How to Apply
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Check eligibility
New or repeat applicant?
Check deadlines
Prepare for the LOI
Prepare for the application
Submit final report
Ready to Apply?
Check eligibility
You are eligible to apply if:
- You are a 501 (c ) (3)
- Your work addresses our goals
- You are applying for either program or operations support
- You work in:
- Denver or Eagle County
- Rochester Metropolitan and Yates County, NY
- Lackawanna and/or Luzerne Counties, Pennsylvania
- Kansas City Metropolitan area*
- Chicago neighborhoods of Austin and North Lawndale*
*By Invitation Only. If your organization is located in one of these regions, you are only eligible to submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) with an invitation. Invitations cannot be solicited.
Are you a new applicant or a repeat applicant?
New Applicant
An organization that has not applied for and received a competitive McGowan Fund Grant Award in the past three years.
If you have only received funding through our (invitation only) discretionary, matching, or sponsorship grants programs, you are considered a new applicant.
Repeat Applicant
An organization that has received a competitive McGowan Fund Grant Award in the past three years, and has submitted a final report.
If you have only received funding through our (invitation only) discretionary, matching, or sponsorship grants programs, you are not considered a repeat applicant.
Check deadlines
Letters of Inquiry and applications are accepted on a rolling basis. To be considered during a specific grant cycle, your LOI or application must be received by 11:59 p.m. CT on the deadline date.
If a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, LOIs and applications may be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CT on the following business day.
*On the rare occasion that an application is unable to be reviewed during the expected grant cycle, you will be notified and your application review will be automatically carried over to the next meeting.
Prepare for the LOI
The Letter of Inquiry is an online form for new applicants that helps us determine whether your organization and project fit our criteria. If approved, you will receive electronic notice within two weeks and you will be invited to submit an application.
You’ll provide information about:
- Name, address, and purpose of the organization
- Purpose of the grant request
- Demographics of the people you serve
If your LOI is approved, all questions filled out on the LOI automatically roll over onto the application.
Prepare for the application
This form collects the specifics of your organization (mission/purpose, structure, financials); population you serve; and your program(s) structure, narrative, goals, theory of change, inputs/outputs. It includes significant space for narratives.
Submit final report
This form serves as a self-evaluation of the success and challenges of the program(s) funded and offers grantee and grantor the opportunity to reflect and grow by examining the past year.
Repeat applicants: Final reports must be submitted prior to applying for new funding. If you do not have access to your past applications to complete this step, please contact us for assistance.
Ready to Apply?
Once you have reviewed the information above and have determined that you are eligible, you may apply.