1. How long is the review process for the Online Funding Inquiry?
  2. Who will make the decision if I will be invited to submit a full proposal?
  3. If my Funding Inquiry is declined, will you provide feedback as to why?
  4. If invited, how long will it take to review my full proposal?
  5. How will my proposal be reviewed?
  6. Who makes the decision if my proposal is funded or not?
  7. Will you send my proposal to external reviewers for peer review?
  8. If my proposal is not funded, will you provide feedback as to why?

  1. How long is the review process for the Online Funding Inquiry?
    It is the Foundation's intention to respond to an Online Funding Inquiry within 30 days. Please see Our Review Process for more information.

  2. Who will make the decision if I will be invited to submit a full proposal?
    If the Foundation's Program Staff determines that the proposed project is aligned with the Foundation's mission and purposes, an invitation to submit a Full Proposal will be sent to the applicant.

  3. If my Funding Inquiry is declined, will you provide feedback as to why?
    No. Due to the large number of inquiries we receive the Foundation is unable to provide specific feedback to each Online Funding Inquiry

  4. If invited, how long will it take to review my full proposal?
    The Foundation requires a minimum timeframe of at least four months from the submission of a full proposal to the time funding support is needed. Please see Our Review Process for more information.

  5. How will my proposal be reviewed?
    Please see Our Review Process for more information.

  6. Who makes the decision if my proposal is funded or not?
    The final decision to award support for a proposed project is made by the President of the Foundation or the Board of Trustees. The President's decision to forward a proposal to the Trustees is often linked to the level of financial support being requested, a concern about the potential strategic impact of the proposed project, or a concern about the proposal's alignment with the mission and purposes of the Foundation.

  7. Will you send my proposal to external reviewers for peer review?
    In most situations external expert reviewers will be invited to provide the Foundation with their professional opinion on the merits of the proposal. Expert Reviewers are individuals suggested by the principal investigator or organization submitting the proposal (these names are required as part of submitting a complete proposal) or individuals the Foundation has identified as having either expertise in the subject matter outlined in the proposal, in research methodology or in strategy and evaluation. The John Templeton Foundation takes every precaution to ensure that these reviews are kept strictly confidential.

    The information, suggestions, ideas, questions, and concerns raised by the expert reviewers enable the Foundation to more acutely understand the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed project. The Foundation generally receives between four and twelve expert reviews for each grant proposal.

  8. If my proposal is not funded, will you provide feedback as to why?
    Our Review Process includes many review steps. When a proposal is declined during the first step in the review process the Foundation is unable to provide the applicant with a reason why the proposal was declined. When a proposal is reviewed by the Executive Staff, and especially when a proposal has been sent to external reviewers for a peer review, the Foundation's declination letter to an applicant may explain the reasons why the proposal was not approved for funding.
Submitting a Proposal