APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Foundation Policies | |||||||||||||
| Who can apply: | Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations meeting the above criteria. | ||||||||||||
| Geographical restrictions: | Organizations must be based in King County, Snohomish County, or the Olympic Peninsula. | ||||||||||||
| Grants are not made to: | Individuals, scholarships, schools, research, summer camps, athletic events, video or film projects, website development, book publications. Groups who have been declined three times are ineligible to reapply. | ||||||||||||
| Average grant size: | $5,000 to $12,000 | ||||||||||||
| Annual amount granted: | Approximately $250,000. | ||||||||||||
| Type of funding: | Grants will support operating expenses, special projects, and minor capital costs necessary to assure the success of a funded project. | ||||||||||||
| Granting Policy: | No multi-year requests are considered. After receiving three grants, a group must wait two years before re-applying. (Technical Assistance grants exempted.) | ||||||||||||
| Year-end reports: | Required at the end of a grant period. | ||||||||||||
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Application Procedure
Pre-Application Letter.
Before submitting a complete proposal, please send a two-page letter describing the project for which you are seeking support. Be sure to provide principal contact information including name, address, telephone, and e-mail. If you are applying for a project as a component of a larger organization, explain the organizational and financial relationships. Attach a brief budget, indicating actual and projected income and expenses. (For 2010 applications, also attach supplemental information describing how your organization is addressing the economic downturn and likely reduction in revenue.)
Full Proposals. If you are invited to submit a full proposal, please prepare the following information. (The foundation will also accept a "common application form" developed by Philanthropy Northwest.)
Narrative, not to exceed three pages. Describe the problem to be addressed, the constituency to be involved, program goals and strategies. Provide a general workplan describing how the strategies will be undertaken during the grant-funded period. Explain the size of your organization, and a discussion of who will be doing the work. Describe collaborations with other related groups, as well as your organization's unique niche in the larger social service community. Explain how you will determine the success/effectiveness of your project.
Budget summary. For general operating support, submit a current year organizational budget (actual & projected sources of income). If you are requesting project support, provide a budget for both the project and the larger organization. Also submit the previous year financial statements, indicating actual year-end figures for both income and expenses. If there is an increase of 15% or higher in any income category (foundations, corporations, events etc.) between last year’s actual figures and this year’s budgeted figures, please explain your strategies to reach the income goal. Please re-submit the supplemental information (re: economic downturn) requested for the pre-application.
IRS 501(c)(3) notification letter, and a listing of your Board of Directors.
Optional Additional information. Newsletters, press coverage, brochures.
These materials must be postmarked by the following deadlines (Regular delivery mail, please, not Certified). Please do not submit materials by fax or e-mail.
Initial contact may be by phone, or by submitting a pre-application letter if your organization meets foundation areas of interest and policies.
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