LETTERS OF INQUIRY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED UNTIL AUGUST 1, 2009.
As you know, the Weinberg Foundation has taken a pause in reviewing Letters of Inquiry (LOI), the first step in the grant application process. Initially, the Foundation announced it would re-open the process on April 1, but after careful review, the Trustees have determined the pause will remain in place until August 1, 2009.
During the past three years, the Weinberg Foundation has increased both the amount of and the total number of grants awarded each year, as well as the size of its professional grant staff. In the last fiscal year that ended February 28, 2009, the Weinberg Foundation distributed $106.4 million to 609 different nonprofit organizations. Because of the substantial amount of grants already approved for next year, the strong desire to evaluate the effectiveness of the Foundation’s prior grant making, and a desire to reassess the state of the volatile economy, the Foundation has extended the pause for accepting Letters of Inquiry.
Information regarding the Letter of Inquiry process and format will be posted on the website by mid-July.
A Few Questions & Answers
What does this mean for the Maryland Small Grants Program?
The Maryland Small Grants Program is approximately $5 - $6 million of the Foundation’s total grant budget each year and will continue without interruption.
What does this mean for nonprofits that submitted a Letter Of Inquiry prior to November 4, 2008 or have a full grant application currently under review?
The process for handling all Letters Of Inquiry received prior to November 4 and approved for investigation and all full grant applications under review will continue without interruption or change. However, the review process, from the time of receipt of the full grant application to notification, will take approximately three to six months and may not necessarily be reviewed in a ‘first come, first review’ process.
Whom may I call with a question?
There are several grant staff available to answer any questions. Please call the Foundation’s receptionist at 410-654-8500. She will be glad to direct you to the appropriate professional.
If a nonprofit has been awarded a grant from The Weinberg Foundation, and it is time to request a payment, is there any change to this process?
No, there is no change or interruption to the payment request process. The Foundation will honor grants at the amount the award was made and will maintain the level of commitment approved in the executed contracts.
If we had a prior grant from the Foundation and have notified a program director/officer that we will be submitting a new Letter Of Inquiry does that mean we will have to wait until August 1, 2009, to submit the Letter Of Inquiry?
Yes. The Foundation will not consider any new Letters Of Inquiry, regardless of the organization or its prior funding status with the Foundation, until August 1, 2009.
Given such difficult financial times, why doesn’t the Foundation decide to increase its regular 5% distribution (required by law) to a larger amount?
The Foundation’s charter, drafted by founder Harry Weinberg, specifically states that the Foundation may not distribute more than the 5% of the corpus of the foundation each year for charitable purposes. This provision in the Foundation’s charter is highly unusual and the charter prohibits its amendment. As a result, the Foundation must carefully track grant distributions to ensure that not more than 5% is distributed during a fiscal year. For example, many nonprofits will pull 6% or 7% from their unrestricted endowment fund. The Weinberg Foundation may not draw down more than 5% each year.
General Grantmaking Procedures
The Foundation's grant making policies reflect the wishes of Harry and Jeanette Weinberg, the legal requirements governing private philanthropy, and the inherent limitations on the Foundation's ability to respond favorably to many of the grant requests it receives each year.
Eligibility
To be considered for funding, an organization must meet several requirements:
- 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.
Program Interests
The Foundation provides support for programs and direct services (including general operating grants) and capital projects that assist financially disadvantaged individuals primarily located in Maryland, Hawaii, Northeast Pennsylvania, New York, Israel, and the FSU.
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
Application Process
Any potential applicant must initially consider whether its proposal agrees not only with the basic eligibility criteria but also with the Foundation's program interests and grant making policies. If these initial requirements are met, then a letter of inquiry should be submitted to the Foundation. The Foundation has an ongoing review cycle; there are no deadlines for the submission of a Letter of Inquiry.
Foundation staff will promptly confirm the receipt of the letter of inquiry. Then, after that notification, within approximately 30 days, the Foundation will notify the applicant about whether a full grant proposal should be submitted, or, if not, the status of the grant request. If a grant proposal is requested, then the applicant will be asked to complete the applicable full grant application, a copy of which is on the Foundation website (www.hjweinbergfoundation.org). Foundation staff will be pleased to answer any questions throughout the application process and provide whatever other assistance is appropriate.
The Foundation welcomes telephone inquiries throughout the year about funding, Letters of Inquiry, and, when invited, grant proposals. Inquiries and grant applications pertaining to programs in Hawaii should be made directly to The Weinberg Foundation's Hawaii office. All other inquiries and applications should be addressed to the Foundation's Baltimore office at 7 Park Center Court, Owings Mills, Maryland, 21117, USA.
Letter of Inquiry Guidelines
Submitting a Letter of Inquiry is the first step in the grant review process. After the Directors of the Weinberg Foundation review your letter, you will receive correspondence stating whether you will be invited to submit a full grant proposal.
Length: No more than 3 pages (please do not include a cover letter or exceed the three page maximum)
Format: The Letter of Inquiry should be completed on official letterhead and should be typed in Times New Roman or Arial font, and the font should be 11 point or larger with at least 1" margins.
Deadlines: None (Letters of Inquiry are typically reviewed weekly)
Address Letter to: Grants Intake Manager
The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
7 Park Center Court
Owings Mills, MD 21117-4200
The Weinberg Foundation provides grants for general operating support, specific programs, and capital projects (including building construction, renovation projects, and purchase of equipment). We need separate information and have somewhat different criteria for each. Please review the applicable letter of inquiry guidelines based upon the type of grant request.