"Good Works Under 40" Awards Program

Do you know someone, under the age of 40, who has made a special impact on your nonprofit organization? Don't miss this opportunity to recognize them in a very special way! Nominate them for our Good Works Under 40 awards.

Ten finalists will be chosen, and one of those 10 will be chosen as the 2010 “Working for Good” award winner.

The "Working for Good" winner will receive a $5,000 grant to be awarded to the nonprofit organization. The nine finalists and overall winner will be honored at an awards reception on November 4 at Hickory Street Annex. 

Please take this opportunity to nominate your very special volunteer(s) by clicking on the link below. It's a great way to acknowledge your volunteer's contributions to your organization, plus you will receive $5,000 for your organization!

Good Works Under 40 Guidelines and Application

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR OUR 2010 GRANT GUIDELINES AND APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS.

2010 Grant Guidelines and Application Instructions

The Dallas Foundation awards grants for a broad array of charitable purposes in the areas of the arts, education, early childhood development, environment, health, aging, human and social services, and public/civic benefit that improve the well-being of the residents of the City and County of Dallas, Texas.

Grant Cycles

The Dallas Foundation offers grants, annually, from our Field-of-Interest, Unrestricted and Safety Net funds. Specific guidelines and application deadlines for each grant cycle are outlined below. A brief description of the parameters follows:

With a rolling deadline each month on the 15th, the Safety Net Fund provides financial support to nonprofit organizations that are facing a short-term financial shortfall affecting their capacity to provide critically needed services. Please carefully review the grant guidelines and deadlines listed below, which are different from the Foundation's on-going competitive grant cycles.

The Foundation will also administers our two on-going competitive grant cycles each year. We award grants from the Field of Interest funds in the spring and from the Unrestricted fund in the fall. In addition, the Foundation awards grants from donor-advised funds, designated funds, and agency endowments, according to the terms of the agreements establishing those funds. The Foundation accepts proposals twice annually for grants from our competitive Field of Interest and Unrestricted funds, which are described below. Grants from Field of Interest funds are awarded in June, and grants from the Unrestricted fund are awarded in December.

Safety Net Fund - Grant Guidelines and Application Deadlines

Safety Net Fund - 2010 Application

Downloading formats vary from computer to computer. If you would like to receive this form via email, please contact Rachel Lasseter at 214-741-9898 or email rlasseter@dallasfoundation.org

The Safety Net Fund will provide financial support to nonprofit organizations that are facing a short-term financial shortfall affecting their capacity to provide critically needed services. Shortfalls must have a direct link to recent economic downturn, either through increased demand for services, decreased revenues and contributions, or both.  Applicants must be nonprofit organizations in overall good health with a proven track record, and they must be able to show a measurable impact in meeting the critical needs of people in Dallas County.  Critical needs are defined as those related to hunger, shelter, clothing, safety or health.

Samples of emergency need scenarios include:

• A Dallas agency offering comprehensive social services, including food provisions, reports a 110% increase in the number of individuals receiving food between February and September of 2008.  In addition to this significant increase in demand, the organization’s 2009 budget anticipates a 10% decline in individual donations.
  
  
• A domestic violence shelter has had an 8% increase in requests for help. The agency turned away 376 people in 2008 because of lack of funds.
  
  

Within the funding parameters above, funding can be used for the following:

• Program costs
• Salaries of full-time or part-time employees
• Occupancy costs
• Other needs related directly to maintaining operations or meeting clients’ critical needs

Safety Net Fund grants may not be used to pay for conferences and meetings, event underwriting, bonuses or other discretionary expenditures.

The Dallas Foundation has established an Advisory Committee composed of Dallas Foundation Governors, staff, donors, and outside volunteers.  Applications may be submitted at any time.  The Committee will consider requests approximately 6 times each year, or every two months.  The Committee will conduct appropriate research and recommend grants within 60 days of the application deadline. 

The Safety Net Fund will consider funding existing and/or new programs or services and capital requests, through single-year grants. No minimum or maximum grant amount has been specified.

To apply for a Safety Net Fund grant, agencies must be recognized as 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporations serving Dallas County residents. Applicants will be required to submit a written proposal and supporting documents to verify extraordinary financial need and address long-term organizational stability.   Also, priority will be given to those organizations who demonstrate the ability to maximize grant dollars in terms of the number of people served.

Field of Interest and Unrestricted Fund Grant Guidelines and Application Deadlines

2010 Field-of-Interest and Unrestricted Fund Grant Guidelines and Application Deadlines

Field-of-Interest Application, Required Attachments and Submission Instructions (Word Doc)

Downloading formats vary from computer to computer. If you would like to receive this form via email, please contact Rachel Lasseter at 214-741-9898 or email rlasseter@dallasfoundation.org

The Foundation considers grant proposals from tax-exempt nonprofit organizations. Grants may be awarded for capital projects or programs, which may include some portion of funding toward salaries of program staff. We give priority to proposals that:

• Are likely to make a clear difference in the quality of life for a substantial number of people within Dallas County, and

• Promote cooperation and collaboration among agencies in meeting critical needs

Requests We Don't Fund
Field of interest and Unrestricted funds are generally not available for:

• Organizations that have received grants from Field of Interest or Unrestricted funds from the Foundation within the preceding three to five years

• Annual fund campaigns, underwriting of fundraising events, and marketing campaigns

• Religious purposes (although we do support educational and social service programs offered by faith-based organizations)

• Organizations located outside Dallas County, unless at least 50 percent of the clients served are residents of Dallas County

• Debt retirement

• Research

• Endowments

• Individuals

The Dallas Foundation does not generally award grants for projects that are planned to begin more than one year from approval. Additionally, multi-year grants are generally not considered. We can award grants for which payment is conditional on the achievement of a total fund goal or other event. We may elect to cancel grants if the grantee has not satisfied the grant's conditions, or if the project is not ready to proceed, within one year of approval.

Field-of-Interest Funds

Application Submission Deadline:  March 1, 2010

For Field of Interest funds, the original donor directed that the Foundation use the fund to benefit either agencies serving a particular group (such as children in need), or agencies working in a certain area of philanthropic interest (such as the arts). For grant applicants to be successful in the spring grant cycle, there must be a match between the purpose of the grant and the purpose of one of the funds available for distribution. If your agency is applying in the spring, please review the list of funds below and determine whether a possible match exists before applying. If you are uncertain whether you should apply, contact Laura Smith at (214) 741-9898 Ext. 108, or lsmith@dallasfoundation.orgto discuss your proposal.

Unrestricted Fund
The Board of Governors has wide discretion over the Unrestricted fund and may award grants to agencies serving any type of need within Dallas County, such as the arts, education, health, aging, early childhood development, and human and social services.

Agencies requesting grants from the Unrestricted Fund must submit a letter of inquiry by August 2, 2010. After reviewing the letters of inquiry, the Foundation will invite selected organizations to submit full proposals, and an application form will be sent in early September. Invited proposals are due October 8, 2010. The Foundation will not consider unsolicited full proposals.

If an agency is not invited to submit a full proposal, they will be notified in writing in early-mid September. Additionally, not all full proposals will result in a grant award. All agencies that are invited to submit a full proposal will be notified of grant awards or declines in mid-December.

Suggested Format for Letter of Inquiry

• Two pages maximum

• Introduction should include the mission of organization

• 1 paragraph explaining history and work in the community

• 1-2 paragraphs summarizing project, including segment of the community to be served

• 1 paragraph outlining implementation timeline and process

• 1 paragraph outlining desired outcomes and benefit to the community

• 1 paragraph to establish amount requested, total budget for project, if new program or expansion
  
  

Questions
If you have any questions about the guidelines or application process, please contact:

Laura Smith
Director of Community Philanthropy
The Dallas Foundation
900 Jackson Street, Suite 705
Dallas, Texas 75202
(214) 741-9898 Ext. 108
(214) 741-9848 Fax
lsmith@dallasfoundation.org