President’s Letter
Until this year, the question I was most often asked about Cowell was: “How do you get a grant?” Now I’m asked, “What is Cowell doing?” I understand that to mean “Will we shift our funding commitments as our values and strategic priorities become politically controversial? I’ll answer this new question first. We remain committed to our core values, including trust, equity and responsiveness. We recognize that economic inequality intersects with racial injustice. And we remain invested in organizations working to strengthen community health (like mental health and environmental health and justice), racial equity, economic advancement and resident voice and agency. We are privileged to support our grantees, who do the actual work of elevating the voices of diverse and talented residents and building pathways toward more sustainable, equitable, and thriving communities.
How do you become one of those grantees? That brings me to the question “How do you get a grant?” Foundations’ grant processes can seem mysterious, so we’d like to help you better understand our process for funding. The Cowell Foundation focuses on responsive, place-based grantmaking. In the communities where we invest, we listen to what local leaders and families tell us about their aspirations, and how Cowell funding can help the communities reach closer to those aspirations.
We recognize that our applicants are doing important work in their communities and we’re trying to do better to avoid taking up too much of applicants’ time. We also recognize that lasting constructive change takes time and requires complex steps, not all of which can be planned or predicted.
We direct initial inquiries about a new grant to one of our grants team members. Every grant application begins with a conversation. When that conversation suggests that the proposal is a potential fit, then the applicant will begin working with the program officer who manages the portfolio appropriate for the grant application. (Our primary program areas are Families, Education, Youth, and Leadership and Organizational Health.) If the program officer invites a proposal, they will also schedule a site visit.
Developing a proposal for Cowell funding is an iterative and collaborative process. We don’t issue Requests for Proposals and we don’t have application forms. Typically, there are conversations about the proposal to make sure there is a clear understanding between the Foundation and the applicant.
- Is the grantee committing to work that can be realistically achieved in the given time period with the funds proposed?
- If the grant is for general operating support, does Cowell understand the nature of ongoing operations, the role the Cowell grant plays in the budget, and the organization’s mission and goals?
After a finalized full proposal is received, it is reviewed by the program officer, who then prepares a two-page summary. That summary is reviewed by the grants team. After any suggested revisions, the proposal is submitted to the Vice President for Grants for approval.
After approval by the Vice President for Grants, the proposal is reviewed by the President. If the grant is for under $100,000, the President can approve it on behalf of the Board, which then ratifies the approval at its next board meeting. If the grant is for more than $100,000, the proposal is reviewed by the Board.
If the grant is approved, the appropriate program officer will notify the grantee and arrange the necessary logistics for the grantee to receive the grant funds and schedule check-ins during the funding period. These check-ins continue the conversation about ongoing funding.
I hope this summary helps explain the grant application process at the Cowell Foundation. We strive to develop relationships with our applicants, grantees and community members and to learn with and from them. We try to have our grants process support this trust and learning. If you have questions, please reach out. We’re listening.
All the best,
Ann Alpers
President of the S.H. Cowell Foundation