The Child Welfare Fund

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

PROJECT GRANTS

The Child Welfare Fund assists organizations in two areas: system reform in child welfare and direct services. System reform grants support projects that increase the influence of parents and youth in the child welfare system, or improve or expand existing programs and structures, particularly family supports. Direct service grants support projects that reduce the risk of placement into foster care, assist children and youth when they leave foster care, and increase universal eligibility for services. Direct service grants are not limited to families in the child welfare system. The Fund encourages projects to include recipients of services in the design, implementation and evaluation of the projects. We also are interested in feedback from recipients of services.

The Child Welfare Fund is increasing its focus in preventing foster care placement and assisting children and families when a child returns home from foster care or lives independently after foster care. Projects in these areas might include:

Prevention of foster care: school-based preventive services, entitlements to families, evaluating the performance of preventive service programs, or evidence-based interventions.

Aftercare services: expanding funding, and providing services for families when children are reunited after foster care; employment programs and mental health services for young people in foster care; and assisting high risk groups in and after foster care.

Grants are provided in New York City with special consideration given to projects that leverage funds from other sources. The Fund looks for programs with capable leadership and the ability to achieve their goals and sustain their program over time.

Grants are awarded yearly, generally for a maximum of three years. When an organization seeks to re-apply for a second or third year of support, the proposal should demonstrate progress toward securing long-term funding for the project after support from the Child Welfare Fund ends.

Grants are awarded only to nonprofit charitable organizations which are tax-exempt under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Applicants should write a brief letter of inquiry (not more than two pages) before submitting a formal proposal. Letters of inquiry should:

Describe the organization requesting the grant, the proposed project and its goals.
Estimate the cost of the project, and the amount to be requested from the Child Welfare Fund.
Include a list of other organizations being approached to support the project.

Letters of inquiry are welcome throughout the year and should be directed to Anita Gundanna.

For organizations that are asked to submit a full proposal, we accept the New York Area Common Application Form. Please also include a monitorable Work Plan identifying projected activities and dates of anticipated completion of each activity. This Work Plan will be the basis for the six-month and year-end monitoring reports that each grantee is required to submit. A copy of the Work Plan format is available on our website at www.nycwf.org.

Organizations that are encouraged to submit a full proposal should do so by the first of February, June, and October for a decision three months later.

All proposals should be submitted to Anita Gundanna, Program Officer of the Child Welfare Fund.

Applications for renewal funding should accompany the final report for the previous grant.