Funding Process

22. Does the foundation have specific deadlines for Letters of Inquiry or grant proposals?

With the exception of special initiatives, the Foundation does not have deadlines governing the submission of Letters of Inquiry or grant proposals. Letters of Inquiry and grant proposals will be accepted throughout the year and reviewed on a rolling basis. When a grant proposal is ready for review by the Distribution Committee, it will be included on the agenda of the next meeting at which discussion time is available. Generally speaking, planning for a Distribution Committee agenda will be completed approximately one month before the meeting date.

23. How often does the foundation's distribution committee meet to review grant proposals?

The Distribution Committee meets four times per year, usually in March, June, September and December.

24. What is the review process once my Letter of Inquiry is received?

Upon receipt of your Letter of Inquiry, the staff will determine whether or not it meets Foundation guidelines and Program Goals. If it does not, you will be immediately notified in writing. If your Letter of Inquiry does meet our requirements, it will be reviewed by staff within 10 days of receipt. If your request is accepted to proceed to the next stage of review, a Grants Manager will send you an application package as well as a timeline for your submission of the grant proposal. If your request is not accepted to proceed, you will be notified in writing.

25. Are examples of successful Letters of Inquiry available for me to review?

No. The key components of a Letter of Inquiry are included in "Apply for a Grant" section of this website. The content of each Letter of Inquiry will be different and will depend solely on your project, program and evaluation details.

26. If my Letter of Inquiry does not qualify, may I re-apply?

If your Letter of Inquiry is rejected for any reason, you may submit another Letter of Inquiry at any time.

27. Will foundation staff conduct site visits?

As part of the review process, Foundation staff will generally do site visits to meet with the staff, trustees, and constituencies of potential grantee organizations. Among the matters discussed will be the processes in place to collect data and evaluate the effectiveness of the program. This will be a chance for foundation staff to gain a better understanding of the project or program, see first-hand who will be served, and assess the capacity of the potential grantee to carry out its objectives.