Our Philosophy
Our values guide how we give and invest. We are committed to building strong, open and trusting relationships with our grantees. We believe in collaboration and adding value, where appropriate, to advance the goals of our grantees. As examples, we have volunteered at partner-sponsored events, provided strategic and financial advice, and made introductions to other like-minded non-profits and donors.
Our Process
Non-profit organizations should focus on their mission rather than divert their resources towards onerous and time-consuming grant applications and reporting. Our process usually takes about 3 months to complete, with our Board meeting quarterly to approve grant recommendations. Due to our lean size, we are not able to accept unsolicited applications.
- Due Diligence
We gather publicly available information about an organization, hold 1-2 conversations with leadership and/or staff, and conduct a site visit. - Criteria
We make assessments based on mission and program alignment, strength of leadership, an organization’s commitment to diversity and inclusion internally and in service to their beneficiaries. - Type of Grant
Our typical grant is multi-year, general operating support. We support capital campaigns very rarely. - Grant Amounts
We determine grant amounts based on organizational budget and capacity, number of clients served, or specific needs. - Reporting
We are generally satisfied with receiving reports that grantees might already be submitting to other donors. We have an initial meeting with grantee partners to share their goals and challenges and then at 6 month intervals to keep us updated on developments and progress. We follow up with both positive and constructive feedback. We appreciate periodic site visits when appropriate.