The Foundation is interested in being as helpful as possible in the grant writing process.
First of all, please read the Guidelines page on our web site. It provides some basic information for what we support, what we don’t support, and what is included in the application. If you have a question related to Performing Arts, please email [email protected]. For Conservation, [email protected]. And for Social Impact, email [email protected]. For technical questions regarding your online account, please contact Wendy Vendel at [email protected].
Here are some suggestions for filling out the LOI and application:
LOI Process.
The initial phase in pursuing a grant is the submission of a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). Any organization with an account in our grant management system (Login) may fill out an LOI during the open period. We review LOIs as they are submitted. The foundation’s acceptance of an LOI then automatically creates an application, in draft status, with LOI information transferred to the full application form. This process streamlines our work to process the growing number of applications we receive. It also provides a chance for feedback earlier in the process, and eliminates the need for access codes.
To preview the foundation’s LOI form, please click on the appropriate focus area:
Applicable to Full Application Invites Only:
The Three Objectives.
There are a number of things to keep in mind for the three objectives.
First of all, please just put simple, clear objectives in these fields. Don’t use these areas to supplement information about your organization’s mission, history, prior accomplishments, or the Grant Narrative. Less is more. Also, please limit the objectives/goals to three. Don’t try to put multiple goals in any of these three fields, in an attempt to state ALL the things you do. Just pick the three most pertinent and important to this grant, and go with those, remembering that you’ll have to assess them in your final report.
Another thing to remember is that we’ll want to assess your grant based on activity that has occurred after your application was submitted, so please don’t set objectives for activities that have already wholly transpired. Finally, please do not fail to include a means of assessing the success of attainment of each objective. It can be a quantitative measurement (for example, tickets collected as a means of assessing an attendance objective) or qualitative (external reviews of a public performance).
Dates of Events.
(Performing Arts only)
Indicate the start and end dates of events to be supported by this grant. If you are seeking general operating support, give the start and end dates of your fiscal year. Please note, the foundation does not fund in arrears. If applying for the Spring cycle, the date of events must begin after May 15th. For the Fall cycle, events must begin after December 1st.
Grant Narrative.
This is the place to be a bit expansive about the activities to be funded by the grant. Please, however, be sure to stay on topic. Your organization’s history, for example, is something which may be addressed better by an attachment. Remember that, since we have approved you to submit an application, we’re already familiar with your work on a basic level. This is especially the case if you are a return applicant. So history should not be a priority. Describe what you’re going to do. There is a limit of 3,000 characters, of course, so do try to be concise as well as complete. We will not increase the character limit of this field. If you need to supply supplementary information to the narrative, you can utilize the final document attachment, “Additional Information.”
Project Budget.
If you’re applying for a project or educational outreach grant, you’ll be supplying us with a project budget. Please be sure to include all expected revenue sources, and not just this grant request. If expenses exceed revenues in your budget, it will be considered incomplete, delaying your application in the process. Also, please be sure to indicate where the funds from your grant would be spent. Against which expenses will they be applied?
Update for Repeat Support.
We also ask, from applicants for continued funding, for a short update on the project’s or, for general operations grant, the organization’s activities. This should not be as long or involved as the Final Report. Let us know of your progress and accomplishments, but please keep it succinct.