Frequently Asked Questions
Grant Application Process | Funding Areas & Guidelines
- Q: How does your inquiry process work?
- A: An organization may send an inquiry via mail or submit it online. When an inquiry comes in, we log it into our database and send an acknowledgment that it was received. The inquiry is routed to the proper staff person for review. We will contact you if we would like a full proposal. Otherwise, you will receive a letter explaining that we couldn't consider your request. The foundation receives hundreds of inquiries annually; we make about 70 to 100 grants per year. Our inquiry process is designed to save you time. We don't want groups to waste precious resources developing a proposal if there is little chance we can fund it.
- Q: When are inquiry and proposal deadlines?
- A: The foundation does not have specific inquiry or proposal deadlines. Instead, we accept one- to three-page letters of inquiry on a rolling basis. We suggest that you submit your inquiry at least four months prior to a board meeting. (In 2008, board meetings will be held in April, June and November.) If a program officer invites a full proposal, a specific deadline will be given at that time. Opportunity and Grassroots Fund grants are awarded year-round on an ongoing basis at staff discretion.
- Q: How often does the board make program grant funding decisions?
- A: The board has three grantmaking meetings per year. Our board meetings are typically held in March, June and November. If a program officer invites a full proposal, a specific deadline will be given at that time.
- Q: What is your advisory council? Why did your create one?
- A: The top-level goal for our advisory council is to help the foundation develop more effective grantmaking strategies and make better funding decisions. The responsibilities of the advisory council include attending board meetings, reviewing dockets, participating in strategy discussions and contributing a regional perspective at board meetings. Our advisory council is just that -- advisory. As such, its members provide recommendations and insights to our board of cirectors, who ultimately make grantmaking decisions for the foundation.
- Q: If the foundation defers my inquiry, should I send updates or apply again?
- A: If your inquiry is deferred, it usually means that the project is of interest, but that the upcoming docket is full or we need additional time to assess your proposal. In that case, please keep us updated regarding any significant changes to your project and feel free to check on the inquiry's status.
- Q: If the inquiry is declined, can we apply again?
- A: Yes, providing that your project wasn't declined because it didn't fit within our focus or guidelines.
If you have additional questions, they may be answered in our Funding Areas & Guidelines FAQ.