Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the deadlines for grant proposals?
The Parsons Foundation accepts Letters of
Interest at any time throughout the year. Initial review by the
Foundation staff is completed within six weeks. The most competitive
LOI’s will receive an invitation to submit a full proposal.
Organizations receiving an invitation to apply have three months to
submit their proposals.
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- Can you send me an application?
There is no application form. The Parsons Foundation accepts letters of
inquiry (LOI’s) directed to the Foundation’s President. The “test
letter,” or LOI, is a preliminary application, which should include
a description of the project to be funded, the amount requested and
pertinent background information about the applicant organization,
including if the organization has received support from other
foundations. A project or organizational budget and the most recent
financial statements available should also be included.
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- Are grant guidelines available?
The Foundation does not publish printed guidelines. This website
provides comprehensive information about the Foundation, including a
searchable grants database.
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- Can we meet with someone to discuss a possible proposal?
Due to limited staff resources, the Foundation rarely meets with
applicants prior to the submission of written materials. A member of
the grants staff will contact you if additional information is
required. If you have thoroughly reviewed the website and still have
questions, you may call the Foundation and speak to a program
officer.
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- How often are proposals considered?
You should anticipate a wait of approximately six months after
submission of an invited proposal.
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- How will I know if you received my letter of inquiry or proposal?
We acknowledge receipt of every letter of inquiry by U.S. mail.
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- Do you fund general operating expenses?
The Foundation makes grants for general operating expenses, often
called core operating support.
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- Do you give grants to individuals?
No.
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- Do you give grants to organizations outside of Los Angeles County?
The Parsons Foundation grants are limited to organizations providing
services in Los Angeles County.
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- When and how will I know if my proposal has been accepted or rejected?
All applicants receive written communication regarding their request.
All proposals are acknowledged immediately. Requests that are
considered by the Board typically take six months for consideration
from date of receipt.
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- We recently submitted a test letter and were declined. May we re-submit?
Another request is eligible for consideration 12 months from the date
of the declination.
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- To whom should test letters or proposals be addressed?
Wendy Garen, President & Chief Executive Officer
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
888 West Sixth Street, Suite 700
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Telephone: 213.362.7600
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- Our proposal was declined. Can you tell us why?
Competition for grant funds is intense and a number of factors determine
if a proposal is declined. Most frequently, it is because we are
unable to fund every request we receive due to limited resources.
The staff and board look for exemplary programs and projects that
best meet the Foundation’s areas of interest.
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- Do you prefer to fund capital or program?
Funding of direct services is a priority.
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- Can you help us write the grant proposal?
We encourage applicants to follow our guidelines in preparing
proposals and to call if they have questions. You might consider the
resources of the
Center for Nonprofit Management or
The
Grantsmanship Center. You may also wish to participate
in
Project Grantsmanship, which underwrites up to
90% of the cost of the 5-day Grantsmanship Training Program.
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- We are a new organization and don’t yet have 501(c)3 status. May we still apply?
Agencies with a “preliminary ruling” letter from the IRS are
eligible. You might investigate linking with an existing agency,
that would agree to serve as a “fiscal agent” for your request.
Another alternative is Community Partners, which serves as an
incubator for new nonprofit efforts.
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- Do you require a letter of inquiry before submitting a proposal?
Yes.
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- Should we wait to hear from you before applying to others?
No. It is a good idea to submit applications to multiple sources of
funding.
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- Will the Parsons Foundation consider loans?
Loans, or program related investments, are not considered.
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- Are there areas in which you don’t make grants?
Funding is not provided for the following requests: fundraising
events, dinners and mass mailings; direct aid to individuals;
conferences, seminars, workshops; sectarian, religious or fraternal
purposes; federated fundraising appeals; support of candidates for
political office or to influence legislation; scientific research.
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- Should we send letters of support with our letter of intent or with a proposal?
While they are not necessary, some letters do in fact strengthen a
request.
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- Does the Parsons Foundation grant money to commercial businesses?
No, the Foundation does not fund for-profit organizations or
businesses.
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- Will you pay us a site visit?
A high priority is placed on contact with applicant agencies. Site
visits are conducted when a proposal is under active review. The
staff person reviewing your proposal will initiate the visit.
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- Do you fund scholarships?
Fellowship and scholarship support is provided only to nonprofit
institutions; individuals are not eligible to apply.
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- Is there a person responsible for handling grants in specific areas of funding?
Each of our program officers is broadly knowledgeable about the
nonprofit community. Program officers are not assigned to a specific
area. Each request is treated independently and it is likely that a
grantee organization will work with several program officers over a
period of years.
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- Are letters of inquiry accepted by fax or e-mail?
No. The Foundation is unable to accept electronically submitted
inquiries or requests.
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- May we submit additional test letters for different projects with the same year?
No. Due to the constraint of limited resources, only one request per
12-month period can be considered.
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- How many grants are awarded each year?
Approximately 200.
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- What is the average grant award?
The median grant award is $50,000.
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- Does the Foundation award multi-year funding?
Rarely. A particularly compelling need for multi-year support must be
articulated.
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- Where can we find a list of representative grants the Foundation has recently made?
Click here for list of recent
grants. You may also click here for our
searchable grants database.
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- If we are invited to submit a full proposal, what kinds of supporting documentation will we be asked to submit?
Click here for outline of grant.
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- How do we submit a final report?
Click here for information on final reports.
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- How will I know if you received my final report?
We acknowledge receipt of every report by U.S. mail.
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- How soon can we reapply?
Your organization must wait until the full grant cycle has concluded
(the date of which is available in your grant contract), and submit
a final report, before reapplying.
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- Can we report early?
If your project concludes before the end of your full grant cycle, you
may submit a final report early. However, you are not eligible to
reapply until the full grant cycle has concluded.
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- If we have received support in the past, do we
need to submit an LOI or can we submit a full proposal?
All applicants must first submit an LOI, regardless of previous
funding history
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Quick Reference Click
Address for test letters or proposals
Areas Parsons does not fund
Average grant award
Commercial businesses
Deadlines for grant proposals
Early reporting
Faxing or e-mailing letters and proposals
Final reports
Fund general operating expenses?
Funding capital vs. program
Grant guidelines
Grants to individuals
Grants to organizations outside of LA County
Help us write the grant proposal?
How many grants are awarded?
How often are proposals considered?
How soon can we reapply?
Letter of inquiry before submitting a proposal?
Letters of support
List of representative grants
Loans
May we still apply without 501(c)3 status
Meeting to discuss a possible proposal?
Multi-year funding
Received my letter of inquiry or proposal?
Received my final report?
Persons in specific areas of funding
Proposal declined
Proposal has been accepted or rejected?
Re-submit proposal
Scholarships
Send me an application
Should we wait to hear from you?
Site visits
Submit additional test letters in the same year
Supporting documentation
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