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Programs
Eligibility
Eligibility Requirements for All Grant Programs
- Applicants must be nonprofit organizations classified as 501(c)(3) organizations by the Internal Revenue Service.
- Applicants for the Defending Basic Freedoms and Encouraging Citizen Involvement Program areas may be national. Applicants for the Pathways Out of Poverty Program must be located in /and or provide services in the greater Washington, DC region which we define as the District of Columbia, the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, and the city of Alexandria in Virginia and Montgomery, and Prince George's counties in Maryland.
- Grants will not be made for capital or endowment programs, nor for sectarian religious purposes.
- Grants in the range of $5,000 to $25,000 will be considered. Grants will be considered for one year's funding.
- No more than 10% of a grant may go to indirect costs (outside of those for general operating support).
- Grants cannot be used for lobbying or other partisan purposes.
Application Procedure
The Herb Block Foundation uses a two-step process for evaluating grant proposals: (please send submissions via mail; not email. thank you)
1. Organizations that wish to apply for a grant are required to first submit one Letter of Inquiry briefly describing, in two to three pages, the proposed project's purpose, operation, target audience, timeline, costs, and anticipated impacts. (See the panel "Application Forms" for the full list of items to be included in this Letter.) All organizations who send in a letter of inquiry will receive a letter by mail letting them know if the Foundation is requesting a full proposal or not.
2. If after reviewing the Letter of Inquiry, the Foundation selects the project for further consideration then a Full Proposal, using the Washington Grantmakers' Common Grant Application, will be invited. Please note that a request for a Full Proposal does not guarantee that a project will be funded, and that only full proposals which have been invited by the Foundation will be considered.
Note: this includes current and past grantees
Application Timetable - Fiscal Year 2013
| Program | LOI's Due | Full Proposal Invited | Full Proposal Due | Proposed Board Meeting |
| Defending Basic Freedoms | 10/03/13 | 11/14/13 | 12/18/13 | 1/22/14 |
| Pathways Out of Poverty | 2/06/14 | 3/19/14 | 4/23/14 | 5/21/14 |
| Encouraging Citizen Involvement | 6/05/13 | 7/12/13 | 8/15/13 | 9/19/13 |
We anticipate that The Herb Block Foundation will generally have three Board meetings per year reviewing grant applications, in January, May, and September. Grants will be considered according to the following schedule:
January: Defending Basic Freedoms
March: Providing Higher Educational Opportunities
Through Scholarships
Promoting Editorial Cartooning
May: Pathways Out of Poverty
September: Encouraging Citizen Involvement
The Foundation's fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30.
Please contact the Foundation if you have any further questions. And please visit this website regularly for our latest information.
Thanks for your interest in The Herb Block Foundation.
Application Forms
Letters of Inquiry
Letters of Inquiry must be received by mail or dropped off in The Herb Block Foundation's offices at 1730 M Street, NW, Suite 901, Washington DC 20036, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the deadline date listed in the Application Timetable. Provide one copy of the Letter of Inquiry to either Marcela Brane (President) or Sarah Alex (Executive Director). Letters of Inquiry must provide the following:
- a brief statement of the issues to be addressed, and of your organization's involvement with these issues,
- a brief summary of the activities for which you are requesting support, including an outline of your objectives and anticipated outcomes, and a list of potential partners,
- the population and geographic areas targeted,
- the planned starting date and duration of the proposed activities,
- the total amount of funding needed, the amount requested from The Herb Block Foundation, and the sources (both in-hand and requested) of other support,
- a copy of your organization's IRS 501(c)(3) letter, and
- your organization's current total Operating Budget, and audited financial statement (if available).
A brochure or newsletter describing your organization's mission, goals, accomplishments, etc. may also be included.
We will also accept the WRAG's Common Letter of Inquiry
Full Proposals
Full Proposal Applications may be sent only upon a request by the staff of The Herb Block Foundation after reviewing Letters of Inquiry. We will be using the Common Grant Application Format found on the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers website. We request only one copy of the full proposal.
WRAGS Common Grant Application Format
Please note a request for a full proposal does not guarantee funding for your project.
Application Timetable - Fiscal Year 2013
| Program | LOI's Due | Full Proposal Invited | Full Proposal Due | Proposed Board Meeting |
| Defending Basic Freedoms | 10/03/13 | 11/14/13 | 12/18/13 | 1/22/14 |
| Pathways Out of Poverty | 2/06/14 | 3/19/14 | 4/23/14 | 5/21/14 |
| Encouraging Citizen Involvement | 6/05/13 | 7/12/13 | 8/15/13 | 9/19/13 |
Reporting Requirements
To assist The Herb Block Foundation in monitoring the work of its grantees, each recipient is required to submit a written progress report at the end of each six-month grant period and a final report.
The requirements for each report are found below.
For Grants Received in 2012 and 2013:
| Program | Board Meeting | Progress Report Due |
Final Report Due |
|
Defending Basic Freedoms
|
1/26/12 1/24/13 |
7/02/12 8/1/13 |
2/04/13 2/04/14 |
|
Pathways Out of Poverty
|
5/16/12 5/15/13 |
12/03/12 12/03/13 |
7/10/13 7/10/14 |
|
Encouraging Citizen
|
9/19/12 9/17/13 |
3/29/13 3/31/14 |
10/30/13 10/30/14 |
Progress Report:
- Include the name of your organization, the address, phone and fax numbers, the project director's name and the project goals or objectives.
- Include with your report a detailed financial accounting of all grant funds.
- Your report should address each of the items below. Answers need not be lengthy; three pages for the report are often adequate.
Questions:
- What challenges are you facing as you move forward with this project? How are you approaching these challenges?
- What changes in plans or personnel have there been? Please explain.
- What progress have you made toward achieving your objectives? Please address each stated objective.
- Do you anticipate any difficulties in completing your project in the timeframe outlined in your proposal?
NOTE: All applicants, including current and past grantees, must submit a Letter of Inquiry if you expect to apply for the next fiscal year.
Final Report:
- Include the name of your organization, the address, phone and fax numbers, the project director's name and the project goals or objectives.
- Include with your report a detailed financial accounting of all grant funds.
- Your report should address each of the items below. Answers need not be lengthy; three to five pages for the report are often adequate.
Questions:
- What was accomplished in connection with this project. Please address each stated objective. If any project objectives were changed, please also explain the circumstances leading to the modification of the objective(s).
- What challenges did you face in connection with this project? How did you address these challenges?
- What were the most important lessons learned?
- What advice would you offer to help another organization that is thinking about undertaking a similar project?
Please keep us on your mailing list for newsletters, press releases, etc., and share any news coverage you may receive.
NOTE: All applicants, including current and past grantees, must submit a Letter of Inquiry if you expect to apply for the next fiscal year.
