Women's Fund Grant Guidelines
Proposal Deadline: Postmarked by November 1, 2010
Grant Notification: No later than April 1, 2011
Grant Range: $1,000-$5,000 (for up to 3 years, $15,000 total)
Program Priorities
Field of Funding Interest for October 15th 2010 deadline: Health and Well-Being
The Women's Fund seeks to support existing programs or projects which offer the most significant impact for the grant dollar. To this end, the focus will be to identify programs or projects that serve women and girls in three major Fields of Funding Interests.
Leadership & Empowerment
- Leadership skills for girls, teens and women
- Gender barriers
- Mentoring
- Engaging women and girls in leadership roles
Health & Well-Being
- Safety and security
- Gender barriers
- Self esteem
- Health promotion
Economic Self-Sufficiency & Security
- Career/employment readiness
- Access to employment opportunities
- Financial planning
- Promoting women and girls philanthropy
Priority will be given to organizations that involve women and/or girls in program development and organizational leadership.
Geographic Limitations
Nonprofit organizations located in, and serving the residents of, Essex County, Massachusetts.
Eligibility
The Women’s Fund is limited to nonsectarian programming for women and girls in Essex County of all religious and ethnic backgrounds. Programs sponsored by religious organizations are eligible provided the enrollment is open to all qualified women and girls and the program is free of mandatory sectarian religious instruction. Generally, funds will not be awarded:
- For debt or deficit reduction
- To individuals
- For political purposes
- For sectarian or religious purposes
- To state and local government agencies
- For endowment or capital campaigns
- For research
- For feasibility studies
- To agencies with pending 501(c)3 status or using fiscal sponsors
Grantmaking Process and Reporting Requirements
The Women's Fund Advisory Board will select one Field of Funding Interest per year. Annually, (by April 1st.) The Women's Fund will make grants with a 1-3 year commitment to agencies within that year's Field of Funding Interest. Grants will be awarded up to $15,000.
The Women's Fund is administered by the Essex County Community Foundation. Recommendations are made by The Women's Fund Grants Allocations Committee for approval by The Women's Fund Advisory Board and ultimately by the Essex County Community Foundation's Board of Trustees.
All multi-year grants will be contingent upon satisfactory progress toward meeting the goals of the project. Agencies with multi-year grants will be required to submit an interim report by February 1st after receiving their initial grant and each February 1st thereafter for the term of the grant. Click here to download the report.
The Women's Fund will not award second or third year funds for multiple year grants until the interim report is received. Final reports for one-year grants must be submitted by May 1st of the year following the grant award. Final reports for multi-year grant are due by May 1st of the year following the final grant award. Click here to download the report.
Application Deadline
Proposals must be postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service AND received electronically at grantsubmit@eccf.org no later than October 15th.
If the grant deadline falls on a day when the post office is not open, the postmark must be from the previous day of operation or earlier. Incomplete or late proposals may not be considered.
Application Procedure
The Grants Allocation Committee reviews proposals annually for grants from The Women’s Fund. Proposals must be submitted in paper AND electronic format.
- Paper format - One printed copy of the cover sheet, proposal narrative, and project budget must be mailed. Please do not staple or bind proposals. Please do not send hard copies of attachments. Mail proposals to Essex County Community Foundation, 175 Andover St., Suite 101, Danvers, MA 01923.
- Electronic format - Electronic submissions should include the cover sheet, proposal narrative, project budget, and any required attachments. Important: Please include the name of your organization in the electronic file name. For example,” XYZ Agency - Cover Sheet”. Email proposals to grantsubmit@eccf.org.
Proposal Format
Proposals should include four parts: The Women’s Fund Proposal cover sheet, proposal narrative, project budget, and any required attachments.
1. WOMEN'S FUND PROPOSAL COVER SHEET (1-2 pages)
A completed Women’s Fund Proposal Cover Sheet must be included with all proposals. The cover sheet may be copied into your own word document. Please include the numbers and headings from the Women's Fund cover sheet on the document. Click here to download Women’s Fund Cover Sheet.
2. PROPOSAL NARRATIVE (2 pages)
The proposal narrative briefly introduces the organization and explains what the requested funds would enable it to achieve. The narrative should describe:
- The history, mission, programs, and constituents of the organization.
- How women and/or girls are involved in the leadership, and decision making of the organization
- The problem(s) or challenge(s) the grant will address.
- The project goals and plan for achieving these goals.
- How the project will specifically benefit women and/or girls.
- How the grant will affect the Leadership and Empowerment of the organization’s clients.
- How The Women's Fund grant money will be used.
- How the project will be evaluated.
3. PROJECT BUDGET
Please include an itemized budget of all project expenses and anticipated revenue including any other committed or potential funding sources. Please use the ECCF project budget form. Click here to download Women’s Fund Project Budget Form.
4. ATTACHMENTS
Please include the following attachments with your electronic proposal:
- Most recent year’s audited financial statement. If not available, please submit unaudited statement for the past year.
- Itemized organizational expense and income budget for the current year.
- List of your Board of Directors and their affiliations.
For More Information
For more information or to discuss a specific program, please contact:
Julie Bishop
Vice President for Grants and Services
Essex County Community Foundation
175 Andover Street, Suite 101
Danvers, MA 01923
Tel: 978-777-8876
Email:j.bishop@eccf.org
For more information about the Womens Fund, please visit www.thewomensfundec.org
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