Grant Guidelines

The Reese Foundation Board of Directors typically meets 3 times a year. All grant applications must be submitted in writing to The Reese Foundation board on or before February 1st , May 1st or August 1st, to be considered at the next scheduled board meeting. Grant applications that do not make the deadline for one meeting will be considered at the next meeting. No more than one request per year from any organization will be accepted. Applicants must have a mission statement that comes under one or more of the following broad categories: the environment, education, or visual arts.

Grants are made only to nonprofit organizations certified as tax exempt under Sections 501(c) (3) or 170 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code and are classified as "not a private foundation" under Section 509 (a). The Reese Foundation prefers to make grants in the range of $5,000 - $50,000; however, exceptions have been made. Geographic preference is Central Texas, especially the Texas Hill Country for environmental grants. Multi-year grants are sometimes made, but the limit is three years; however, an annual board review of multi-year grants is mandatory with the board reserving the right to reduce or deny subsequent grant funding if prior stated goals are not met, leadership is not up to expectations, or financial planning or performance is questionable. Judgement on performance in these areas will be solely at the discretion of The Reese Foundation Board of Directors.

Each grant application must include the following items in the order specified:

1. A cover letter summarizing the grant request must accompany each grant application. The letter must include the amount of funding requested, the timeframe over which the funding is to occur, and a brief summary of the scope of the programs and activities for which the funding will be directed. List at least three (3) desired, measurable outcomes that will result from the grant and specify which of the three categories (the environment, education, or visual arts) that this grant will support.
2. The formal grant request must include the following information in the order stated:

Attachment 1: General Information

• name of the organization
• date of application
• mailing address and physical address
• contact name & title
• phone, fax and e-mail
• website address (if available)

Attachment 2: History and Mission

• organizational history and year established
• current list of Board of Directors
• description of the mission statement and current programs and activities of the organization

Attachment 3: Budgets and Grant Request Information

• current annual operating budget
• description of organizations annual program goals and how the grant funds will be used to achieve these goals
• amount of grant funding requested and total annual program budget
• time frame over which the grant funding will occur including desired start date
• percentage of total program budget being requested from The Reese Foundation
• amount of annual funding committed to date
• geographic region of programs

Attachment 4: IRS Documentation

• letter stating the organization is currently in good standing with the IRS
• copy of the organizations IRS tax-exempt letter as described in Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and evidence of its IRS status as a public (rather than private) entity under Section 509 (a)
• copy of the organizations most recent IRS Form 990

Attachment 5: Financial Statements

• copy of the organizations three (3) most recent annual financial statements

LIMITATIONS:
     The Reese Foundation does not fund the following:

• religious organizations
• other private foundations
• individuals requesting grants
• fund raising events, such as galas
• political lobbying