GRANTEE APPLICATION & TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Although the Sheila Fortune Foundation (SFF) has no application form and will receive proposals in any format that is comfortable to the applicant, our preference is to receive concise, letter requests with appropriate supporting materials.    The following information should be included:

- Mission Statement - Brief description of your organization and the expertise of its key personnel.  - Amount of funds being requested and a full description of the program(s) to be funded. (In the past, we have made grants starting at $2,500.) - Submit a complete budget for the project described, including Income (i.e. Earned Income, Contributions, Grants, Fundraising, etc.), and Expenses (i.e. Supplies, Personnel, Food, Utilities, Rental, Scholarships, etc.) Also, include your organization's  general operating budget. - Copy of your current 501(c)(3) determination letter from the IRS. - Current list of your board of trustees with occupations included. Evidence of active board leadership is encouraged.   The current deadline for applications is May 9, 2008. Grantee awards by the Board of Directors will be made at the annual June board meeting. Award notifications will immediately follow.   The SFF prefers to initiate site visits, if needed, and generally discourages pre-application meetings. Proposals are screened and evaluated upon receipt. Organizations are notified promptly as to the status of each proposal. Those that are considered inappropriate under the guidelines are declined on a rolling basis.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS of Grants awarded by the Sheila Fortune  Foundation. Terms: These are non-recurring grants. The awarding of these grants does not constitute any obligation on the part of the Sheila Fortune Foundation (the Foundation) to make subsequent grants, nor does it preclude additional grants in the future. Conditions: These grants are awarded based on the quality of the programs already in place, and an understanding that grant money would go as directly as possible to benefit the children in the programs. It is not the intention of the Foundation to add burdensome overhead by making conditions. However, after receiving a grant, the Foundation will request that the grantee assist us by providing us with reports on the intended use of the money and on the outcome. These reports can be informal, but need to include the following: A: As a quantitative measure, a discussion of the number of children served, frequency of their attendance at rehearsals, performances, workshops, etc., continuity, and possible scholarship requests or awards. B: As a qualitative measure, you may address artist/instructor anecdotes or journal notes on the progress of children, as well as anecdotal reports from the children themselves, or from their parents and others. C: As a measure of the children's developmental progress, discuss their self-definition, self-discipline, creative expression, positive social interactions with peers and adults, competence and achievements, and meaningful participation. D: Include a final project budget that includes all income and expenses. If the project is part of a larger organization, include general operating budget as well. Report deadlines will be issued along with grant awards.