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Guidelines for
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Guidelines for Grantseekers


Quality education lays the foundation for the success of children, families, communities, and our society as a whole. The I.A. O'Shaughnessy Foundation is concerned that too many schools lack sufficient resources; that students in high-poverty areas have lower achievement scores, higher drop-out rates, and lower rates of college graduation; that low-income families lack the resources to choose better schools; and that the gap between the rich and the poor is increasing.

The Foundation has set its current funding interest to help address these critical matters of public concern.

Guidelines

Current Funding Interest

The Foundation is currently interested in making Board Grants to:

Support high quality education that prepares students

in disadvantaged communities for educational and life success.

We fund organizations that:

•  provide support networks

•  remove impediments to student success

•  are broadly supported by the community

•  have a record of demonstrated success

Preferences

The Foundation is especially interested in funding endeavors that are:

•  broad in scope

•  widespread in influence

•  high-impact

•  innovative

•  replicable models

Grant Categories

The Foundation does not limit itself to specific grant categories or program areas. It funds organizations that address needs and effectively solve problems using multiple approaches or multi-faceted solutions.

Type of Funding

The Foundation makes grants to provide for these organizational expenditures:

  • highest priority is given to programs and projects
  • consideration is given to capital campaigns and endowments
  • funding is provided for operations when it makes a significant contribution to meeting the Foundation's current funding interest

Recipient Requirements

 

Grant recipient organizations must comply with all of these requirements:

  • Registered nonprofit: nonprofit corporation or other entity recognized under the Internal Revenue Code as a qualified tax-exempt organization
  • Mission-consistent: programs and services consistent with the Foundation's mission and values
  • Fiscally sound: well-conceived plan for sound fiscal management, effective delivery of services, and keeping fundraising, management, and general costs to a minimum
  • Demonstrated need: document how the funds will be used, and the effect the funds will have on the organization and the people it serves
  • Capable and accountable: accountable for carefully managing the funds, able to achieve the desired results of the grant request, and report on the outcomes achieved

Recipient Restrictions

The Foundation makes NO grants in these situations:

  • Values conflict: grants are not made if the organization or the grant purpose is inconsistent with Foundation values
  • National fundraising organizations: grants are not made to national or umbrella organizations that raise funds through broad-based solicitations to the general public
  • Operational dependence: organizations should not become overly dependent upon the Foundation for on-going operational support, and Foundation gifts may not be a significant portion of such support
  • Capital campaign gifts: gifts to capital campaigns may not exceed 20% of the campaign goal
  • Political organizations: grants are not made to political campaigns, events, or organizations whose purpose is to promote political candidates
  • Lobbying: no grant shall be made for lobbying, except as permitted by the Internal Revenue Code
  • Individuals: grants are not made directly to, or for, individuals

Application Requirements

Please note:

Letters of Inquiry are no longer being accepted for 2008.  Please check for updates after January 15, 2009.

If, after reading the Guidelines above, you believe that your organization's mission and programs satisfy the Foundation's grantmaking objectives, please follow these instructions:

1.  Complete a Letter of Inquiry, which is available in two formats: a) Microsoft Word and  b) PDF

Microsoft Word File:
Download Letter of Inquiry

a. Save this form as a Microsoft Word document on your computer
b . Open the saved document and

complete the form by typing in the

gray areas and clicking to put

checkmarks in boxes

c. Save the completed document

d. Print and sign the completed form

PDF File:
 Download Letter of Inquiry

a. With the free Adobe Acrobat Reader you can fill out the form and print (you cannot save the filled out PDF form unless you have the full verision of Adobe Acrobat)

Or...

b. Hand-write or type the information on the form

c. Sign the completed form

2.  Mail the completed and signed Letter of Inquiry to:

Administrator

I.A. O'Shaughnessy Foundation

332 Minnesota Street

Suite W-1271

Saint Paul, MN  55101

3. Wait for a response. This may take up to six months.  The Board Grants Committee reviews Letters of Inquiry and decides which organizations will be invited to submit a proposal.  If invited, you will be sent the Foundation's Proposal Guidelines.

If you will not be invited to submit a proposal, you will be so notified in writing.

Please do not send a proposal if you have not been invited to do so.  Such proposals will not be accepted or considered.

4.  If you have other questions - contact the Administrator:

info@iaoshaughnessyfdn.org