Diverse needs, difficult funding decisions

One might think of the philanthropic world as a large quilt wrapped around our communities. Each square of the quilt represents a different charity or foundation; each meeting specific, important, yet diverse needs. The Board and staff of The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation are committed to remaining absolutely faithful to our mission based upon the vision and direction of our founder:

• First, and foremost, the primary beneficiaries of every grant must be those who are financially disadvantaged.

• Approximately 50% of the total contributions each year must be used for operating expenses of the grantee organizations, and the other 50% must be for capital expenditures, such as buildings and equipment. Within the capital grant category, the Foundation may not contribute more than 30% of the total cost of the capital item, a requirement that automatically mandates at least 70% funding from other sources.

• At least 25% of the total contributions each year must be made to
  organizations whose beneficiaries are primarily Jewish, and at least 25% of the total contributions each year must be made to organizations whose beneficiaries are primarily the community-at-large. The Trustees have complete discretion as to the
  allocation of the other 50%.

• The Foundation is prohibited from making grants to individuals (as distinguished from charitable organizations) or to colleges, universities, and cultural institutions such as museums or orchestras.

There are also geographic priorities for our grantmaking

Please review the chart below to get a better sense of the geographic priorities and boundaries for grantmaking with respect to our various program areas:

 

 

What We Fund

Even with strict guidelines to fulfill our grantmaking mission, the need reflected in grantee applications is overwhelming. While the Foundation regularly distributes $100 million every year, the total requested can easily be more than five times that amount. Obviously, that means many worthwhile grant requests are declined or simply were not eligible to begin with.

 Every week, the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, President, and Program Directors meet as the Program Committee. This committee reviews each grant request that has received initial approval as a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) or was submitted as part of a streamlined process within our Maryland Small Grants Program. You can learn more about LOI’s and the entire process by clicking here.

The Program Committee meeting is the embodiment of the grants decision process. Sometimes spirited debate centers around “3 C’s” — comparative, competitive, compassionate. Tough questions are asked including “How does this particular program compare with others? Does it duplicate an existing program or services? Is a prospective grantee competitive in terms of leadership and financials?”

To be considered for funding, an organization must meet several requirements including these:

• Applicants must submit evidence of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
• Applicants must carry on their work principally to serve lower-income individuals in the communities in which they reside
• Applicants must be committed to assisting vulnerable and at-risk populations
  Note: If you previously submitted a Letter of Inquiry to the Foundation and the request was declined, please do not submit a 2nd Letter of Inquiry for the same project unless there are substantial changes that would make a new submission appropriate.

What We Don’t Fund

The Foundation does not provide funds for the following:

Individuals
Debt reduction
Annual appeals and fundraising events (in most cases)
Endowments (in most cases)
Publications
Arts and culture
Colleges and universities
Political action groups
Academic or health research
Scholarships for higher education
Think tanks