Guidelines

The Foundation is currently transitioning to a long-term strategic focus. The emerging work represents a natural evolution of previous investments and will remain in service of the Foundation’s current mission.   More information about our new focus – including details about initiative areas and grant availability - will be made available in early 2010.

Current Funding Opportunities 

Projected 2010 RFP Notifications

The Foundation anticipates that new grants will be made available in 2010.  If you would like to be notified when funding becomes available, please register here.

Eligibility
Pursuant to its Articles of Organization, the Foundation operates exclusively for the benefit of, and to promote the charitable and educational purposes of, educational organizations, including universities, colleges, secondary schools, elementary schools, and other educational organizations that are described in IRC Section 501(c) (3) and that are not private foundations because they are described in IRC Section 509(a)(1) or (2).   The Foundation's activities include making grants to the public charities it supports and providing services to those organizations.  The Foundation supports only those programs/organizations that serve students in New England or research pertaining to education issues in New England.

The Foundation does not fund capital campaigns, endowments, scholarships or fellowships, debt reduction or cash reserves, building construction or renovation, and certain indirect costs.

Funding determination may be made in one of three ways:

1. A specific organization may be invited to apply for a grant within an agreed upon timeframe and the proposal is reviewed in a noncompetitive process.
2. A limited number of organizations may be invited to apply via a Request for Proposals (RFP) or Request for Applications (RFA) before a set deadline. The submitted proposals/applications would then be reviewed in a competitive process.  All or a selection of the group would be funded.
3. Funding guidelines that outline the Foundation’s requirements, goals, and funding strategy and an open RFP or RFA are distributed by the Foundation or by an intermediary hired to manage a cluster of grants and to post on appropriate websites.  Organizations determine their potential eligibility and whether they should submit a proposal or application before a set deadline.  All submitted proposals/applications are reviewed in a competitive process.  All or a selection of the group are funded based on the predetermined criteria.