Apply for a Partnership Grant
The Letter of Inquiry deadline for the 2023 grant cycle HAS CLOSED. We hope to see your application in 2024!
This page describes the application process and required materials for the Foundation Trust Partnership Grant Program.
If you are interested in the Small Gifts Program, please click here.
Overview
The intent of the LOI is to introduce us to your programming or services and to explain how a Partnership Grant from the Foundation Trust will meaningfully impact your ability to perform—either to support current programming or carry out a special project of importance to this work. The LOI is the only competitive portion of the Foundation Trust funding application process.
Nonprofit and municipal-run public-benefit programs in the year's designated communities (2023: Melrose and Revere) are eligible to apply.
Your LOI will be reviewed by committee and rated based on a combination of factors:
- Degree of alignment with FT priority funding areas
- Merit
- Need
- Expectation of demonstrable benefit to your organization
- Degree of collaboration proposed with the Foundation Trust and potential for successful partnership in project design and implementation (specific to Partnership Grants)
Additional guidance can be found in the FAQ section. Please direct any other questions to the attention of the Foundation Trust Administrator (Administrator@FoundationTrust.org).
Directions
Please prepare a maximum 3-page Letter of Inquiry, single-spaced, with margins 1-inch or larger. LOI should be submitted electronically on official organizational letterhead and include the required items below.
Required Information for Letters of Inquiry
Basic Organization Information:
1. Ensure that the LOI includes your organization’s name and complete contact information (name, title, postal and email addresses, telephone and fax numbers) for either the person submitting the LOI or a responsible party within your organization
2. Include a one-paragraph description of your organization’s history, mission and primary activities.
Award Request and Program Proposal:
3. Provide a brief statement of why you are applying for support from the Foundation Trust at this time.
4. Indicate whether you are applying for EITHER Tier 1 (Premier Partner: $8,000-10,000) OR Tier 2 ($2,000 - $5,000) support.
- note: A maximum of two Tier 1 partnership grants will be awarded per community in 2023 - one to a nonprofit partner and one to a municipal-run program. Your Letter of Inquiry will only be considered for the Tier for which you apply (i.e. we will not offer a lower award if you are not selected for the Tier 1 award)
5. Specify the desired amount and duration of requested support.
6. Specify the kind of funding you are seeking: i.e.,:
- support for expansion of program and services;
- support to conduct a pilot project;
- seed funding for a new initiative;
- program evaluation funding;
- training and/or resource development support; or
- other specified purpose of funding.
Please note that the Foundation Trust does not fund or subsidize salaried positions for existing, expanding, or new agency/program/project personnel. Additionally, unrestricted support of general organizational operations and infrastructure is only available under the Foundation Trust Small Gift program.
7. Explain the role you envision the Foundation Trust playing in the design and implementation of the intended programming.
8. Describe how this work aligns with one or more of the Foundation Trust’s four priority funding tracks.
9. Justify how an award of this size and duration will be sufficient -- alone or in combination with other funding you have received or are in the process of soliciting—to make a demonstrable impact to your organization.
In addition to your LOI, please include the following information:
10. A copy of your organization’s (or fiscal sponsor’s) IRS tax-exempt letter and documentation of 501(c)(3) status. For municipal programs, submit proof of city affiliation.
11. Budget Information
- an annual organizational budget for the most recently completed fiscal year, and
- a detailed project-specific budget for the duration of the proposed project period. Budgets should delineate projected income and expenses.
12. Share where you learned about Foundation Trust grant and partnership opportunities.
Contact for LOI Submissions
Letters of Inquiry should be submitted electronically on official organizational letterhead to Administrator@FoundationTrust.org.