Application Instructions Grant Proposal Process 1. Review the Guidelines and Resources The grant proposal process begins with a thorough review of the guidelines and resources available on this website, including eligibility, our service area, and grantmaking priorities, as well as the contents of this page. After you have reviewed our site, feel free to contact the Foundation staff directly to discuss your questions. 2. Submit a Letter of Intent Once you have confirmed eligibility, you can request a meeting with JRF staff or submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) via our online grant portal. To begin a LOI, you must register in the online grant portal and create an account for your organization (not individuals), which will require you to create a login and password. We suggest that you write down and/or save your password for future reference and share it with all the people in your organization who need access to your draft grant application. For those proceeding to submit a Letter of Intent, you will be asked to answer a series of questions and will be prompted to upload your IRS 501(c)(3) letter awarding tax-exempt status. If you do not have this required document, please contact the Foundation here. To view the components that your Letter of Intent should include, please see the bottom of this page. Once you have completed your LOI, you will have the option to preview, edit and/or print your work before final submission to Jefferson Regional Foundation. When you are ready to submit, simply click “Submit.” You will receive an email to confirm Jefferson Regional Foundation’s receipt of your LOI. In response to your Letter of Intent, Foundation staff will contact you within three weeks to explore additional questions and examine whether a request is a good potential match before submitting a full grant proposal. 3. Prepare a Grant Proposal If the Foundation invites you to submit a grant proposal, you will do so via our online grant portal. If an organization is invited to a proposal following a meeting with Foundation staff and has not submitted a LOI, staff will provide instructions for completing the proposal on the online system at that time. Returning grantees may be eligible to submit a proposal without a prior Letter of Intent. Please contact us to schedule a conversation and check eligibility. 4. Complete and Submit Your Grant Proposal To complete and submit your grant proposal, we recommend that you first review our grant proposal outline at the bottom of this page. The grant proposal outline also includes a list of the key documents you will need to include as attachments to your proposal. These attachments must be uploaded via the same grant portal. When you have your materials ready, sign in to the grant portal. If you have not submitted a grant proposal before, follow the instructions to register. Otherwise, sign in. Although the system saves automatically, we recommend that you click on “Save” throughout your work online. If using an online application system is a challenge for your organization, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can explore options with you. If applying for Foundation grants is a new process for your organization, our Resources for Grantseekers page can provide guidance about grant seeking and the preparation of LOIs and grant proposals. 5. Grant Determination Once you have submitted a proposal, the Foundation will make a grant determination as part of our annual grantmaking cycles. More information on the factors that JRF considers when reviewing proposals. *JRF uses the same grant portal for LOIs, proposals, and reports. Please note that the portal does include character limits for each question. The system also offers organizations the opportunity to upload additional documents, which may be strong sources for highlighting the organization’s story and successes. What Should a Letter of Intent Include? The goals and objectives of the project Alignment with Foundation priorities Summary info about the organization, including the organization’s tax identification number and its capabilities A description of the community need or issue A description of the proposed project General idea of expected costs Contact information for the project leader (phone, email, and address) Signature by the chief executive of the organization An uploaded copy of your IRS tax-exempt determination 501(c)(3) letter. Contact the Foundation if you are unable to complete this step. Return to 2. Submit Letter of Intent. Grant Proposal Outline The outline below replicates the questions and attachments requested in our online proposal. It is provided as guidance in your proposal planning process. Organization Section Mission of the Organization Brief History and major general accomplishments of the organization (not just related to the project) Major programs, services, and facilities (multiple offices or sites) Describe the population served and the service area Number of full-time staff Do volunteers play any key roles beyond Board service? How does your Board represent the community(ies) you serve? How often does your Board meet, and how are members engaged? Finances Total current fiscal year budget amount for the organization Total annual budget amount for the previous fiscal year Primary sources of funding by percentage Any prior funding you have received from Jefferson Regional Foundation Project Section Project Title Purpose of the grant (one sentence summary – 100 words maximum) Grant period (e.g., less than one year, one year, two years, three years, other note) Intended start date of the grant Total cost of the project Amount of request to Jefferson Regional Foundation (attach budget/narrative) Type of grant: existing program/project, new program/project, capacity-building, capital, operating, fellowship/scholarship Please describe the community problem this project addresses (Who/what is affected, how, and to what extent? Indicate the evidence of the problem. What other attempts to address or reduce the problem have been attempted, and what has been the result?) Project Description: Please present your project plan. What activities will take place, when/where, and who will implement them? (Timeline can be attached) Describe the target population/community you will serve. How are you engaging the target community throughout the project? What is the intended impact of this project? List 3-4 key objectives of the project and how each will be measured. Describe why this approach was chosen and whether it uses any promising or best practices. Does this build upon other programs or services, and how is it unique? Describe any project partners and their roles (attach letters of support). What kinds of evaluation data does the organization currently collect, and how is it used? Describe your organization’s capacity and expertise to implement this project. Have similar projects or programs been successful? How will this project be integrated within the organization? Please list your other sources of support or funding partners for this project. How will this project or its impact be sustained after this grant? How does this project specifically fit the priorities and focus elements of the Jefferson Regional Foundation? How does this meet the Foundation’s required geographic target area? Attachments Board List with professional affiliations Organization’s most recent audit Project budget Organization’s current budget Letters of support (if appropriate) Organization’s current strategic plan (if available) Other optional information—annual report, timeline, brochure, or other project material Return to 4. Complete and Submit Your Grant Proposal