Grant Application Guidelines
Download the Application Guidelines PDF
General Information, Instructions and FAQs
HISTORY
The Trends Charitable Fund (TCF) is a 501(c)(3) organization that was founded in 1995 to issue grants to Arizona 501(c)(3) organizations that meet the TCF mission to support programs in need that positively impact Arizona women, children and their families. Funds have been granted for both operational and capital expenditures.
The TCF mission is carried out through the volunteer work of dedicated TCF Board Members, Trendsetters (women honored at an annual “Beat the Heat” event for their community leadership), and other community volunteers. Funds are raised through two major fundraisers (Beat the Heat and TCF Celebrity Luncheon). Grant selections are made public in November by majority decision of the TCF Board of Directors after careful review and discussion.
FUNDING PRIORITIES
A. TCF Mission Statement
It is the mission of the Trends Charitable Fund to support programs in need that positively impact Arizona women, children and their families. Programs can be existing or proposed programs and can relate to any aspect of lifestyle, including but not exclusive to health, welfare, safety, education, arts, leadership and athletics.
B. Geographic
TCF grants are restricted to programs serving women, children and families in Arizona. Agencies applying for grants may have other national or international programs or standing, but all applicants must show that the particular program for which the funds are requested is designed to benefit only Arizona residents. Residual, peripheral, future or unintended benefit to residents outside of Arizona will not disqualify an application as long as funds are used for Arizona programs. Priority will be given to agencies based in and servicing metro Maricopa County. Secondary consideration will be given to applications from outlying Arizona communities.
APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS
- Proof of IRS 501(c)(3) status will be requested by the TCF Board before funding is granted. Using a “second party” to establish 501(c)(3) approval is not permitted.
- One hundred percent of funding must be spent in Arizona.
- Programs must directly benefit women, children and their families.
- Requests for personal and/or individual use will not be accepted.
- TCF Grants will not be awarded (1) to endowment funds, (2) to private foundations as defined in Section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Service Code, and/or (3) for debt retirement or operational deficits.
- Prior TCF grant recipients may reapply but future funding is not guaranteed.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS AND PROCEDURES
1. Application Timeline:
- APPLICATION AVAILABLE Monday, May 5, 2008: The 2008-2009 TCF Grant Application Guidelines and 2008-2009 TCF Grant Application will be made available to your organization by either e-mailing a request to grants@trendscharitablefund.org or going online at www.trendscharitablefund.org. If you encounter any difficulties with these document files, please e-mail grants@trendscharitablefund.org for further assistance.
- APPLICATION DEADLINE Friday, August 29, 2008: The TCF Grant Application postmark/mailing deadline is August 29, 2008. Applications must be postmarked on or before August 29, 2008. It is expected that the application will not be received in the mail by TCF for a day or two later. Hand delivery is not accepted.
- NOVEMBER 2008: The TCF Board of Directors announces the 2008-2009 grant recipient selections.
2. Application Format and Required Supporting Materials.
All applications must include eleven (11) typed hard copies and one (1) CD of the completed application along with the requested supporting materials to be inserted as requested. Handwritten applications will not be accepted.
3. Mailing Instructions.
When the application is complete and all required supporting materials are compiled and eleven (11) hard copies and one (1) CD are made, please MAIL (DO NOT DELIVER), no later than Friday, August 29, 2008 to:
Trends Charitable Fund Board
Attn: TCF Grant Chairman
5921 East Indian Bend Road
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PERSONALLY DELIVER APPLICATIONS OR OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM THIS ADDRESS. THIS ADDRESS IS FOR MAILING PURPOSES ONLY.
4. Grounds for Application Rejection
- Applications that do not follow TCF guidelines and requirements, and/or applications that include additional extraneous printed materials such as annual reports, marketing brochures, data, information, videos, audios, photos or other objects beyond what is required, will be rejected and returned to the applicant without consideration to content.
- Each question must be typed in the appropriate space provided on the application. You may not retype the application. “See attached” is not an acceptable response and applications answering in this format will be returned.
- Applications not postmarked on or before Friday, August 29, 2008 will be returned.
- Eleven (11) hard copies of the application with the requested supporting materials must be mailed along with one (1) CD with requested supporting material. Applications will not be accepted by e-mail.
5. Oral Presentations/Site Visits
TCF does not permit verbal communications or site visits between TCF Board Members and applicants with pending applications. In late October 2008, the TCF Board will narrow the applications down to a list of potential finalists. At this juncture, the TCF has the discretion to, and usually does, request that brief oral presentations be made by all potential finalists to the TCF Board in the latter part of October or early November.
6. TCF CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY
The TCF Bylaws prohibit grants that would directly or indirectly benefit Trends Corporation dong business as Trends Magazine and its staff, and/or the TCF Board Members. TCF Board Members who are also Board Members on any applicant board or board of trustees must disclose their involvement and request to be recused from voting on the approval or disapproval of grants for that particular applicant. TCF Board Members are prohibited from discussing applications with applicants and prospective applicants outside of the application meeting and communication processes discussed in these Guidelines.
7. GRANT FUNDING
If your organization is chosen as a recipient, TCF is not required to grant the exact amount requested. New and/or existing programs will be considered. In all cases, TCF will give weight to whether the applicant has adequate financial resources independent of the TCF grant to sustain the program, if needed.
8. ORGANIZATION ACCOUNTABLILITY TO TCF
TCF will request that the organization make a minimum of two reports back to the TCF Board during the grant year regarding the status of the program prior to the issuance of funding. This includes but is not exclusive to the following: (1) written update of the program request timeline in December and (2) one mandatory meeting at the TCF annual board of directors meeting in May along with a written update of the program request timeline.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. How much money should our organization apply for?
Historically, TCF grants have been issued in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $200,000; the amount varies from year to year depending on the amounts raised by TCF fundraisers and number of charities chosen for disbursement. For the 2008-2009 grant cycle, it is advisable that applicants apply for programs requiring a minimum of $25,000. TCF has provided funding in the past to organizations for line-item budget items even when the TCF has decided not to approve the entire amount requested. Therefore, it is important that applicants submit both general organizational line-item budgets as well as the line-item budget for the specific program for which they apply to allow for flexibility in the TCF decision-making process.
2.How many copies of the completed application should our organization send?
Eleven (11) typed hard copies and one (1) CD disc of the application both with required supporting materials.
3.May our organization retype the application format or attach our answers to the form application?
No. Each question must be answered in the space provided in the application. “See attached” is not an acceptable response, and applications answering in this format will be returned. If you encounter difficulties with the application file, please e-mail grants@trendscharitablefund.org for further assistance.
4.May our organization include extraneous printed materials in the application, such as annual reports, marketing brochures, data, information, videos, audios, photos or other objects beyond what is required?
No. Only the required materials and information will be accepted. Applications that include additional supportive information will be rejected and returned.
5.May our organization make an oral presentation to the TCF Board?
TCF does not permit verbal or written communications between TCF Board Members and applicants about pending applications. If your organization is chosen as a potential finalist in late October or early November, the TCF Board, at its discretion, may initiate phone calls in October to all finalists to request brief oral presentations to the TCF Board. Otherwise, personal contacts or presentations are not permitted except at the request of the TCF Board.
6.Do applications need to reach the TCF grant application mailing address by August 29, 2008?
No. Applications must be postmarked on or before August 29, 2008. Therefore, it is expected that the application will not be received in the mail by TCF for a day or two later. Hand-delivery is not accepted.
7.Does our organization need to fill out Section 5 Part A, B, and E Financial Summaries, if we have included a financial statement and line item reports?
Yes.
8.May our organization e-mail to make sure our applications and CD’s have arrived?
Yes. First, allow three working days to pass after mailing your organization’s applications and CD to allow time for arrival. Next, have your primary contact for the program e-mail grants@trendscharitablefund.org and inquire if your organization’s applications and CD has arrived. The TCF response will be your receipt that the applications and CD have been received by the TCF Board.
9.When are funding decisions made?
Application reviews will be made from September through November. Grant recipients will be announced sometime in November.
10.If funded, when will our organization receive the funds?
Funds will be disbursed in two (2) equal installments. Each installment will be issued within three months of each of the two annual TCF fundraisers (Beat the Heat in the fall and TCF Celebrity Luncheon in the spring). Funding is contingent upon TCF receipt of updated program action plans before each installment as well as a presentation at the annual board of directors meeting.