Supplemental Application Instructions
This page captures additional instructional language and helpful examples for applicants navigating our Rose & Daffodil grants.
Overview
Welcome! This page is designed to support organizations that are currently preparing a Rose/Daffodil Preliminary Application (or LOI). It provides additional guidance, clarification, and examples for select parts of the LOI — particularly questions where a bit of extra context can help you understand what we’re asking and how to respond.
A quick note before you dive in: this guidance is intended solely for organizations actively submitting an LOI in the current cycle. Because our process and prompts can evolve, the information on this page is subject to change between cycles, and may not match past or future LOIs word-for-word.
We hope this resource helps you submit with confidence. As you work through the LOI, we encourage you to be clear, specific, and grounded in your organization’s current work and plans. Thank you for the time and care you’re putting into your application — we look forward to learning more about your organization.
Grant Process Overview
The Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation is proud and humbled to receive hundreds of funding proposals annually from nonprofits across the state of Oregon. Unfortunately, we cannot meet every need and not all proposals are approved for funding. We hope our application process works to identify those organizations that are most aligned with our mission and values.
Ultimately, our process has three primary components:
Preliminary Application (LOI): We recognize that applying for a grant often takes time and resources that could otherwise be used in serving the mission of your organization, which is why we have streamlined our Preliminary Application (LOI) to only ask what is essential in helping us determine eligibility, alignment, and impact. Our program staff reviews all submissions and identifies a pool of finalist candidates.
Post-LOI Meeting: Once finalists are identified, we’ll invite them to meet with one of our Program Officers (either in person or via Zoom). This conversation helps us learn more about your organization and specific funding needs. You will not need to complete any additional application materials as part of this process.
Final Application: In addition to meeting with a program officer, finalists will also be asked to complete a brief final application, which will include a copy of the organization’s Statement of Activities and Current Operating Budget, along with a few short questions. These documents and answers, in addition to information shared during the Post-LOI meeting, help Program Officers to better understand the mission, values, and impact of an applicant.
Funding Essentials
We encourage every applicant to review our funding priorities and frequently asked questions before submitting an application.
Authenticity
We ask that you approach this application honestly. Your authentic responses will provide valuable context and insight into your unique organization, helping us to better understand your proposal and evaluate it fairly. We rarely make judgments using any single prompt in isolation, but rather consider all collective responses to contextualize our thinking and ensure a comprehensive evaluation. Failure to provide honest answers may result in your application being declined and could negatively impact your eligibility for future funding opportunities.
Data Storage and Use of AI
The Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation (MLCF) recognizes that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how organizations operate and fulfill their missions. As a foundation committed to supporting our nonprofit partners across Oregon, we acknowledge both the opportunities and challenges that AI presents.
Just as our grantmaking is grounded in authenticity, relationship, transparency, and equity, so is our use of AI. We know that AI can raise legitimate concerns about bias, youth development, education, art, and more. As we refine our approach over time, we remain committed to the ethical and transparent integration of AI tools, grounding this work in the core values that guide all we do. We always welcome feedback and collaboration from our partners.
Use of AI Tools
100% of requests are reviewed and assessed by humans
Staff will only use MLCF-approved AI tools
AI may be used for research, to synthesize and organize submitted materials, and to prepare internal documents
AI will not replace essential human judgment or critical analysis, and will never be used to make funding recommendations
Data Storage Practices
Submitted materials are stored in Foundant, our secure, certified grant management system
In some cases, staff may download materials to MLCF-approved, secure devices or maintain limited hard-copy files for internal use only
Acknowledgement of Retention and Usage
By submitting a request, you acknowledge that your materials may be stored, reviewed, and used internally as described above.
Narrative Response Examples
Example for Programs & Impact Short-Answer Question:
By answering this question, you’ll help us see what progress your organization is driving for the people and places you serve. We use your response to understand how your work fits within our funding priorities and to gauge the strength and durability of your results over time.
In order to help you better structure your answer, here is an example of how an organization can approach this prompt:
We work to increase food security and economic opportunity in rural Eastern Oregon. Through our network of 12 community gardens, a year-round mobile produce market, and youth agricultural internships, we support more than 800 households annually in accessing fresh, affordable food.
Our core programs include:
Community Gardens – providing land, tools, and training for over 300 families to grow their own produce.
Mobile Market – delivering fresh fruits and vegetables weekly to six remote towns where grocery access is limited.
Youth Roots Internship – employing 25 local teens each summer to learn sustainable farming and small business skills.
Since 2017, participants have grown over 60,000 pounds of produce, 85% of which stayed within local communities. Surveys show 90% of participants increased their access to fresh food and 70% reported improved household nutrition. In the long term, we aim to strengthen local food systems by expanding training partnerships with schools and tribal communities.
Example for Equity & Opportunity Short-Answer Question:
This question is an opportunity to share how equity and inclusion show up in your day-to-day work—from the way your programs are designed and delivered to how you support and structure your team. We’re also looking to understand how you prioritize and elevate the perspectives of people from historically excluded communities in your decisions and practices.
In order to help you better structure your answer, here is an example of how an organization can approach this prompt:
Equity and inclusion guide how we design our programs and how we support the people who make them possible. The majority of households we serve are low-income, immigrant, Latinx, or tribal community members living in remote areas of Eastern Oregon. We work to ensure our programs and organizational practices reflect community priorities, lived experience, and cultural traditions.
Our equity-driven approach includes:
Community-Led Program Design – hosting seasonal listening sessions with community garden participants and Mobile Market customers to inform program improvements and decision-making.
Language & Cultural Access – offering bilingual (English/Spanish) workshops, interpretation at community events, and incorporating traditional and culturally relevant foods into programming in partnership with community leaders.
Barrier Reduction – providing transportation stipends, tool libraries, and adaptive gardening equipment to support elders, people with disabilities, and households with limited resources.
Inclusive Staffing & Leadership – recruiting staff and interns from the communities we serve, offering flexible scheduling during harvest seasons and culturally significant holidays, and maintaining transparent salary bands and professional development stipends.
In 2024, 92% of participants reported improved access to culturally relevant foods, and 78% reported stronger community connection. Sixty-five percent of staff identify as BIPOC or first-generation rural residents, strengthening cultural relevance and trust across programs. Looking ahead, we aim to deepen community leadership pathways and expand equitable partnerships with schools and tribal communities to strengthen local food systems.