Grant Guidelines

2008 GRANT PROGRAM GUIDELINES

The Woman's Club of Minneapolis has a 100-year tradition of supporting civic improvements and human services not only in its own neighborhood but also in the larger community.

Articles of Incorporation, Article III, Section 1:

The Club is organized and shall be operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, civic and social services, study and friendly association.

REQUIREMENTS FOR 2008 GRANTS

Funding Criteria

• Programs dealing with women's and children's issues and interests.
• Agencies with a total annual operating budget of $2 million or less.
• Organizations located and providing services within a 70-mile radius of The Woman's Club of Minneapolis, with special consideration given to the Minneapolis inner city.
• Organizations with their own 501©(3) documentation from the Internal Revenue Service.

Range of Grants

• Grants will not exceed $10,000.
• Grants are for only one year, with checks distributed in May.
• Organizations will not be considered for funding beyond three consecutive years and must reapply each year.

Eligibility

• The organization that requests funding must be the provider of the services described in the proposal. No sponsors, umbrella organizations, flow-through, auxiliaries, friends of or fiscal agents are eligible.
• Organizations must have total operating budgets of $2 million or less.
• Grants given by The Woman's Club of Minneapolis will not support:
  • Endowments.
  • Capital campaigns and capital projects.
  • Scholarship organizations.
  • Fundraising organizations, events and efforts.
  • Private individuals.
  • Political causes and organizations.
  • Disease-specific organizations for the purpose of research or publicity.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Incomplete applications, including applications lacking the required three copies of all information, will not receive further consideration. We request, but do not require, that you provide two-sided use of paper and do not include a plastic or other folder cover.

The Woman's Club of Minneapolis requires that applicants use the Minnesota Common Grant Application Form. The Form is available on the Minnesota Council of Foundations website. (You will find the Common Grant Application in the Frequently Visited Pages on the left side of their Home Page.)

Include three copies of all the information specified in the Common Grant Form, in the order outlined on the form, plus these additions/emphases to the sections indicated:

Cover Letter: Give past history of support from the Club, if any.
Proposal Narrative: Provide a concise description of how the grant monies will be used to further the overall mission of your organization.
Evaluation: Per the Minnesota Grant Application form, provide specific means whereby you will evaluate how the Woman's Club will have impacted your program.
Attachments: We require the most recent Form 990 tax return. If you do not file such, you will not be considered for a grant.

Request Deadline February 15, 2008
Three copies of all materials must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. Friday, February 15, 2008, at The Woman's Club of Minneapolis. This is not a postmark deadline. We will not return applications received after the deadline. Please mail or deliver applications to:

Chair, Community Outreach Committee
The Woman's Club of Minneapolis
410 Oak Grove Street
Minneapolis, MN 55403-3294

Grants Presented in May

The Executive Directors of requesting organizations should be available for interviews Monday, April 7, 2008. Final funding decisions are made in April and agencies will be notified of the decisions. Grants will be presented May 20, 2008, at a luncheon at The Woman's Club of Minneapolis. An organizational representative is expected to attend this luncheon, as our guest, to accept the funds.

Reports Required in December and June

Grant recipients are required to send a midyear report no later than December 15, 2008, and a year-end report no later than June 15, 2009. Use the Minnesota Common Report form available at Minnesota Council of Foundations website. Mail reports to the same address given above under Request Deadline.

CHECKLIST FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS TO THE WOMAN'S CLUB OF MINNEAPOLIS

Three copies of all of the following materials:

• Cover letter, with information about any past support from The Woman's Club of Minneapolis.
• Cover sheet from the Minnesota Common Grant Form.
• Proposal narrative, with a progress report on any projects currently receiving the Club's funding.
• Evaluation plans.
• Organization budget and project budget if applicable.
• Financial statements, preferably audited, including balance sheet, income and expenses and statement of functional expenses.
• List of additional funders.
• List of board members and their affiliations.
• Brief description of each key staff member.
• IRS determination letter.
• Most recent Form 990 tax return.