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Our Mission and Purpose
The Women’s Fund’s mission is to broaden awareness of and response to issues affecting women and girls through the power of collective philanthropy.
The Women’s Fund will fulfill its mission by:
• Educating donors and the community about philanthropy and issues affecting women, girls and their families;
• Raising money and awarding grants to organizations that address those issues pertinent to women, girls and their families; and
• Adopting methods that will promote inclusiveness and diversity in both giving and grant making.
Our work is informed by these values:
We believe that positive social change will come about only when barriers of class, ethnicity, race, educational background, sexual orientation, economic status, and faith traditions are overcome. Participation at the broadest level is the beacon of our work.
Enduring progress will be made by focusing on assets unique to the lives and work of women and girls. We strive to create a climate of empowerment in a community where many voices can contribute to the shaping of will and attitudes.
In our society, gender powerfully affects experience and opportunity. Through collaborations, The Women’s Fund of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities will honor traditional attributes of women and girls and at the same time pave new paths. All voices will be heard, including those outside the mainstream and those silent voices within the mainstream.
Our Priorities
All successful applicants must be able to affirm that their project incorporates the following strategic priorities of The Women’s Fund. Does your project incorporate one or more of the following priorities?
• Advance the lives of girls and women by providing opportunities to develop economic self-sufficiency.
• Provide health programs for women and girls, or
• Promote the education of women and girls.
The Basics
Grant eligibility:
The fund will make grants to programs/initiatives that serve women and girls in the South Central PA counties of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Lebanon, or Perry. All money must be distributed through nonprofit organizations federally determined as 501(c)(3) entities. Applicants without 501(c)(3) status may engage a fiscal agent to administer their grant funds. Please include the 501(c)(3) ruling of your fiscal agent with a cover letter from them acknowledging that they will act as your agent.
Size of grants and distribution of funds:
We anticipate approximately $12,000 will be available to grant in 2012. Grants will be awarded for one year. Funds will be released within fifteen days following receipt of an executed grant agreement.
Grant Deadline:
The Women’s Fund will review applications once in each fiscal year.
Requests Due: October 12, 2012
Use of funds:
Funds are to be used to carry out the program effort or initiative as defined in the grant proposal. The Women’s Fund considers support for program/initiative operating costs and supports start-up as well as established programs.
Funds May Not Be Used For:
• political campaigns or promotion of candidates for public office,
• anti-reproductive rights activities,
• promotion of religious beliefs,
• advancement of capital or endowment campaigns,
• event sponsorship,
• scholarships that fund individual students,
• co-educational programs that do not clearly communicate the specific and unique aspects for women and girls
Proposal Criteria
The Women’s Fund will evaluate grant applications using the following criteria:
Program/Initiative Design. The narrative specifically describes the who, what, where, when, and how of the proposed program/initiative.
Gender Lens. If the program is coeducational, the program design should communicate the specific and unique aspects for girls/women.
• Serve women and girls living in low income areas and/or communities with unmet needs.
• Support programs that have limited access to other funding sources or are emerging, community based organizations with small budgets.
• Address the root causes of problems and issues
• Have an impact that extends beyond the women and girls immediately involved in the project
Evaluation and “Pass It On” Plan. The application describes how this project will be evaluated internally and what will determine its success. The application describes how the skills and understanding gained through this project will be communicated to a larger community and/or ways that an organization can build on the success of the program/initiative.
Volunteer Opportunities. The application suggests ways that Women’s Fund members can serve in a volunteer capacity to support the program or project.
Budget. The application presents a clear understanding of the use of funds requested and the relationship of those funds to the overall budget of the organization.
Technical/Procedural. The application is complete and readable.
Grant review process:
The Women’s Fund has a Grant Review Committee made up of a diverse group of women. This committee reviews grant applications according to our selection criteria and makes valuable suggestions to ensure that The Women’s Fund’s work in the community will make a difference. The Grant Review Committee, prior to a decision on the grant, may request additional information about the grant proposal either via a conference call or site visit if necessary.
Award Notifications and Reporting Requirements
All applicants will be notified in writing of funding decisions within two weeks after grant award decisions are made. Unsuccessful applicants will be provided with feedback about their grant proposals.
Grantees are required to submit 6-month and 12-month reports on the progress and outcomes of the funded program.
Submitting an Application
Prior to submitting an application, applicants are REQUIRED to call Jennifer Kuntch, Program Officer for Community Investment, at 717-236-5040 to have a preliminary discussion about your project. After discussing your project, Jennifer will provide you with a password to access the online application.
Please remember: projects may not start sooner than 12 weeks after the application deadline. Only projects with a start date of 01/04/13 or later will be considered for this round of funding.
**You will be asked for your Tax ID Number and you will not be able to access the application without it. If you will be using a Fiscal Agent for this project, please have that organization's Tax ID Number ready. In addition, if you are using a Fiscal Agent for the project, you will be required to enter additional information regarding the organization who is acting as your Fiscal Agent on the "Application Information" page of the application.
Once you have submitted your completed application online, please mail or hand deliver the following:
• Signature page with original signatures
• Your most recent audit or financial statement
• IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter
• No more than three (3) letters of support with original signatures (optional)
• If you have indicated Collaboration with other Agencies, include letters with original signatures documenting the nature of the collaboration.
Materials such as brochures, photos, newspaper articles and the like should not be included with the application materials. Materials should be bound together with a paper clip only and should not be submitted in individual folders or binders of any sort. Please do not submit hard copies of materials that are required to be submitted electronically.
Failure to follow the steps outlined in the Grant Guidelines may cause your application to be deferred or rejected.
If your application is incomplete you will be notified with a list of missing items. If the missing items are not submitted within the timeline provided, your application may be deferred or eliminated from consideration.
The online application will no longer be available after 4:00pm on the proposal deadline. All applications MUST be submitted prior to this time.
The Signature Page with original signatures; Audit or Financial Statement; IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter; and Letters of Support with original signatures must be received, not postmarked, by 4:00pm on the proposal deadline. These items should be mailed or hand delivered to:
The Foundation for Enhancing Communities
Attn: Jennifer Kuntch, Program Officer for Community Investment
200 N. 3rd Street, 8th Floor
PO Box 678
Harrisburg, PA 17108-0678
After you have discussed your project with Jennifer, please click below for the application:
The Women’s Fund Grant Application
If you have already started your application but have not yet submitted it, please click here to log in to your account and resume where you left off.
Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
Click here for more information on using the new online application system.
Contact Jennifer Kuntch, Program Officer for Community Investment
E-mail: jkuntch@tfec.org
Phone: 717-236-5040 |
