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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. The Committee will consider requests on a monthly basis and applications must be received by the 15th of each month. The Committee will conduct appropriate research and recommend grants within 30 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:
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Are likely to make a clear difference in the quality of life for a substantial number
of people within Dallas County, and
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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:
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Organizations that have received grants from Field of Interest or Unrestricted funds
from the Foundation within the preceding three to five years
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Annual fund campaigns,
underwriting of fundraising events, and marketing campaigns
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Religious purposes (although we do support educational and social service programs
offered by faith-based organizations)
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Organizations located outside Dallas County, unless at least 50 percent of the clients
served are residents of Dallas County
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Debt retirement
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Research
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Endowments
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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.
|
Fund |
Purpose |
Total Available |
| Jean Baptiste "Tad" Adoue, III Fund |
To support the arts |
$75,000 to $125,000 |
|
Bertice Carter Speck Fund |
To assist disabled, blind, deaf, or economically disadvantaged children |
$40,000 to $60,000 |
|
Decherd Family Fund |
Created by Maureen H. and Robert W. Decherd, the purpose of this fund rotates each
year to honor individuals of special significance to the Decherd Family. Please
note the grant purposes through 2014. 2010 - Research into pediatric cancer in honor of Dorothy J. Fenske, 2011 - Support of the Church of Christ in honor of Virgie Parham, 2012 - Support of education for African-American women in honor of Johnnie Mae Jackson, 2013 - Research into congestive heart failure in honor of William K. Whited, 2014
- Support of education for women in business in honor of Helen M. Roter. |
$1,500 to $2,000 |
| Morris Hartley Morgan, Jr. Fund |
To assist low-income children who are suffering from debilitating diseases such as diabetes or cancer |
$50,000 to $75,000 |
|
Lucile W. and George R. Pattullo Fund |
To assist African-American citizens |
$10,000 to $15,000 |
|
Betty Pope Fund |
To assist animals |
$1,000 to $1,300 |
|
Elizabeth T. Robinson Fund |
To assist children in need and older adults |
$15,000 to $30,000 |
|
Annie L. Stevens Fund |
To assist low-income older adults or disabled, abused, neglected or economically
disadvantaged children |
$200,000 to $250,000 |
|
James D. Webb Fund |
For the research and cure of Parkinson's disease |
$8,000 to $10,000 |
|
Erin Wylie Fund |
To promote animal welfare and wildlife conservation and protection |
$1,000 to $1,200 |
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
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Two pages maximum
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Introduction should include the mission of organization
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1 paragraph explaining history and work in the community
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1-2 paragraphs summarizing project, including segment of the community to be served
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1 paragraph outlining implementation timeline and process
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1 paragraph outlining desired outcomes and benefit to the community
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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
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