Crafting Your Request
When it comes time to apply, you will want to be sure you understand the funding you’re eligible to receive,
and which grant programs you might pursue. Our Preliminary Application will give you ample instruction along the way, but consider these steps to get a head start in the process.
First
Define Your Funding Need
We typically think of our awards as being one of two primary classifications:
General Operating
or Restricted Awards
Most of our applicants pursue general operating awards and about 80% of our grants retain that designation. These awards ensure maximum partner flexibility and impact. In rare cases, some restrictions may apply (i.e. multi-state partners).
Capital Campaigns
or Capital Projects
Roughly 20% of our awards are directed toward capital projects or campaigns, typically pertaining to facility development or improvements. We have no preference as it pertains to operating vs. campaign requests.
Second
Select Your Program
We have a number of unique grant programs, though our most commonly pursued are the Rose and Daffodil Grants, which we present to our Board monthly for consideration.
Rose Grants
Open to organizations of any size, this program issues smaller award sizes, but is generally less competitive. The average annual award size is about $25,000; maximum Rose award is $50,000.
Daffodil Grants
Restricted to organizations with a $500,000 or greater average annual expense budget, these grants are larger in average size but far more competitive. The average annual award size is about $125,000; maximum Daffodil award is $200,000.
Know Your Limits
To ensure clarity of expectations and ensure that our investments are appropriate in scope, we limit grant awards to 10% of an organization’s budget expenses — with slight variations, depending on the request type.
General Operating
or Restricted Awards
Annual installments cannot exceed more than 10% of an organization’s average operating expenses, calculated using the last and current fiscal years.
Capital Campaigns
or Capital Projects
Total award cannot exceed more than 10% of an organization’s capital campaign project budget, calculated using the budget as submitted at the LOI stage of our process.
Third