Frequently Asked Questions
Q: If we receive a grant in higher education, how long should we
wait before applying for a new grant?
A: Because the Foundations give grants nationwide, there normally
should be an interval of 4-5 years from the time an award is made
until a new proposal is submitted.
Q: Does the recently announced preference for university projects
with the potential to influence undergraduate education impact your
evaluation of requests from leading liberal arts colleges and traditional
underserved colleges and universities?
A: The Foundations still prefer to fund the priority of the president.
Only teaching and research universities are being asked to demonstrate
how a grant could positively impact undergraduate education beyond
their institutions.
Q: If a university receives a grant in higher education, must
it wait four years to apply for a grant in health care, secondary
education, or religion?
A: No. These programs are independent and grants under one program
do not preclude or limit grants in another. Therefore, theoretically
a qualified private university could receive grants in higher education,
secondary education, religion and health care all in the same year.
Q: May we apply for a grant during a leadership transition?
A: Because the higher education and religion programs depend on
the President of an institution to select a project of high priority,
Trustees do not award grants during a leadership transition. Heads
of institutions should be in place for at least a year before applying
for a grant.
Q: Can a grant be requested in secondary education by a college
even though a grant in higher education has been received recently?
A: Yes. The two programs are not competitive with each other.
Q: Are public colleges and universities eligible for grants under
the health care or secondary education programs?
A: Yes. They are not eligible for grants under the higher education
program.
Q: In the secondary education program area, do you fund projects
for grades 6 through 8?
A: No. We currently do not offer support for grades 6 through 8.
Grants in secondary education are primarily for programs that strengthen
the professional development of new and experienced teachers and
their teaching in grades 9 - 12.
Q: Do the Foundations make grants for projects lasting more than
one year? Is your funding limited to one-year projects?
A: The Foundations make grants for projects lasting more than a
year. However, with the exception of secondary education, we do
not normally make multiple grants in successive years to the same
organization. We do not require that all grant money for a project
be utilized in one year. Therefore, a single grant might fund a
project lasting several years.
Q: Do the Foundations make scholarship grants to individuals
for further education?
A: No. The Foundations have a long-standing policy of making grants
only to organizations and not to individuals.
Q: How can I find other foundations which offer support to individuals
or other programs?
A: The Foundation Center in New York provides information about
foundation and corporate grantmaking sources. The Center's web page
is http://fdncenter.org. Or write to: The Foundation Center, 79
Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003.
Q: When you say the great majority of grants in religion will
be given to fully accredited seminaries, how do you define "fully
accredited?"
A: "Fully accredited" means status as an "accredited
member" of the Association of Theological Schools in the United
States and Canada. "Candidates for Accredited Membership"
and "Associate Members" are not eligible. Only schools
in the United States are eligible.
Q: If a seminary or divinity school receives a grant, how long
must it wait before applying for another grant?
A: Because of intense competition in this program and limited resources,
an institution which receives a grant should wait at least four
years from the time of an award before reapplying for another grant.
Q: Do you give grants to overseas institutions?
A: No. Grants are given only to institutions in the United States
and its possessions. Grant money to U.S. institutions should be
spent within the United States.
Q: What are your deadlines for submitting proposals?
A: There are no deadlines for proposals. The Foundations accept
proposals throughout the year. Grant applications may be submitted
at any time. However, the process of moving from proposal submission
to grant approval takes time. Therefore, it may not be feasible
to meet requests for eligible projects which require immediate or
near-term funding.