Our Grant Process
Full Proposal Review Process
All Full Proposals are reviewed in accordance with the Grant Calendar. To help ensure that we identify and fund the best opportunities, the Foundation has developed a rigorous proposal review process that typically takes up to four and a half months. Our comprehensive review of proposals includes some or all of the following activities:
Staff Review
External Review
Proposal Revisions
Final Review and Decision
Notification
Each Full Proposal begins with Staff Review and ends with Notification, however, the steps in between are nonlinear and at the discretion of staff.
Staff Review
The details of each proposal are reviewed for completeness and accuracy. The next steps can include a request for additional information or greater clarity regarding one or more sections of the proposal, sending the proposal out for External Review, or moving the proposal directly to the write-up stage of review.
External Review
The Foundation uses external reviewers as an additional means for evaluating proposals. The information, suggestions, ideas, questions, and concerns raised by reviewers enable the Foundation to assess the quality of proposals and to intake suggestions for revising or improving proposals.
External reviewers are selected in two ways: (1) some are suggested by the applicant in their Full Proposal and (2) others are identified by staff. If the proposal is sent for external review, the Foundation will typically invite at least two reviewers from those provided by the applicant and one or more reviewers identified by the Foundation. The Foundation does not share the identity of reviewers with applicants or Grantees.
If our staff determines that external review is not necessary, your proposal may skip this step of the review process.
Proposal Revisions
If there are noted concerns, questions, ideas for improvement, or specific recommendations from the program staff or external reviewers, a notification will be sent via email to the applicant. Applicants who receive such a notification are encouraged to contact the Foundation staff with any questions.
The Foundation uses these notifications to seek clarification regarding elements of proposed projects, to address administrative issues with the proposal, and/or to recommend changes or enhancements to the project.
Applicants are asked to complete their edits and resubmit the proposal by a specific due date so that the Foundation can continue its review. Failure to respond promptly to the Foundation’s request could result in your proposal being declined.
Final Review and Decision
Though the Foundation’s program staff is responsible for reviewing and evaluating all proposals, only the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and its President have the authority to approve funding for proposed projects.
Proposal review meetings are scheduled periodically throughout the year and materials are delivered to the President or Foundation Board by specified dates, typically aligned with the Grant Calendar. All funding decisions are final and typically fall into one of three categories:
- Approved as proposed
- Declined as proposed
- Conditionally Approved pending the acceptance of certain revisions
Applicants who are Conditionally Approved will receive an email with a request to answer any final questions or make final revisions.
Notification
Once the Foundation’s President or Board has made the funding decision, a notice will be sent to the applicant by email.