Before a request is made for a grant or program-related investment, a brief letter of inquiry is advisable to determine whether the Foundation's present interests and funds permit consideration of the request.
The letter should include:
The purpose of the project for which funds are being requested
Problems and issues the proposed project will address
Information about the organization conducting the project
Estimated overall budget for the project
Period of time for which funds are requested
Qualifications of those who will be engaged in the project
After receiving the letter, Foundation staff members may ask the grant seeker to submit a formal proposal. There is no grant application form. The proposal should include:
The organization's current budget
A description of the proposed work and how it will be conducted
The names and curriculum vitae of those engaged in the project
A detailed project budget
Present means of support and status of applications to other funding sources
Legal and tax status
In some instances, the Foundation requires the grantee organization to match the Foundation's grant with funds from other sources.
The Foundation supports pluralism and equal opportunity in its grant making and in its internal policies. The opportunities that prospective grantee organizations provide for minorities and women are considered in evaluating proposals.
Applications are considered throughout the year. Normally applicants may expect to receive within six weeks an indication of whether their proposals are within the Foundation's program interests and budget limitations. Activities supported by grants and program-related investments must be charitable, educational or scientific, as defined under the appropriate provisions of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations. The Foundation monitors grants through regular financial and narrative reports submitted by the grantee.
The Foundation's funds are limited in relation to the great number of worthwhile proposals received. For example, in 1998 the Foundation received 35,700 grant requests and made 2,007 grants. Of that number, 20 percent were first-time grant recipients. The Foundation directs its support to activities that are within its current interests and are likely to have wide effect. Support is not normally given for routine operating costs of institutions or for religious activities. Except in rare cases, funding is not available for the construction or maintenance of buildings.
Requests in the United States should be sent to:
Secretary
Ford Foundation
320 East 43 Street
New York, N.Y. 10017
Requests in foreign countries should be directed to the nearest Foundation office. See Addresses and E-mail links for locations of field offices.
Grants to Individuals
Most of the Foundation's grant funds are given to organizations. Although it also makes grants to individuals, they are few in number relative to demand and are limited to research, training and other activities related to its program interests.
The Foundation does not award undergraduate scholarships or make grants for purely personal needs. Support for graduate fellowships is generally provided through grants to universities and other organizations, which are responsible for the selection of recipients. Most Foundation grants to individuals are awarded either through publicly announced competitions or on the basis of nominations from universities and other nonprofit institutions. In all cases, recipients are selected on the merits of their proposals and on their potential contribution to advancing the Foundation's program objectives.
