Application Procedures
Basic Requirements
Grants will be awarded with particular attention to Maine. Recipients must possess 501c3 tax-exempt status or be under the sponsorship of such a group or organization. No restrictions are made regarding religious identity.
Grant Amounts and Duration
Grants are highly competitive due to limited funds. Normally they will be for up to $5,000 for one year and may be renewed upon submission of an evaluation and an additional application. Funding for multi-year projects is also possible. Grants may be given to enhance existing programs, but will not be given to projects for which other monies are readily available.
Preferences
While the fund will consider all applications, preference will be given to:
- Small grassroots organizations or individuals
- Young or emerging organizations
- Groups in rural areas or small towns
- Church or other faith commuity groups. (This could include those concerned about the church's lack of justice work or those envisoning new ways to be church or faith community in a post-Christendom world).
Characteristics
Groups or projects should demonstrate one or more of the following charactertistics:
- Groups or projects unlikely to attract mainstream funding
- Groups committed to long-term involvement with a community of need
- Groups or projects which collaborate with or build alliances with a range of groups and constituencies.
- Groups or projects which cross racial, ethnic, class, sexuality, gender or religious lines
- Groups or projects which involve ethnical principles that can be transferred to other contexts.
Guidelines
First, read the Haney-Leighton Fund Mission Statement and ask: "Does our project fit within the description of social action?"
Projects should reflect effective ways to achieve social or economic justice by:
- Raising consciousness about injustice through education or other means
- Challenging the status quo at any or all levels: local, state, national and/or international
- Seeking to change the conditions which cause injustices, such as poverty or discrimination
- Addressing major oppressions such as racism, sexism, classsism, and/or anthropocentrism
- Empowering those who are marginalized by including them in the process of project development, helping them to achieve their own "voice" and/or helping them to achieve an increase in economic stability
Non-discrimination Policy
The Fund, in keeping with Elly and Debbie's shared vision, supports faith-based and other forms of social action to increase social, economic, cultural, and ecological justice.
In its board, volunteers and grant recipients, the Haney-Leighton Fund does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, marital and relational status, veteran status, mental or physical disability, or any other status prohibited by applicable federal and/or state law.
Application Process
Timeline:
- April 1, letter of intent deadline
- May 15, full application deadline
- By June 30, Haney-Leighton Fund Board grant decisions
- By September 1, grant checks mailed
- By August 1, (following year) grantee report deadline
Step One:
Submit a letter of Intent by April 1st
The Board will review the letter of intent. If the project is within the guidelines, the applicant will be contacted and encouraged to submit a full application.
Step Two:
Submit a full application by May 15th
The application should not exceed three pages and should include the following information:
- Outline of the project and its goals
- Description of how the project meets the guidelines
- How goals or expected outcomes can be measured
- Budget summary and amount requested
- Identification of the sponsoring 501c3 organization
Letters of intent and applications should be sent to:
haneyfund@gmail.com
All letters of intent and applications should include a contact person's name, email address, mail address and phone number.
Step Three: Distribution of Funds
The Board will meet in June to consider applications and funds will be distributed by September 1st.
Step Four: Reporting Requirements
Grantees are asked to submit a final report evaluating their project by August 1. To help with this report each grantee will be assigned a contact person. If difficulties arise in carrying out the project, recipients are invited to contact their contact person for advice and counsel. The short report should be submitted electronically (preferred) or to the mail address listed on the Haney-Leighton Grantee Progress Report Form. For the report, these questions should be addressed:
- 1) What were your goals for your grant?
- 2) What did you actually do with the money?
- 3) How well did you accomplish your goals, and how did you address any challenges?
- 4) What did you learn from the process and how are you applying what you learned?
- 5) Do you have any suggestions for the Fund about our grant process?
You may also download the form on the FORMS page.
Step Five: Evaluation of the Process
After being awarded or refused a grant, applicants are invited to evaluate the application process with attention given to the following:
- Promptness of response
- Clarity and ease of the process
- Other information which would be helpful to the Board