How to Apply

Applicants want a simple way to apply for grants, clear goals and criteria, a transparent process, interaction with our staff, and opportunity to familiarize our staff with your organizations and communities. Our process is designed to address those interests.

Proposals for funding can be submitted to the Foundation in two ways:

• Through our Request for Proposal (RFP) process
• Through an Open Application

While the majority of our grant budget will be awarded through RFPs, we welcome inquiries and ideas outside of the RFP process. Proposals submitted outside of the RFP process must clearly advance a specific objective and will be considered if they fill a specific gap in our funding or address time-sensitive opportunities that would otherwise be lost. 

We use one standard grant application and process across all programs. To review this application and additional guidelines, click here.

Also, we ask each applicant to include a project budget with their proposal. As part of that budget, the Foundation will add a set percentage for overhead or general expenses.

We expect the timeline between application submissions and grant decisions to be about 90 days. 

Here is a general overview of the steps: 

• A grant seeker submits a written application
• Foundation staff members review the application
• Applicants who advance past the written application review take part in a site visit so that Foundation staff can learn more about your organization and proposal
• Foundation staff prepare a recommendation for our Board, who make final funding decisions.