Grantmaking Guidelines

The Colombe Foundation generally makes grants twice a year, in the spring and fall.

Spring 2010 Deadline: Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Fall 2009 Deadline: TBD

Please note that the Colombe Foundation does not fund research, conferences, and the creation of film/documentaries.
 
To be considered for funding, organizations that are not current Colombe Foundation grantees must contact Dini Merz either by phone or email to discuss their proposal prior to submitting an application: dmerz@proteusfund.org or 203-439-0076.
 
Colombe Foundation wants its grant-making process to be easy for prospective grantees and to that end has few requirements. Colombe Foundation requires that you submit the following components of a proposal:
  1. A standard cover sheet (download updated cover sheet here)
  2. Narrative Proposal that includes:
    a. Description of your organization and its accomplishments
    b. Description of the project for which you seek funding, if applicable
  3. List of staff and board members
  4. Organizational budget for the year for which funding is sought (spring proposals should include 2010 budget and fall proposals should include 2011 budget)
  5. Project budget for the year for which funding is sought (spring proposals should include 2010 budget and fall proposals should include 2011 budget)
  6. List of foundations or funders and contribution amounts you have secured towards the budget for the year you are requesting funding
  7. List of foundations or funders and contribution amounts that are pending or that you plan to pursue
  8. Copy of your organization's IRS determination letter indicating your status as a §501(c)(3) organization
    If your organization does not have its own §501(c)(3) status, but is a project of a sponsoring organization, you must include:
    a. A letter from the sponsoring organization stating that it is assuming all fiscal, legal, and programmatic responsibility for your organization
    b. A copy of the sponsoring organization’s §501(c)(3) determination letter
    c. The sponsoring organization’s budget
  9. If you have been funded previously by the Colombe Foundation, an interim financial and narrative report outlining how the last grant was used. Requests for renewals will not be considered without submission of these reports.
Proposals must be submitted via email to the Grants Manager at grantsmanager@proteusfund.org, as well as Dini Merz, Program Director, at dmerz@proteusfund.org.  Please mail hard copies only of documents that cannot be emailed to: Attn: Grants Manager, Proteus Fund, 101 University Drive, Suite A2, Amherst, MA 01002.