Grantmaking Guidelines

Piper Fund was established to help meet the needs of the growing movement for campaign finance reform in America. Each year we invite state-based organizations working toward comprehensive campaign finance reform to apply for funding. Entry level grants are offered in the range of $10,000 to $50,000.

Piper Fund recognizes that reform efforts look different in various parts of the country, reflecting each region's unique circumstances, history, leadership, constituencies, and political climate. Although we do not prescribe any specific set of reforms, we focus our resources on efforts to establish public financing of campaigns and other mechanisms that provide an alternative to reliance on special interest campaign contributions and allow new voices and communities to compete in the electoral arena. Piper Fund understands that research documenting the flow of money in our political system, public education, and improved campaign disclosure laws and regulations lay the groundwork for more far-reaching reform. Piper also occasionally considers unique projects that may provide important lessons for the reform community, such as strategies designed to engage new constituencies in reform efforts or explore experimental tactics.

Application Deadlines

The 2008 deadline for fall grantmaking of this year is JULY 31, 2008.

Piper will be further evaluating these guidelines at a meeting in the middle of June. Please be sure to check back the week of June 25, 2008 to see if any additional information/criteria has been added. Note: There are no additions to the criteria.

Applicants must submit (via email or regular mail) two (2) copies of a proposal containing the following:

  1. A cover page based on the prescribed format.
    (download cover sheet here)
     
  2. A description of the state's political context, existing campaign finance laws, and reform proposals under consideration.
     
  3. A strategic plan for advancing campaign finance reform and a thorough discussion of the opportunities and constraints facing reform advocates in the state.
     
  4. A work plan for the period for which funding is requested with measurable goals and benchmarks established to gauge progress.
    We recognize that the terrain will change over the course of the year and benchmarks will need to be adjusted.
     
  5. A description of other groups in the state working on or against campaign finance reform and the applicant's relationship with those groups. While we do not require uniformity of opinion among every constituency in a state, we do require that a base level of consultation has taken place among the primary reform advocates within each state prior to the submission of a proposal. Coordinated plans submitted jointly by several organizations in a state are welcome.
     
  6. A description of the track record of the organization, highlighting comparable campaigns and policy achievements.
     
  7. Brief biographical descriptions of the organization's or project's key leadership.
     
  8. A description of the governing body responsible for oversight of the project and for taking positions on proposed campaign finance reforms.
     
  9. Project and organization line-item budgets for the fiscal year in which the proposed work will be undertaken and for the preceding fiscal year. The budget must include information on actual and potential financial support, including a list of all grants received in the most recent fiscal year and a list of potential project funding sources and amounts requested. Please list each foundation and major donor contributing $5,000 or more individually. With limited exceptions, Piper will not fund more than 50% of a project budget.
     
  10. Applicants must include a copy of the determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service indicating that the organization or the sponsoring organization has §501(c)(3) or §501(c)(4) tax-exempt status. (Proteus Fund has the capacity as a public charity to provide a limited number of direct and grassroots lobbying grants under its 501(h) election.) If the applicant does not have its own §501(c)(3) status but is a project of a sponsoring organization, evidence must be included that the supporting organization has agreed to this relationship, understands it, and is willing to carry out the required responsibilities.
     
  11. Narrative section of proposals (not including budget and accompanying articles, press releases, etc.) cannot exceed 10 pages.

We encourage applicants to include supporting materials such as campaign and media plans, research and reports, newsletters, letters of support or lists of references, press clips, etc.

Proposals for Renewed Funding

If you received a grant in 2007 from the Piper Fund, we do require that you either submit all reports required under the terms of your prior grant or incorporate the information requested in the Piper Fund's Requirements for Grant Reporting into your proposal.
(download piper reporting guidelines here)

Where to Send Your Application

Please email your application; all materials can be emailed in Microsoft Word format directly to the Piper Fund Grants Manager at grantsmanager@proteusfund.org and Marc Caplan at mcaplan@proteusfund.org.

Please mail two (2) hard copies of documents that can not be emailed to:

Proteus Fund
Grants Manager
101 University Drive, Suite A2
Amherst, MA 01002

We do not accept proposals transmitted by fax. If you have questions regarding your submission, please contact Marc Caplan, Piper Fund Program Officer. Marc can be reached at mcaplan@proteusfund.org, 860-570-9707.