Schedule at a Glance

  • Our Preliminary Application (or LOI) will remain open for three (3) weeks. Organizations are encouraged to set reminders for opening dates.

  • Due to applicant volume, we do not accept any late submissions.‍ Incomplete submissions will be abandoned and organizations can reapply in the next cycle.

  • We work exceptionally hard to ensure that every application is reviewed by our staff. To accommodate the volume of candidates, this takes some time. After this period of review, organizations will be notified of our decision via email.

  • At this point, we will issue preliminary decisions — either your proposal will be further considered (and you will be invited to submit a final application) or we will decline to consider your proposal further.

If Preliminary Application (LOI) is Advanced:

  • Organizations who move into the final application will be assigned a Program Officer and asked to submit a marginal amount of information (e.g., Statement of Activities) online, however much of our learning happens via Zoom or in-person meetings.

  • After submission of a final application, applicants will be able to coordinate meetings and site visits directly with their Program Officer.

  • Final organizational evaluations will be completed, at which time we share our recommendations with the board.

  • Funding proposals are presented to our Board for consideration. During this meeting, each finalist organization is presented for impact and operational health. Our board reviews each proposal and typically votes within 1-2 weeks.

  • We will personally call each organization with our funding decision. We will also notify organizations via email, and ask them to complete our grant agreement and verify details like mailing address. Then we will send checks via mail. Congratulations!

If Preliminary Application (LOI) is Declined:

  • Unfortunately, funding has grown tremendously competitive. Despite another consecutive year of additional dollar distribution, the needs of the state are considerable. In 2026, we expect to fund approximately 25% of proposals received for this program.

    If we can’t consider your proposal for funding, we will notify you via email and share your reapplication eligibility. We typically ask organizations to wait one year before reapplying, which usually means sitting out for one full application cycle before submitting again.

  • Organizations with declined proposals will be able to request application feedback. Given the volume of proposals, we only issue feedback to those who request it. Feedback is as customized as possible, though limited depending on the size of the total candidate pool.