Lavelle Fund for the Blind, Inc.

Application Procedure


GUIDE FOR GRANT PROPOSALS

  • Please type all proposals, using relatively large type font (12-point is preferred).
  • Please provide requested information in the order listed.
  • Please use headings as indicated.
  • Please submit only one copy.
  • Please do not include any materials other than those specifically requested at this time.
  • Please do not send videotapes.

I. COVER LETTER

A brief cover letter, on your organization’s letterhead, should be signed by the executive director. The letter should include a one-paragraph summary of the request, including amount and purpose. It should also indicate the name, phone number and email of the contact person for this proposal, if other than the executive director.

II. NARRATIVE

The narrative description of the project for which funding is sought should be no more than 10 pages long.

A. Background

Describe the work of your agency, addressing each of the following:

  1. A brief description of your organization’s history and mission.
  2. The need or problem that your organization works to address, and the population that your agency serves, including geographic location, socio-economic status, race, gender, age, and visual and other impairments.
  3. Current programs and accomplishments. Please emphasize recent achievements.
  4. Number of paid full-time staff; number of paid part-time staff; number of volunteers.
  5. A brief summary of your organization’s key relationships — both formal and informal — with other organizations working to meet the same needs or providing similar services. Please explain how you differ from these other agencies.

B. Funding Request

Please describe the project for which you seek funding, including:

  1. The project’s goal(s) and objectives.
  2. A brief summary of the need or problem that you are seeking to address, including relevant supporting statistics.
  3. The population that you plan to serve and how this population will benefit from the project. Please indicate the total number of people to be served, their age range, the nature of their visual impairment (and non-visual impairments, if any), and the geographic area from which they will be drawn.
  4. Strategies that you will employ to implement your project.
  5. The names and qualifications of the key people who will be responsible for achieving the anticipated results.
  6. Anticipated timeline for the project.
  7. Expectations regarding the project’s level of activity three years from now. Please indicate: expected number of people to be served, project budget, expected sources of project support, and staffing level.

C. Evaluation

Please explain how you will measure the effectiveness of your activities. Describe your criteria for a successful program and the results you expect to achieve by the end of the proposed funding period.

III. ATTACHMENTS

Please provide each of the attachments listed below.

A. Financial Information

Please make sure that each document mentioned below indicates the dates of the financial period(s) covered.

  1. Your two most recent audited financial statements.
  2. Your operating expense budgets for the current and most recent fiscal years – preferably aligned side by side on the same page.
  3. A list of foundation and corporate supporters with grant amounts, for your most recent fiscal year.
  4. A current expense budget for the project for which you are requesting funding. As appropriate, either: (a) provide a complete budget narrative (a line-by-line explanation of each expense line in the proposed project budget) or (b) simply annotate any expense lines that are not self-explanatory. List each staff line separately and include the percentage of time spent on the project. If possible, indicate how the grant dollars now requested will be applied to specific project expenses.
    (Note: In the case of program-related capital expenses, professional cost estimates should be provided.)
  5. A list of all sources of income for the project, actual and prospective, with amounts. Please include here the applying organization’s own contribution to the project, if any.

B. Other Supporting Materials

  1. A list of your board of directors, with their affiliations.
  2. A copy of your most recent IRS letter of determination indicating your agency’s tax exempt status, or, if not available, an explanation.
  3. One-paragraph sketches of professional backgrounds of the project leader(s), including qualifications relevant to your current request.
  4. Your most recent annual report, if available.
  5. At your option, a recent evaluation of your organization.