GRANT GUIDELINES
Specific Grant Guidelines for Potential 501c3 Partners
Potential Partners Understand and Agree to the Following:
1. The foundation accepts grant requests quarterly, in March, June, September and December. Grant requests are then reviewed the corresponding month following submission, in April, July, October, and January respectively. The process has the following steps:
- Online application & approval for grant submission
- Proposal for Funding as an Executive Summary Business Plan
- Review and notification
2. Application for grant submission is done online at www.gfh-e.org, and is designed to make certain potential applicants are a good match for the foundation. Requested items are:
- basic organization contact information, including website, board chair, president, secretary, treasurer, chief executive, and program manager (roles may be shared)
- mission statement of 10 words or less
- vision statement of 10 words or less
- digital copy of Certificate of Good Standing, issued within the past 30 days, from the state in which the organization is registered.
- digital copy of 501c3 determination letter (If the organization has not yet received its 501c3 determination letter, please upload the application submitted to the IRS.)
- digital copy of the summary page(s) of the most recent 990 IRS return, showing 85% or more going to programs (If the organization is less than a year old and has not filed its 990 return, please upload a letter signed by the chairman verifying that 85% or more of its funds thus far and in the future will be dedicated to programs.)
- verification signed by an authorized signatory stating:
☐ operations of the 501c3 are in harmony with the United Nations’ 17-point development agenda, and GFH-E’s program focus areas of health, education, technology, enterprise, agriculture and environment, and
☐ the potential partner, if funded, commits to participate in quarterly online reporting, including uploading photos and/or video, progress data and verbal descriptions of progress for those being served. GFH-E calls this reporting “See the Change.”
3. After completing the online application, and then receiving an email invitation to submit a proposal for funding, the organization submits an executive summary business plan of no more than six pages total (your own format). Proposals may request up to three years of funding, if matching funds are also committed for that duration. Please include the following:
- Mission and vision
- Board governance responsibilities and qualifications of current chair, president, secretary, and treasurer (may be shared)
- Current chief executive and program manager responsibilities and qualifications (may be shared)Program needs assessment / problem or gap being addressed with baseline data
- Program goals / outputs with expected outcomes in measurable results / deliverables
- Sustainability / scalability / replicability
- Budget divided by quarter; please include a column showing matching funds being provided by other(s) for the program
- Letter of support and verification of matching funds from the primary additional donor(s).
Additional Insights on What GFH-E Considers Effective Use of Funds for Meaningful, Measurable Programs, and Ethical Standards Required of all Grantees
Organizations and their programs must demonstrate:
- Organizational maturity with effective, lean operations
- Experienced leadership, excellent governance, and financial controls
- Matching contributions, which are required to ensure community buy-in, capital efficiency, and reduced dependency on endowment funds
- Ethical transparency, with no political lobbying, extreme ideology, or opaque structures
- Direct impact, not abstract awareness campaigns
- Clear timeline for deployment
- Direct linkage between dollars spent and outcomes produced
- Measurable impact and accountability, providing quarterly online reporting through GFH-E’s “See the Change”
GFH Endowment Favors and Funds:
- Youth and vulnerable populations
- Programs with accountability
- Programs which are sustainable, with scalable or replicable models, where impact can be compounded
- Organizations that treat human dignity seriously—physically, mentally, and spiritually
Funding Exclusions:
- Political advocacy or lobbying
- General operating deficits with no reform plan
- Organizations / programs lacking measurable outcomes
- Excessive compensation and overhead
Review & Decision Process:
- Mission alignment
- Leadership and financial controls
- Need and impact clarity
- Match strength and cost efficiency
- Reporting capability and commitment
- Sustainability, scalability and/or replicability
- Long-term philosophy and commitment
