Staff reviews Letters of Intent to determine if and how programs fit within the WCF guidelines. If there is a fit, staff invites a proposal, conducts detailed research and due diligence, and presents a recommendation to the WCF Board of Advisors and the New York Community Trust for consideration.
Applicants should request the amount actually needed to successfully complete the project. We recommend having a conversation with your program officer prior to completing the proposal. We cannot provide total funding for a project.
Generally, we cannot accommodate requests for meetings prior to submitting a grant application. The Letter of Intent serves as an introduction and summary of your project. It’s a good way to get a quick reaction to your idea. A program officer may contact you if a meeting or more information is necessary.
We do not set a limit on the number of times an organization can apply for funding. Generally, we prefer that organizations use their discretion and submit requests only for top-priority projects and programs. Each application is reviewed on its own merits.
Yes, although our general practice is to make grants for one year. You should be able to make the case for multi-year funding in your proposal.
Your program officer can provide general assistance in completing the application. We do not preview drafts of proposals. For those seeking assistance with writing your proposal, we suggest you contact the Foundation Center’s Grantspace page, Grant Professionals of Lower Hudson, and the Support Center for Nonprofit Management, all of which provide resources on proposal writing, among other services.
We do not make our donors’ names and addresses available. However, we do make our donors aware of the great work of our grantees. Our Newsletter highlights grants made and is distributed to donors who are encouraged to call us about grantees featured in the newsletter and on our website.
There are several capacity-building organizations in our region, including New York Council of Nonprofits and Support Center. Pro Bono Partnership provides legal assistance and Nonprofit Westchester is a membership association that provides ongoing workshops on many topics.
