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GUIDELINES FOR GRANT SEEKERS

Thank you for your interest in submitting a proposal to the Anschutz Family Foundation.

Since the Foundation receives more requests than it is able to fund, please carefully read the information provided on this page to decide whether or not your organization has a reasonable chance of receiving a grant.

If you have any doubt about whether or not your proposal fits within our guidelines, please send a letter of inquiry or give us a call.

Common Grant Application

We require applicants to use the Colorado Common Grant Application. See "What We Look For When Reviewing Proposals" in the expanding list to the right for additional information.

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The Colorado Common Grant Report is used for our reporting requirements. See “Grant Reporting Requirements” in the expanding list to the right for additional information.

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Areas of Interest

The Foundation’s mission is purposely broad, allowing it to support the work of many nonprofits that focus on improving the quality of life for individuals and communities. The bulk of the Foundation’s grants are made in categories most directly related to the stated goals of the Foundation: improving the lives of individuals; promoting self-sufficiency; and community development.

Types of Grants

Recognizing that organizational infrastructure is a necessity, the Foundation welcomes requests for general operating support and efforts designed to promote increased organizational capacity. The Foundation also accepts requests for specific programs.

The foundation occasionally issues a challenge grant instead of an outright grant. This is done when the foundation sees a need and an opportunity for the organization to expand its funding base. See our Resources section for additional information on challenge grants.

Geographic Focus

The Foundation aims for an even distribution of grants between organizations serving in Colorado’s rural and urban communities.

Grant Amount

Typically grants are in the $5,000 to $10,000 range.

What We Don't Fund

Generally, the foundation does not support:

Grants to individuals
Programs outside of Colorado
Graduate and post-graduate research
Religious organizations for religious purposes
Special events, promotions or conferences
Candidates for political office
Endowments
Debt reduction
Multi-year grants
Capital campaigns (On rare occasions the Foundation funds capital campaigns for organizations in rural Colorado with missions that closely align with the Foundation’s interests. Applicants are strongly advised to first submit a one-page letter of inquiry to gauge the Foundation’s interest in reviewing a capital campaign request.)
Type III Supporting Organizations under IRS Section 509(a)(3). If this applies to you please contact us for further instructions.
What We Look For When Reviewing Proposals
Alignment with the mission and interests of the Foundation.
Clearly presented organization mission, goals, plans and financials.
A solid financial sustainability plan. The Foundation is willing to take risks with young, developing organizations, however, we promote diversified funding streams and believe our funding should be no more than 10% of an organization’s annual budget.
A committed board of directors with 100% making a financial contribution to the organization. This requirement is not designed to promote wealth as criteria for board membership. We are more interested in full participation, rather than dollar amount.
Strong volunteer participation.
Community buy-in (evident through donations, volunteer engagement, existing partnerships and collaborative efforts).
Solid effort to engage the community and/or participants in program development.
On-going efforts to evaluate organizational and program effectiveness and commitment to making adjustments as needed.
Effective and inspired leadership.
An eye on the future that reflects recognition of potential impacts on and opportunities for the organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is my proposal due?

Deadlines are January 15th and August 1st. If the deadline falls on a weekend, it will be due the Friday before the deadline date. We encourage grantees to submit a proposal ahead of the deadline.

How many copies of my proposal do I send?

Send one copy. It is fine to staple items in your proposal. Please do not spend any effort in binding your proposal or putting it in fancy packaging.

Where do I send my completed proposal?

Please send only one copy of your proposal to:
Ms. Sue Anschutz-Rodgers, President
OR
Jeff Pryor, Ed.D., Executive Director
Anschutz Family Foundation
555 17th Street, Suite 2400
Denver, CO 80202

Do I need to call to make sure you received my proposal?

No, we will acknowledge your received proposal via a letter from the Foundation usually within four weeks.

What format do I use to submit my proposal?

We only accept proposals that use the Colorado Common Grant Application.

Can I submit my proposal for both grant deadlines?

No. The Foundation will review only one proposal per year per organization.

What are the areas of interest for the Foundation?

Please see “Areas of Interest” at the top of this column. Additionally, go to our Grants section to review the grants made during the previous year.

Do I need to be a 501(c)(3)?

Applicants must be recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization or be operating under the umbrella of another 501(c)(3) organization or be a tax-supported institution such as a school or government agency.

Is there a limit to how many times I can receive funding from the Foundation?

Yes and No!
Yes: In order to be fair, the Foundation instituted a "two-year rule" requiring that an organization which receives funding for two successive years take one year off before reapplying.
No: Other than the above mentioned "two-year rule", you are eligible to submit a proposal to the Foundation again.

Can I email or fax my proposal?

No. Faxes and emails are not acceptable for transmitting a proposal to the Foundation.

Proposal Deadlines & Funding Cycles
Proposal deadlines: January 15 and August 1.
Due to the large volume of requests that we receive, it is helpful to receive proposals prior to the specific deadlines. However, complete proposals must be received in our office by the close of business on the deadline dates listed above to be considered in that review cycle. Proposals received after these specific deadlines will be delayed until the next cycle. If the deadline date falls on a weekend, proposals are due the preceding Friday.
The Foundation acknowledges receipt of all proposals, typically within four weeks of their arrival in our office. If you do not receive an acknowledgment, feel free to contact us as this may indicate that we did not receive your proposal.
Proposal review schedule: Proposals received in time for the January 15 deadline will be decided at a late April or early May Foundation board meeting. Proposals received in time for the August 1 deadline will be decided at a late November Foundation board meeting. Any proposals received after the stated deadlines will be rolled into the next funding cycle.
Grant Reporting Requirements
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All grantees receiving a grant of at least $5,000 are expected to submit the Colorado Common Grant Report (CGR). The Report is due either:

a) one year after receipt of a grant, or

b) with a new proposal, if the proposal is being submitted before a full year has transpired on your previous grant period.

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The CGR is available in a fillable format at Colorado Common Grant Report website. The CGR asks grantees to report on results/outcomes, lessons learned, future plans and financials. If a grantee has evaluation materials that document outcomes, those materials may be used in response to some of the questions.