabrina Wood — [email protected]

Overview

Founded in 1987 by a group of local civic leaders, the Central Alabama Community Foundation (CACF) was created to establish a permanent charitable resource supporting opportunities and needs across the Montgomery area and beyond. Over nearly four decades, CACF has grown to hold over $107 million in charitable assets and has distributed more than $75 million to nonprofits and individuals across the region. The Foundation distributes over $6 million annually through hundreds of grants and scholarships across its 230+ funds.

CACF operates through four geographic entities: the core Central Alabama operation (Montgomery, Lowndes, and Macon counties), the Autauga Area Community Foundation, the Elmore County Community Foundation, and the Southeast Alabama Community Foundation (Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Henry, and Houston counties). In 2024, CACF further expanded its reach by integrating the Community Foundation of East Alabama, extending its service area to Chambers, Lee, Russell, and Tallapoosa counties. The Foundation holds a Charity Navigator four-star rating (97%), reflecting strong accountability and transparency. CACF awarded $9.1 million across 59 grants in 2024.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

CACF operates multiple competitive and rolling grant programs, all submitted online only — no paper applications are accepted.

• Community Trust Grants: $5,000 – $25,000 per award. Supports nonprofit organizations improving quality of life through Social Services, Shelter, Community Building, and/or the Arts (or Family Wellness and Education) in Lowndes, Macon, and/or Montgomery counties. Competitive process with fixed application windows (typically one to two cycles per year). Organizations may submit only one application per cycle.

• Technical Assistance Grants: Up to $2,500. Supports nonprofits seeking to strengthen internal operations and organizational effectiveness in Lowndes, Macon, and/or Montgomery counties. Eligible uses include Strategic Planning, Organizational/Board Infrastructure, Fund Development, and Marketing/Public Relations. Organizations may submit one application per cycle.

• Montgomery City Council Contingency Funds Grant: Amounts vary. For nonprofits providing services in Montgomery, funded through the Montgomery City Council's contingency funds. CACF accepts these applications year-round (rolling basis); staff reviews and submits recommendations to the City Council for final funding decisions.

• Affiliate Grants (Autauga Area, Elmore County, Southeast Alabama): Each affiliate has its own grant programs and cycles aligned to their specific counties. Elmore County Community Foundation has distributed more than $2 million in grants to Elmore County nonprofits over two decades.

Priority Areas

• Education (including youth development and literacy)
• Family Wellness (food security, medical access, family support)
• Social Services and Shelter
• Community Building and Civic Engagement
• Arts and Cultural Programming
• Historic Preservation
• Health and Human Services

What They Don't Fund

• Religious purposes (although CACF does support educational and social service programs offered by faith-based organizations, the grant funds cannot be designated for religious activities)
• Organizations outside the defined service counties for each respective program

Governance and Leadership

• Burton U. Crenshaw, President — The long-serving president has overseen the Foundation's growth from its early years through its expansion to over $107 million in assets. On the 2024 integration of East Alabama: "We are excited to welcome the Community Foundation of East Alabama into the CACF family. This integration represents a significant step forward in our mission to serve and support the diverse needs of our communities. Together, we can leverage our collective strengths to make an even greater impact in East Alabama."
• Jackie Johnson, Vice President of Community Services — Key contact for grants and nonprofit support.
• Vanessa Echols, Board Member
• Dana Hess, Financial Officer
• Sabrina Wood, Scholarships Contact

CACF's affiliate foundations each have their own Advisory Boards comprised of local community leaders who determine investment of local funds.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted online through CACF's application portal, accessible via cacfinfo.org/grants. Paper applications are not accepted under any circumstances.

Step-by-step:

1. Review the specific grant program page to confirm your organization and project are eligible for the open cycle.
2. Confirm your county falls within the geographic scope of the specific grant program.
3. Complete the online application via the portal (linked from the Grants page).
4. Submit only one application per cycle per program — multiple applications from the same organization are not permitted within a single cycle.

Pre-application recommendation: Contact Jackie Johnson (Vice President of Community Services) at [email protected] or (334) 264-6223 to discuss eligibility prior to submitting.

Decision Timeline

• Community Trust Grants: Fixed application windows, with decisions typically announced at formal grant ceremonies shortly after cycle closes. The 2025 Family Wellness & Education cycle opened October 2025, with awards announced in spring 2025. Arts & Community Building awards were announced in November 2025 at a Year-End Reception.
• Montgomery City Council Contingency Funds Grant: Rolling — accepted year-round. Timeline depends on City Council meeting schedule following CACF staff review.
• Technical Assistance Grants: Cycle-based; specific windows vary by year.

Success Rates

CACF does not publicly disclose application success rates. In 2024, 59 grants were awarded from the foundation's full grant-making activity totaling $9.1 million. The Community Trust Grant is described as a competitive process.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations may submit one application per grant cycle per program. There is no publicly documented blanket restriction on reapplying in subsequent cycles if previously unsuccessful. Applicants are encouraged to contact CACF staff if they are unsuccessful to understand feedback before reapplying.

Application Success Factors

Based on CACF's documented guidance and observed grant-making patterns, the following factors are particularly important:

• Geographic alignment is non-negotiable: Each grant program is tied to specific counties. Ensure your organization's service delivery (not just headquarters) falls within the eligible counties for the program you are targeting. The Community Trust Grant specifically covers Lowndes, Macon, and/or Montgomery counties.

• One application per cycle: CACF strictly limits organizations to one application per cycle per program. Prioritize your strongest project rather than submitting multiple requests.

• Match your proposal to the current thematic focus: CACF rotates its Community Trust Grant themes (e.g., Family Wellness and Education in one cycle; Arts and Community Building in another). Tailor your application to the specific thematic focus of the open cycle rather than presenting a general organizational funding request.

• Online-only submission: All applications must be submitted via the online portal. Paper submissions are not accepted and will not be considered.

• Show community need with data: Strong applications document a clearly defined, local community need supported by local data, community voices, and evidence of demand. Generic needs statements are less competitive.

• Demonstrate organizational readiness: CACF's Technical Assistance Grant is designed for organizations that need to strengthen internal capacity — this demonstrates the Foundation values organizational infrastructure. For Community Trust Grants, show that your organization has the operational capacity to deliver the proposed program.

• Budget clarity: A complete, accurate, and realistic budget is a core component reviewed by grant committees. Provide detailed line-item breakdowns and ensure your budget narrative aligns precisely with your program description.

• Faith-based eligibility: If your organization is faith-based, clarify that the funded program is educational or social service in nature, not religious programming. CACF does fund faith-based organizations in this context.

• Recent funded examples to calibrate proposals: In the 2025 cycles, awards ranged from $2,500 (Next Step Up — logic model development in Macon County) to $17,000 (New Beginnings Educational Center — mentoring and tutoring). Common recipients include direct service organizations addressing food access, legal services, mental health, and youth development. Align your project scope and budget with this range.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• CACF is a well-established, financially strong community foundation with over $107 million in assets and a 97% Charity Navigator rating — it is a credible and active grant maker disbursing $9+ million annually.
• The foundation serves a broad multi-county region through its core and four affiliate foundations; confirm which geographic program is right for your organization before applying.
• Grant programs are thematically rotated — verify the current cycle's focus area (e.g., Family Wellness, Arts, Education) and tailor your entire application to that theme.
• The one-application-per-cycle rule makes it essential to prioritize your strongest project; spreading thin across multiple submissions is not possible.
• The Montgomery City Council Contingency Funds Grant is the only year-round, rolling opportunity — it is an important avenue for Montgomery-based nonprofits who miss fixed-cycle deadlines.
• The Technical Assistance Grant (up to $2,500) is an underutilized entry point for smaller or newer nonprofits needing to strengthen capacity — a strong way to build a track record with CACF.
• Contact Jackie Johnson (Vice President, Community Services) directly before applying to discuss fit — this is a smaller community foundation where staff relationships and familiarity with local organizations matter.
• CACF has been actively expanding its geographic footprint (East Alabama integration in 2024), suggesting a period of organizational growth and potential new funding opportunities in newly affiliated counties.

References

1. Central Alabama Community Foundation — Official Website: https://cacfinfo.org (Accessed February 2026)
2. CACF Grants Page: https://cacfinfo.org/grants/ (Accessed February 2026)
3. CACF Community Trust Grants: https://cacfinfo.org/grants/community-trust-grants/ (Accessed February 2026)
4. CACF Technical Assistance Grants: https://cacfinfo.org/grants/technical-assistance-grants-2/ (Accessed February 2026)
5. CACF About Page: https://cacfinfo.org/about/ (Accessed February 2026)
6. CACF Central Alabama Program Page: https://cacfinfo.org/central-alabama/ (Accessed February 2026)
7. CACF News — "CACF Celebrates Over $703,000 Awarded in 2025": https://cacfinfo.org/cacf-celebrates-over-703000-awarded-in-2025/ (Accessed February 2026)
8. CACF News — "CACF Awards $184,652 in Food, Family, and Medical Grants": https://cacfinfo.org/cacf-awards-food-family-medical-grants/ (Accessed February 2026)
9. CACF News — "CACF Expands Reach with EACF": https://cacfinfo.org/cacf-expands-reach-with-eacf/ (Accessed February 2026)
10. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer — Central Alabama Community Foundation Inc (EIN: 63-0842355): https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/630842355 (Accessed February 2026)
11. Charity Navigator — Central Alabama Community Foundation Inc: https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/630842355 (Accessed February 2026)
12. Instrumentl 990 Report — Central Alabama Community Foundation: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/central-alabama-community-foundation-inc (Accessed February 2026, data last updated February 8, 2026)
13. Elmore-Autauga News — "Central Alabama Community Foundation Awards $184,652.00 In Grants To Nonprofits": https://elmoreautauganews.com/2025/05/07/central-alabama-community-foundation-awards-184652-00-in-grants-to-nonprofits/ (Accessed February 2026)
14. WSFA 12 News — "Central Alabama Community Foundation awards over $130,000 to nonprofits throughout the River Region": https://www.wsfa.com/2025/06/26/central-alabama-community-foundation-awards-over-130000-nonprofits-throughout-river-region/ (Accessed February 2026)
15. OA-Now — "Community foundations that serve Central, East Alabama announce strategic partnership": https://oanow.com/news/local/community-foundations-that-serve-central-east-alabama-announce-strategic-partnership/article_a24e9a7e-42ef-11ef-bd2b-1768b3f50964.html (Accessed February 2026)
16. RocketReach — Central Alabama Community Foundation Management Team: https://rocketreach.co/central-alabama-community-foundation-management_b4591561fc5d4905 (Accessed February 2026)