After submitting your Full Proposal, the Program Staff Review, Request for More Information, analysis of the Expert Reviews, responses from the applicant on questions and concerns raised by the reviewers, and Executive Staff Review, the next step in the process is the final review and decision.

FINAL REVIEW AND DECISION Steps 17 and 18

  1. Final Review & Decision.
    After the Executive Staff has analyzed the full proposal, responses to bounce letters and expert reviewer comments a final decision for funding is made. If a proposal is declined during this step in the process, a letter is sent to the applicant. More frequently, the Executive Staff agrees that the Foundation should provide the financial support requested by the applicant (or at least partial support).

    2. The final decision to award support at this step in the process is made by the President of the Foundation alone. However, the President may decide to forward the proposal to the Foundation's Board of Trustees for their final funding determination. 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, Core Themes and Funding Areas of the Foundation.

  2. Board of Trustees' Consideration of a Grant Proposal.
    The full proposal, all pertinent materials (such as the applicant's response to the Foundation's "bounce letters"), and the Executive Staff recommendations are reviewed by the Board of Trustees. The Trustees vote and a majority of the voting Trustees is sufficient for the proposal to be approved. If the proposal is declined, a letter is sent to the applicant.
Submitting a Proposal