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The President's Comments on the 2009 Funding Year It occurred to several of us, here, that the best way to use this space, this year, would be to offer a few tips for grant seekers. The most important advice which we can give to each of you is to take a moment to read and think about the Turrell Fund’s Vision and Mission. We frequently hear from applicants whose operations include extensive services to very young children. Yet, these same organizations may requestfunding for teen programs. Needless to say, we must judge each request based only on the proposed use of funds set forth in the grant seeker’s application. In the cases described, funding would probably be denied. There was a time, not so long ago, when the staff of the Fund waded through the materials submitted by the grant seeker, and constructed a summary of each request, for the review of our Board. Those days are gone. Through the wonder of the Internet, the Board now reads, first hand, the words written by the applicant. The point, here, is that there is an increased burden on grant seekers to make their cases as succinctly, and cogently, as they can manage. Impressions are created by the combination of what is provided, what is not provided, and how it is presented. Before pushing the ‘submit’ button, we suggest that it is a wise practice for applicants to ask themselves whether they have answered basic questions relative to whom they are serving, why our funding is needed and how it will be used, and how our support, specifically, will make a difference. When addressing the application questions, general background can be interesting and helpful to the decision-makers at the Turrell Fund. However, it is always a good idea, with respect to the information you provide, to ask how it will help us to better understand the nature of your work with young children. Some statistics, descriptive of your operating environment, can be useful, especially if they are unique, or not widely understood. However, you should devote most of the space to matters specific to you and your operation. We have observed that, for those with a clear sense of mission, the space provided within our electronic application format is more than sufficient. As always, it is not the volume of information presented to us, it is the quality and simplicity, which make the case. Though we are aware of our Federal tax filing deadline of April 15, every year, it is an observable fact that many wait until the last minute to actually file. The same principle is at work, when it comes to the application deadline behavior of those seeking grants from the Turrell Fund. We know that our grantees are busy with the important work of serving children. However, they may do themselves a disservice by waiting until the last minute. Staff has less time to field the perfectly legitimate questions you may have, and, certainly, there is less time to recover from the unforeseen … computer problems, mistakes, internal reviews, illness, and the like, as the deadline draws near. Further, as many of you know by now, we simply cannot make exceptions to our deadlines. Timeliness is also important in letting the Fund know when there is a change in leadership, finances, children served, and mission of your organization. The staff, and the Board, are part of a seamless team, here at the Fund. So, your interactions with those who take your calls actually do count. Calls seeking advice or answers to questions are welcomed and invited. It is how we both learn, and it is one reason why we are here. However, if you review our materials thoroughly, we hope you will find that most of the questions you may have will be answered there. As I have mentioned in previous communications, there are two factors which weigh heavily in our decisions. These are: the age of the children being served … generally, the younger, the more compelling … and the level of financial need of the agency, and the young clients served. You will want to be sure that you have made your best case, with these criteria in mind. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, as one can discover from even a cursory review of the grants which we have made in prior cycles. We, of course, reserve the right to make these exceptions, occasionally. Grant decisions occur, these days, in a climate of greatly reduced resources. Just a few years ago, our annual grants totaled well over $7 million. In recent years, that total has tightened to an amount well under $5 million, and will probably remain there. The constraints on our spending have placed on us the burden of being even more discriminating in our grant-making decisions, and even truer to our funding principles. The good news is that we do have clear decision criteria, and we have made them known to you. We are pleased that we have come to know so many of you well. Therefore, our first priority will generally be to meet and visit with those who are new to us, and those who have undergone significant, recent changes. It is our honor to support you in the wonderful and important work you do. It is our duty to be as clear about our intent and our decision rules as we know how.
Curtland E. Fields
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