Grant Guidelines

Please note that most of The Giving Back Fund's foundations have specific program areas in which they
focus their giving.  In addition, many require that the charity is helping a specific geographical region.  
Please visit the Foundation page for specific information.

Foundations at The Giving Back Fund only provide grants to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations.  We are
unable to distribute grants to individuals.  

If you are applying to more than one foundation, please submit only one cover letter and proposal. Refer
to the multiple foundations on your cover letter.

IMPORTANT! Very few unsolicited grant proposals are funded.
Letter of Inquiry

We recommend sending a letter of inquiry first, which you can mail to our offices or email to
grants@givingback.org. This should be a one or two page summary of your organization and the funding
you are seeking.  We will request additional information if necessary.  Please see sample...http://www.
npguides.org/guide/inquiry_letter.htm.

Please include a copy of your 501(c)3 letter with your inquiry.


Full Proposal

If you are invited to submit a full proposal we recommend including the following information:

Summary of Application should include the following:

Legal name of organization, address, name of executive director, and contact person other than
executive director.
Telephone number, fax number and email address.
Amount requested.
Please summarize in a short paragraph your funding request and indicate the type of request
(operating, project, capital, other).
List any previous support from The Foundation.

Background — Describe the work of your organization, addressing each of the following:

A brief description of its history and mission.
Current programs and accomplishments.
Overview of organization's structure including the number of full- and part-time staff as well as
volunteer involvement.
Total organizational budget and fiscal year end.
Describe your organization's constituents including the total number and breakdown by age,
gender, race/ethnicity, income levels, disabilities, and geography.
Funding Request — Please describe the program for which you seek funding, addressing each of
the following:

If applying for general operating support or capital, please describe in specific detail how this grant
would be used.

If your request is for a specific project, please explain the project and include the following:

Program strategies
Target population
How many people will benefit from the proposed project? Please give specific numbers if
possible.  
Specific activities and timetable for meeting your stated objectives.
How does the project contribute to your organization's overall mission?
What do you ultimately hope to accomplish through your proposed project?
What are your plans for fully funding and sustaining this program?
What other agencies or associations are you working with on this project?
How will you measure and monitor the program's progress and effectiveness?
What relevant assets and experience does your staff bring to this project?
Describe your criteria for a successful program and the result you expect to achieve by the end of
the funding period.


Attachments:

IRS 501 (c)(3) Tax Determination Letter.
Most recent financial statement, audited if available.
Most recent 990 Form filed with the IRS.
Operating expense budgets for current and most recent fiscal year.
List of public/private funding sources for your organization during the past fiscal year.
If project funding is requested, please include:
Current expense budget for the project.
List of all sources of income for the program including committed and prospective, with amounts.
Specific uses of the requested grant, if possible.
List of Board of Directors, with affiliations.
Current Annual Report, if available.
Organization contact name, address, phone, fax, and email address.
Three letters of reference from other organizations and/or individuals you are currently working
with or have worked with in the past. This may include one or two parents whose children have
participated in your programs.
Optional: brochures, newsletters.
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