Eligible applicants must represent or be associated with a nonprofit, 501(c)3 tax exempt organization. The Foundation gives priority to projects that are in their first years of development and have budgets less than $300,000. Applicants to Abelard East must be located east of the Mississippi. (Groups located west of the Mississippi may be eligible for support from Abelard West - see their website at www.commoncounsel.org for further information.) The Foundation primarily supports local organizations. Certain state and regional efforts will be considered which have a strong local membership base.