Grant Guidelines

General Criteria

The Foundation considers requests that most closely match its overall mission: to improve the quality of life of Alabamians and to strengthen the communities in which they live. A group may apply for a grant only if it is a nonprofit organization with tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service code. The Foundation will consider only those grant applications that meet several of the following guidelines.

• The project addresses needs in at least one of the following areas: education, civic and community life, arts and culture, environment, and health and human services.
• There is potential for permanent, enduring benefits that will provide value to the community and to the state.
• Diverse groups are collaborating on the project to achieve common goals.
• The program can be duplicated in other communities.
• The organization and the project clearly demonstrate sound fiscal management and accountability.
• The organization attracts multiple sources of support for the project.
• The project addresses underserved segments of the population, such as racial or ethnic minorities, the economically disadvantaged or citizens of rural communities.

Restrictions and limitations

The Foundation will not support the following:

• Groups acting on behalf of individuals.
• Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin or gender.
• Churches or other religious organizations, except when they are conducting programs that are secular in nature and have broad public impact.
• Projects that affect communities primarily outside Alabama.
• Fraternal, athletic and veterans programs, except in cases where the programs provide broad public benefit.
• Organizations receiving multiyear support from the Foundation. Such organizations are ineligible for another foundation grant until two years after the multiyear grant ends.
• Primary and secondary private schools.

Basis for applying

The grant proposal should be prepared on 8 1/2- by 11-inch paper, printed on one side only, and signed by the organization's chief executive officer. Only one copy is required and any attachments should be labeled. Please do not include videotapes or audiotapes, photographs, artwork or other bulky items. The proposal should include the following:

• A cover letter with agency name and address, the name and telephone number of the contact person, a one-paragraph summary of the project and the amount of funding requested.
• A brief summary of the history of the agency, its mission, its staff size and the list of its board of directors and/or trustees.
• A concise description (no longer than four pages) outlining the project's goals and objectives, specific needs to be addressed by the project, activities planned and achieved so far. The description should also include an implementation plan and timeline, an evaluation plan with specific criteria for judging the program's effectiveness, and a summary of community support for the project. The description also must include a project budget, a list of other contributors, a list of other funding sources to which the project has been submitted, and information about future fund-raising goals.
• A photocopy of the agency's Section 501(c)(3) IRS determination letter.
• A copy of the agency's most recent audited financial statement.
• A copy of the agency's current operating budget.

Grant requests for $50,000 or more are considered quarterly (March, June, September and December) by the board of the foundation. Requests for less than $50,000 are considered by grant review committees every six to eight weeks.