Grant Request Process

Requirements

All organizations [even those previously funded through the Foundation] interested in submitting a grant request must call or visit the Foundation's office to discuss their funding proposal with Foundation staff. A grant request will be accepted if the proposed initiative fits within the Foundation's guidelines.

 

The Grant Request Form and Proposal Budget Form must be completed and sent with the proposal. Proposals should be written according to the Grant Proposal Guidelinesand submitted with the following attachments:

 

  • IRS Section 501[c][3] Tax Determination Letter
  • Pennsylvania Charitable Organizations Bureau Registration Certificate
  • Current Annual Report, Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws
  • List of current Board of Directors – with professional affiliation
  • Current IRS Form 990
  • Current independent financial audit and management letter
  • Current operating budget
  • List of public/private funding sources during the past fiscal year
  • Strategic Plan
  • Statement of no change in tax-exemption with the IRS certified by the Board Chairman/President



Deadlines

 January 13, 2012

for March 2012 Grant Meeting

 

July 29, 2012

for September 2012 Grant Meeting


NOTE: The grant making meeting schedule and deadlines are subject to change. 

Review Process

The Foundation accepts proposals year round and requests are generally addressed at the next available Board meeting.

 

The Foundation staff puts forth its best effort to prepare grant requests as comprehensively as possible for review at an upcoming Grant Allocation Board meeting. At staff's discretion, a site visit may be requested as part of the proposal evaluation process. Staff will contact the requesting organization during the proposal analysis process if it has any questions to be answered. 

Award Process

Upon making a grant, the staff, on behalf of the Board of Directors, will send a grant award packet to the grantee containing the following items:

 

  • Grant Award Letter indicating the Board's positive response to the request and the amount awarded
  • Grant Agreement to be signed and returned promptly to the Foundation by the grantee. The Grant Agreement outlines the mutual responsibilities of both the grantor and the grantee. When the grantee returns a signed original Grant Agreement to the Foundation, the grant award check will be sent promptly to the grantee.
  • Guidelines for Preparing Progress Reports. The Foundation requires grantees to file interim [six months] and a final report [twelve months] on the use of the grant award. These guidelines explain the programmatic and financial information that should be included in the reports. You can download the required forms below.



Download
Grant Report Form
Any grantee is required to complete and file an interim report and final report.
PROGRESS-REPORT-FORM.doc
Microsoft Word document [165.5 KB]
Download
Sample Grant Award Agreement
Sample-Grant-Agreement.doc
Microsoft Word document [40.0 KB]

Additional Considerations

The Foundation Board of Directors has made clear the annual grant-making distribution will , once again, be reduced due to the economic environment. Although the Foundation has opened up grant consideration for new organizations and Level Three services, the Board will give priority to funding those proposals with the most positive and widest community impact


Likewise, with regard to types of grants and organizations supported, the Directors, as a rule, do not make awards for:

 

  • Direct scholarship support to individuals
  • Purchase of tickets or advertising for benefit purposes
  • Coverage of continuing operating deficits
  • Document publication
  • Pass-through grant support through a third party
  • Groups such as fraternal organizations, political parties or candidates, veterans, labor or local civic groups, and groups engaged in influencing legislation.