Applying for a Grant

If your organization, or a project/program of your organization, falls within the geographic giving area of the Foundation and is closely aligned with the Foundation’s mission, you are welcome to start the process of applying for a grant.

Proposals will be accepted by invitation only, based upon either:

• Submission of a 1-2 page letter of inquiry giving an overview of the organization and its mission, a summary of the project/program goals, if applicable, or

• A telephone or in-person interview with the A&J Family Foundation executive director.

The Foundation executive director may request to conduct a site visit in between the initial inquiry and an invitation to submit a proposal, particularly in the case of organizations that have not recently received a grant from the Foundation. Every attempt will be made to schedule site visits at a time convenient to the applicant organization.

The A&J Family Foundation strives to only request information actually used in the proposal review process in order to minimize the overhead costs and time involved on behalf of grantees. We encourage grantees to keep proposals brief, but only if it saves time and money for your organization. If you have a standard proposal format, please feel free to submit, but at a minimum, any proposal should include the following:

• If a first-time grantee, an overview and history of the organization. You need not include background information on your organization in subsequent proposals. Please include the name of your organization as it is listed with the IRS if different than the name you operate under.

• Goals for your organization in the year following the grant.

• If requesting project/program support, an overview of the project/program and goals for the project/program in the year following the grant.

• Current financial data for your organization, from within at least the previous 6 months, including:

  • Income/expense statement

  • Balance sheet

  • Budget

  • Project/program budget if applicable

• Optional information (include as convenient, but will have no bearing on grant approval):

  • List of board members

  • List of staff

  • List of current donors

  • IRS determination letter

  • Form 990

  • Audits older than 6 months

  • Newsletter

  • Annual report

  • Other media or publications

Evaluation will consist of an "exit interview" by phone or as part of a site visit within one year following the award of a grant. This will provide:

• An opportunity for the Foundation to measure your progress against the goals stated in the proposal.

• An opportunity for the grantee to provide feedback to the Foundation on how to improve the grantmaking process. (However, this should in no way restrain you from asking questions or providing feedback at any time during the process.)

All materials may be submitted by mail to:

Please feel free to call the Executive Director at 817-240-3447 at any time during the process if you have questions or concerns.