GRANTMAKING PROCESS

If an organization has reviewed the Jernigan Foundation’s Mission, Focus Areas, and Grantmaking Philosophy & Guidelines and there is alignment with its projects/programs, it is welcome to submit a letter of inquiry to the foundation.

Within two weeks the organization will be notified whether or not it has been invited to submit a full grant proposal. If so, the primary contact will be emailed a grant proposal template to complete and return with a deadline to be considered in the foundation’s next quarterly grantmaking cycle.

Upon reviewing the grant proposal, the executive director and/or board members may send questions, request documents, or request a site-visit before making a decision on the grant.

If a grant is made, an accompanying grant agreement letter will outline the reporting requirements of the grant and the timing of the expected report.

When a grant report is due, the grantee will download the grant report template from the foundation’s website, complete it and return it to the foundation. Grant reports must be current before future grants will be considered.

GRANTMAKING PHILOSOPHY & GUIDELINES

Please review the following guidelines to ensure your project/program will fit the Jernigan Foundation’s grantmaking philosophy/process:

  • We lean toward funding prevention or upstream solutions vs. downstream or band-aid type programs.
  • We invest in already proven solutions and therefore do not make risky grants that could fail and do not invest in learning in an area to find a new solution.
  • We primarily grant to smaller organizations, so our donations can be impactful on the issues and programs we’re funding vs. a drop in the bucket.
  • We make grants to organizations for projects/programs, capital projects, and general operating funds, but are not inclined to fund organizational effectiveness (i.e., funding evaluations to prove their work, helping their board get better, help with their strategic plan, etc.).
  • We believe organizations doing work overseas should have a majority of indigenous leadership working on the project/program.
  • We require all grantees to submit a report to the foundation outlining how they spent the grant funds and the impact made.
  • We do not generally fund more than 50% of a particular project or program.
  • We do not fund multi-year grants.

SUBMITTING A LETTER OF INQUIRY

After reviewing the Jernigan Foundation’s Mission, Focus Areas, and Grantmaking Philosophy & Guidelines, you feel there is alignment with your organization and the projects/programs you’re working on, we welcome you to submit a letter of inquiry to the foundation.

Letters of inquiry are accepted from U.S. charitable, tax-exempt organizations, who are working to carry out their mission as it coincides with our mission.

A letter of inquiry should be two pages or less, and include the following information:

  • Name, address, email address, website address, telephone number, and primary contact for the U.S. organization making the request.
  • A description of your organization and the nature of its work, particularly as it relates to the problem or issue you’re wanting funding from the Jernigan Foundation to address. Please also include information about the constituency you serve, your geographic region, the type(s) of service you provide; and the size of your annual operating budget.
  • A description of the problem or need you plan to address and an explanation of the project/program you are implementing to address it. Please include a brief description of anticipated achievements or outcomes.
  • The time frame for the proposed project/program.
  • The proposed budget for the project/program, including the total cost of the project/ program and the amount you intend to request from the Jernigan Foundation. Please provide information about other potential or actual sources of support for the project/program as well.

Examples of past work, articles, reports, videos or other material should not be submitted with a letter of inquiry.

Please email your letter of inquiry to heather@jerniganfoundation.org

GRANT REPORT FORM

If you have previously received a grant from the Jernigan Foundation and are ready to submit your grant report per the instructions in your grant agreement letter, please download this form, complete it and return it based on the instructions within.

Download Form