Grant Guidelines
The Charles Hayden Foundation makes contributions only to institutions that serve children and youth ages 5 to 18 from the City of Boston and metropolitan New York. Priority is given to applicants from New York City and the city of Boston. Metropolitan New York is defined as New York City, and, in New Jersey, primarily the city of Newark. Grants are also made to institutions that support youth activities outside these areas when a substantial majority of the youth served comes from within the Foundation's defined geographic catchment areas.
The Foundation's Grantmaking Guidelines
Our Mission Statement details our grantmaking criteria and should be read in conjunction with these Guidelines. We concentrate support on youth development and education programs that present: (1) evidence of significant program impact on young people and (2) plans for making measurable progress toward well-defined goals in a specific time frame.
Program support is generally for program expansion and creation.
Attributes that the Foundation Seeks in Funded Programs
For youth development programs:
- Relationships between youth and youth agency staff that are caring, consistent, and continue throughout the course of the youth's long-term development.
- Engaging, enriching and safe activities during the non-school hours.
- Activities and counseling that help youth prepare for post-secondary education.
For school programs (including (1) charter schools and (2) independent and parochial schools that charge a maximum of $10,000/year for tuition):
- Schools must have been in operation for two full academic years.
- High expectations for student's mental development, reflected in a challenging course of study that emphasizes reading, writing, mathematics and other core skill and content areas.
- Active engagement of parents in their children's education at home and in schools.
- Collaboration with other organizations and programs that can contribute to student's learning.
- Activities and counseling that help youth prepare for post-secondary education.
- Track record of increased student academic achievement.
We Require Applicants To Use the New York Area or AGM (Boston Area) Common Application Forms.
Applications Must Include:
- The Foundation requires using the common proposal form:
The New York/New Jersey form
The Massachusetts form.
- A concise description of the proposed project and its goals.
- The number and ages of the youth to be served.
- Program budget, or total costs (including professional estimates for capital projects).
- An indication of what will be done if not all of the needed funds are raised. Similarly, if the request is for partial funding of the total amount of a project, the plans for raising the balance of those costs should be indicated.
- The sources, if needed, for additional operating funds once a capital project is completed.
- A copy of the most recent audited financial report and an operating budget, including a breakdown on revenue sources and amounts, for the current and previous fiscal years.
- A copy of the Internal Revenue Service letter determining tax-exempt status.
- The project's expected outcomes and criteria the applicant prefers that the Foundation apply in evaluating the completed project.
- Other printed material concerning the activities and history of the institution.
- Interviews, if required or requested, are not arranged until the written grant application has been submitted and the preliminary review is completed.
Current Board-Approved Policy Guidelines Preclude Grants For:
- Individuals.
- Endowments.
- Religious organizations and theological institutions, unless programs are oriented toward community youth.
- Institutions of higher education - except to support work on pre-collegiate programs (other than recruitment programs for a particular college).
- Hospitals, hospices, and projects that are essentially medical in nature.
- Arts exposure programs.
How to Apply
Please Note: All applications must be made through our on-line application system. Click here to begin.
School Application Form
To be completed only upon invitation. Uninvited responses will be discarded upon receipt.
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