Saturday, May 17, 2008
We have just completed a strategic planning process, and are in strategy development on proposed new work in education. Please note that during this time of transition, letters of inquiry for our work in Education Opportunities are temporarily by invitation only.
We respect the time and effort that goes into submitting a grant proposal, and we strive to respond to inquiries with respect, courtesy, promptness and fairness. If you are applying to the Fund for the first time, we encourage you to read the most current program guidelines and updates and then submit a two- to three-page letter of inquiry.
Letters of inquiry should include:
An applicant who is acquainted with a Trustee should indicate the association in the inquiry letter, and the staff will bring the application to the attention of that Trustee.
If you are a current grantee, please contact your program officer before submitting a proposal for a renewal grant. If you do not know whom to contact, call Clayton Juan, Grants Administrator, at (415) 856-1400.
Geographic Area
Although most of our support goes to organizations in San Francisco and Alameda counties, the Fund will entertain support for selected regional, state, or national efforts that directly relate to our program objectives. For this reason, and because our geographic focus varies by program, please review the program guidelines.
Types of Grants
Within our program areas of interest, the Fund will consider grants for the following: strategies to improve or expand existing programs; start-up of new projects; demonstration programs; planning, management, or technical assistance needs; strategies to strengthen organizational leadership; evaluation; and selected policy work and advocacy. Two-year awards will be considered. The Fund may invite general support requests when an organization’s mission and major activities promote our program priorities or when the request is within an area of our core interest.
As a private foundation, the Fund is prohibited from supporting lobbying efforts. The Fund’s grantmaking to advance policy reform includes support for strategies focused on litigation, public education, community organizing, and nonpartisan research and analysis. The Fund is able to support nonprofits that engage in lobbying activity, as long as no grant funds are earmarked for purposes of influencing legislation, and the nonprofit does not expend any part of the grant in any way that violates its tax-exempt status.
Areas Not Supported by the Fund
The Fund generally does not make grants for capital campaigns, major equipment, basic research, conferences, publications, films or videos, deficit or emergency funding, scholarships, direct mail campaigns, fundraising events, annual appeals, or endowment contributions. We may make exceptions for requests that form part of a larger effort in which the Fund is engaged or for requests from organizations with which the Fund has a long-term funding relationship. No exceptions will be made for aid to individuals.
Your letter of inquiry will be reviewed within six weeks of receipt to determine whether the proposed effort fits within the Fund’s giving program. If it does, a staff member will call or write you to request additional information or a full proposal. If you are encouraged to submit a full proposal, we will send specific questions to address and a list of required attachments.
Staff members analyze each proposal for:
During the review, staff members research your request through telephone inquiries, meetings or site visits. A staff member might speak with your colleagues or board members or with outside experts. A written grant recommendation is then submitted to the Fund’s senior management and/or trustees. We aim to respond to applicants with a decision within four months of the date when their full proposal is received. However, this timeline might vary, depending on the size of the request, the dates of trustee meetings, the number of proposals being considered, and the need for additional information. The board of trustees meets three times a year.
The Fund supports organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code and are not classified as private foundations under Section 509(a) of the Code. In selected cases, the Fund might consider support for projects sponsored by governmental entities. Organizations can also submit applications through a sponsoring organization if the sponsor has 501(c)(3) status, is not a private foundation under 509(a), and provides written authorization confirming its willingness to act as the fiscal sponsor.
The Fund will not support organizations that discriminate in their leadership, staffing or service provision on the basis of age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, political affiliation or religious belief. The Fund may, however, support organizations whose services target groups that have been subject to historical discrimination.
For further information about applying for a grant, please contact:
Clayton Juan, Grants Administrator
Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund
One Market, Landmark, Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94105
Telephone (415) 856-1400