Foundation Grant Process
Step One: Look at Our Guidelines
The Staten Island Foundation focuses its funding in a number of key areas to make a positive impact on the lives of Staten Island residents. The guidelines and established grant criteria can be found here. Please read and review this information before you begin the application process.
If you are not sure if you meet the criteria, the eligibility questions that are part of the on-line application will help you assess your proposal against the criteria. Please call us if you are uncertain that your application will meet our requirements.
Step Two: Call and Speak to a Staff Member
The Staten Island Foundation’s grantmaking is a process that includes a dialogue. That dialogue begins with a phone conversation that allows us to discuss current Foundation funding priorities, the appropriateness of the proposed request in relation to the current priorities, a timeline for making a request, and any outstanding reports required before another request can be considered.
Please contact us at 718-697-2831. A phone call will help potential applicants prepare strong proposals or know when requests do not meet Foundation requirements.
Step Three: Creating an On-line Account and Registration
If you have not applied for a grant from The Staten Island Foundation on-line you will need to establish an account. An account includes a User ID and a password.
If you have previously applied for a grant from The Staten Island Foundation on-line and you have already established an account, you can start a new application here.
Once you have established an account please make a record for your files of your User ID and password. The Foundation does not have access to IDs and passwords.
*To return to an onlline application in progress or to view one already submitted, click here.
Step Four: Grant Eligibility
In order to proceed with an online grant application, eligibility questions must be answered. Feel free to call to discuss your proposal with Foundation staff should you be unable to proceed with an application.
Step Five: Applications and Deadlines
The Foundation currently has three distinct applications:
General Grant Applications
These are due on the 1st of the month two months prior to the appropriate Board meeting (e.g. November 1st for a January Board meeting, February 1st for an April Board meeting, etc.)
Grant Applications for Schools
Schools may apply from May through October.
Smaller Opportunities Grant Applications
These are reviewed on a revolving basis, with decisions made in 4 weeks for completed applications.
Following successful completion of eligibility questions, you will gain access to the application.
Complete and submit the application online by the deadline for the grant category. The Foundation will review each submitted application, evaluate the project for alignment with Foundation goals and interests, and determine whether it is complete enough to move forward. If you do not have adequate technology resources to complete the application on-line or are having difficulty with the application, please call.
Applications require a number of attachments and a list is provided. Please make every effort to have the required documents available on a computer so that they may be attached to your application.
Step Six: Notification of Receipt
Applicants will receive an email notification within approximately 1-2 weeks of receipt of the application. If you have not received notification of receipt please contact the Foundation. Those organizations or proposals that do not qualify will receive a declination email.
Step Seven: Review Process
As stated previously, The Foundation’s review process is a dialogue that does not end with the submission of the application. The process may include a site visit or requests for additional information. Only complete applications are eligible for final review.
The Foundation Board makes grant decisions at quarterly Board meetings (usually held in January, April, June, And October). Grant decisions are shared promptly.
Step Eight: Grant Agreements
Organizations that are approved for a Foundation grant receive a grant agreement letter. This agreement, which outlines the requirements, must be signed by the chief executive and returned to the Foundation before a check can be forwarded. In cases where the amount of the grant differs from the request made, a revised grant expense budget must be submitted.
Step Nine: Declined Proposals
Organizations receiving declinations can call the Foundation to discuss the reasons as well as proposal or project areas that may need to be strengthened. This can assist the applicant in developing stronger applications to other funding sources as well as to The Staten Island Foundation.
Step Ten: Administration and Reports
Should your organization be unable to proceed with the activities outlined in the grant agreement, please inform The Foundation as soon as possible.
The Staten Island Foundation requires grant recipients to submit a report upon completion of the grant period. In some cases, an interim report may be required.
Final reports should demonstrate whether outcomes anticipated in the original proposal have been achieved and what evidence has been used to verify the actual outcomes. An accounting of the expenditure of funds is required. In cases where the anticipated outcomes have not been achieved or unexpected circumstances arose, grantees should explain changed circumstances. Failure to submit a final report will jeopardize future funding.
Click here for more information on the Smaller Opportunities Grant Program.