Grant Guidelines
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We encourage all potential applicants to read the “What We Believe” section of this Web site for general information. If you believe that your organization’s mission and programs are consistent with the Foundation’s interests then please apply through our Grant Portal link below.
LETTER OF INQUIRY
All applicants must submit a brief letter of inquiry describing the grantee organization and the proposed project through our Grant Portal. You will be asked to upload an organization budget, program budget and list of board members. Letters of inquiry are welcome at any time.
NEXT STEPS
The letter will provide enough information for the Foundation to determine whether it will consider a formal proposal. If the idea seems promising, our program staff will follow up with requests for other materials and to schedule site visits or meetings with the potential grantee’s senior staff.
RESTRICTIONS
Grants are awarded only to nonprofit public charitable organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation does not make grants to individuals or provide emergency assistance, nor do we support medical research, the direct provision of health care or religious education. We rarely make grants to support conferences, publications or media.
On rare occasions, we will make grants for building renovations or other capital projects—but only to grantee organizations we know well and then only for projects that will directly improve or expand programs we support.
THE TIMETABLE
The Foundation’s Board of Trustees has two grantmaking meetings a year, in May and December. Grant decisions are announced immediately after those meetings.
We favor programs that can make substantial progress toward their goals in a period of three years or less. While we may consider renewal of selected grants beyond that period, our general approach is not to provide long-term annual support for most grantee organizations.
GRANT PORTAL
The Pinkerton Foundation has an on-line application process. Through the Grant Portal you will be able to submit a Letter of Inquiry, new and renewal requests for funding, and required reports. Fluxx, which powers our Grant Portal, currently supports the following browsers: Firefox (preferred), Google Chrome, Internet Explorer Version 11+, and Safari.
NEW APPLICANTS
Please register your primary contact and organization information through the Grant Portal by clicking on the “Apply Here” button below. Upon registration you will receive a user name and password via the primary contact’s email within two business days. After registration you will then be able to submit a Letter of Inquiry as described above. If you have any further questions regarding the registration process please contact Yvonne Schonborg at yschonborg@pinkertonfdn.org or 212-332-3346.
CURRENT GRANTEES
You will use the Grant Portal to submit required reports, renewal requests and new grant inquiries. Access the Grant Portal by clicking on the “Apply Here” button below. If you have any further questions please contact your program officer.
FOR ALL APPLICANTS
Once you have access to the portal we invite you to read the Portal Guidelines, which will explain the system’s functions.
We ask that you please keep your primary contact and organization information up-to-date. The Grant Portal uses this information for correspondence including important grant documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are your deadlines?
Letters of inquiry may be submitted at any time.
Do you support scholarships or other grants to individuals?
The Foundation makes grants only to established 501(c) (3) programs serving disadvantaged young people. We make no grants to individuals.
Do you consider grants to national organizations?
Our grants are solely to programs operating in New York City or directly serving the City’s youth.
Do you fund building projects or the purchase of capital equipment?
We make a very small number of capital grants—but only to organizations that have been long-time Pinkerton grantees and only for projects that allow those programs to expand their direct services to young people.
What time periods do your grants cover?
There is no “standard” Pinkerton grant. Most grants are for a period of one year. We also make a number of two- or three-year grants, but those must be reviewed and confirmed by the board on an annual basis. After three years, most organizations will be ineligible to receive additional grants for at least a three-year period.