Guidelines For Grants

IMPORTANT NOTICE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2022

For any nonprofit organization that has NOT received previous funding from our foundation, you must first submit a brief one page letter of inquiry before submitting a full grant request. This letter should include background about your organization and description of the program/project for which you are seeking funding.   This letter of inquiry should be emailed to us at: vfreeman@ryanfoundation.com

After we review your inquiry we will reply by email and let you know if we are receptive to a formal grant request.

This new procedure is being put in place to save time for our foundation and your organization.  We are accepting limited new organizations at this time and this will help make the screening process easier for both parties.

 Grant Request Executive Summary 

Please attach this information as the cover page of your grant request  

Date:

Organization: 

Mailing Address: 

Website: 

Primary Contact person phone: 

Primary Contact person email: 

Executive Director: 

Amount Requested: 

Project Title:

Grant Policies

GUIDELINES FOR MAKING GRANT APPLICATION TO
THE THOMAS M., HELEN MCKEE & JOHN P. RYAN FOUNDATION

I. Introduction

The Foundation is organized and operated to make gifts, grants and other expenditures in support of charitable, religious, scientific, or educational causes in the State of Texas with a particular emphasis on benefitting such causes in Tarrant County, Texas.

The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors which determines operating policies, acts on all business matters, and takes action on all grant requests. All grant decisions will be conveyed to the grantee organizations by written letter shortly after the board meetings. The Board meets in March, June, September and December each year.

Requests for grants or for additional information should be directed to:

Valerie Freeman 
Thomas M., Helen McKee & John P. Ryan Foundation 
University Centre II 
1320 S. University Drive, Suite 721 
Fort Worth, Texas   76107

II. Application Procedures

Our Foundation Board meets four times a year in March, June, September and December to consider grant request proposals. Grant request deadlines are: February 1st, May 1st, August 1st, and November 1st by 12:00 pm. Early submissions prior to the deadline day are encouraged. Please submit grant requests unbound, without staples, folders or binders. Include an e-mail contact for someone who can answer questions about the grant application. A request must be made in writing, preferably in a letter that includes the following information and attachments:

  1. A description of the purpose for which the grant is requested;
     

  2. The sum requested and a list of other committed sources of financial support and sources of support now believed to be available;

  3. Current year operating budget for the organization
     

  4. A copy of the applicant organization most recent audited financial statements (send electronically);
     

  5. A copy of the Internal Revenue Service determination letter indicating a Section 501(c)(3) tax exempt status for the applicant organization; 
     

  6. A copy of the applicant organization's most recent Form 990-Income Tax Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (send electronically); 
     

  7. If the request is for funds to support a specific project or program to be conducted by the applicant organization, then the following additional information should also be included:

    (a)      A description of the need for the program or project;
    (b)      A description of the object of the program or project;
    (c)      A listing of benefits to be obtained through the program or project;
    (d)      Copies of plans for the program or project, including a time schedule and a proposed method of       evaluating the project or program's effectiveness;
    (e)      A listing of the staff required by the program or project; and

  8. Other material may also be helpful in support of the grant application.  Such material might include:

    (a)      Letters of support for the proposed project or program from local authorities;
    (b)      Letters of support from affiliated national organizations;
    (c)      Names of key persons sponsoring or supporting the project or program; and
    (d)      A bibliography or research studies or reports justifying the need for the program or project.
     

  9. In general, grants are not made for purposes of:

    (a)      Professional conferences and symposia
    (b)      Out-of-state endeavors
    (c)      The Foundation neither lends nor grants money to individuals
     

  10. The Foundation discourages pre-application meetings, preferring to schedule meetings, if needed, after receiving a written application. Receipt of all applications is acknowledged within two weeks.