General FAQs
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For FAQs related to the E-Grant System, click here.
How do I apply for a grant from the Medina Foundation?
All requests must be received through our E-Grant System. Please see the Overview & Guidelines section for Eligibility Quiz and information on how to apply. For more detailed information, read the Application Process.
What is the application review process?
The Medina Foundation has a two-step application process. Before applying, we encourage you to review our grant guidelines.
The first step in the process is to submit a letter of inquiry (LOI) through our E-Grant System. Your LOI should provide an overview of your organization, the requested grant amount and a description of how grant funds would be used.
Upon review of your LOI, the Medina Foundation will invite selected organizations to submit a full grant application through the E-Grant System. If selected, organizations have up to a year from their invitation date to submit the application.
If you submit a full application, Medina Foundation staff will carefully review it and will request a site visit. After the site visit, the trustees meet to make grant decisions.
A grant decision typically is made within four months after the receipt of a complete application.
Are there application deadlines?
No. Trustees meet frequently throughout the year and consider completed applications in the order they were received. LOIs are also reviewed in the order they are received.
However, we do ask that organizations who are invited to apply (after LOI submission) submit the application within one year of the invitation date, to ensure information is still relevant and up to date. If your organization does not submit the application after one year, the application draft will be marked "abandoned."
Important: If you are ever unsure of your LOI or application status, please contact us. We do our best to make sure all important communications are received by applicants, but it is possible for an organization to miss an email or letter.
Why do you not accept Philanthropy Northwest's Common Grant Application form?
Several questions from the Common Grant Application have been integrated into our application to better fit our needs. The Medina Foundation Trustees went through a strategic planning process and revised the guidelines and the application form. In order to make sure the application was as straightforward as possible, a focus group of our grantees provided feedback on the application. After feedback, we also implemented a Streamlined Application Process for organizations with operating budgets of $500,000 or less, and who are requesting $15,000 or less.
Why do you require the organization budget to be submitted in your own format?
Foundation staff and trustees review a large number of proposals each year, and we have found that a consistent budget format allows for greater efficiency in our review process. We continue to review our processes and grantee feedback around this issue.
Do you have a preference for the types of grants you award?
The Foundation funds general operating expenses, program costs, capital requests and start-up projects. No one type of support is given priority. We rely on each organization to let us know their greatest area of need. The Trustees give preference to requests that meet critical needs, employ innovative and effective approaches, fill a unique niche in their community and have a diverse funding base.
What is an average grant size?
Typical grant size varies depending on an organizations size, project and need. The median grant range is $15,000 to $25,000.
Click here for more information on specific grant awards.
How much does the Medina Foundation give away each year?
On average, approximately $4 million is granted each year, depending on the performance of the endowment investments. This amount varies each year.
Do you make multi-year gifts?
While not typical, the Foundation does occasionally consider multi-year gifts. While we recognize the importance of multi-year funding, the fluctuation of our endowment and our interest in making sure we have funding available for new and emerging needs make it challenging for us to commit too much of our funding in advance. If you have a specific project that would require multi-year funding, please contact us to discuss your request.
Can I apply in consecutive years?
Yes. Because of the volume of requests we receive we are not able to consider a letter of inquiry until a 12-month period has passed since the last decision date. Since we have no deadlines, we have no regular "grant cycles." For more information about funding timelines, please contact us.
If my organization has received a grant from the Medina Foundation in the past, do I still need to submit a letter of inquiry?
Yes. Our current process is that all requests begin with an LOI. The LOI is a short form with basic information (Organization General Purpose; Project Description; etc.) - If selected to submit a full application, this information is carried over to the application.
What should I expect during a site visit?
We schedule site visits to last approximately one hour. Your assigned program officer will meet at your organization's location, talk with the executive director, a board member and other key staff, and, if possible, view a few minutes of a program. There is no need to prepare any special presentations or additional information. Our staff just wants to see how your organization or program operates and have a conversation about your work.
If my organization is awarded a grant, what are the reporting requirements?
A final report is requested one year after a grant is awarded. Grant reports are submitted through our E-Grant system. You may preview the final report questions here.
How can we show recognition for your support?
If awarded a grant, please do not give gifts to the Foundation. It is reward enough for us to be able to provide support to worthy organizations, and we want you to be able to spend your funding on programs instead of gifts. While we appreciate thank-you cards, they are similarly unnecessary. Due to the high volume of mail that we receive from grantees, staff cannot respond to mail. However, phone calls and emails will always be returned to the best of our abilities.
What if I have more questions?
Please feel free to contact the Grants and Operations Manager at (206) 652-8783 or email us.
For FAQs related to the E-Grant System, click here.
All requests must be received through our E-Grant System. Please see the Overview & Guidelines section for Eligibility Quiz and information on how to apply. For more detailed information, read the Application Process.
What is the application review process?
The Medina Foundation has a two-step application process. Before applying, we encourage you to review our grant guidelines.
The first step in the process is to submit a letter of inquiry (LOI) through our E-Grant System. Your LOI should provide an overview of your organization, the requested grant amount and a description of how grant funds would be used.
Upon review of your LOI, the Medina Foundation will invite selected organizations to submit a full grant application through the E-Grant System. If selected, organizations have up to a year from their invitation date to submit the application.
If you submit a full application, Medina Foundation staff will carefully review it and will request a site visit. After the site visit, the trustees meet to make grant decisions.
A grant decision typically is made within four months after the receipt of a complete application.
Are there application deadlines?
No. Trustees meet frequently throughout the year and consider completed applications in the order they were received. LOIs are also reviewed in the order they are received.
However, we do ask that organizations who are invited to apply (after LOI submission) submit the application within one year of the invitation date, to ensure information is still relevant and up to date. If your organization does not submit the application after one year, the application draft will be marked "abandoned."
Important: If you are ever unsure of your LOI or application status, please contact us. We do our best to make sure all important communications are received by applicants, but it is possible for an organization to miss an email or letter.
Why do you not accept Philanthropy Northwest's Common Grant Application form?
Several questions from the Common Grant Application have been integrated into our application to better fit our needs. The Medina Foundation Trustees went through a strategic planning process and revised the guidelines and the application form. In order to make sure the application was as straightforward as possible, a focus group of our grantees provided feedback on the application. After feedback, we also implemented a Streamlined Application Process for organizations with operating budgets of $500,000 or less, and who are requesting $15,000 or less.
Why do you require the organization budget to be submitted in your own format?
Foundation staff and trustees review a large number of proposals each year, and we have found that a consistent budget format allows for greater efficiency in our review process. We continue to review our processes and grantee feedback around this issue.
Do you have a preference for the types of grants you award?
The Foundation funds general operating expenses, program costs, capital requests and start-up projects. No one type of support is given priority. We rely on each organization to let us know their greatest area of need. The Trustees give preference to requests that meet critical needs, employ innovative and effective approaches, fill a unique niche in their community and have a diverse funding base.
What is an average grant size?
Typical grant size varies depending on an organizations size, project and need. The median grant range is $15,000 to $25,000.
Click here for more information on specific grant awards.
How much does the Medina Foundation give away each year?
On average, approximately $4 million is granted each year, depending on the performance of the endowment investments. This amount varies each year.
Do you make multi-year gifts?
While not typical, the Foundation does occasionally consider multi-year gifts. While we recognize the importance of multi-year funding, the fluctuation of our endowment and our interest in making sure we have funding available for new and emerging needs make it challenging for us to commit too much of our funding in advance. If you have a specific project that would require multi-year funding, please contact us to discuss your request.
Can I apply in consecutive years?
Yes. Because of the volume of requests we receive we are not able to consider a letter of inquiry until a 12-month period has passed since the last decision date. Since we have no deadlines, we have no regular "grant cycles." For more information about funding timelines, please contact us.
If my organization has received a grant from the Medina Foundation in the past, do I still need to submit a letter of inquiry?
Yes. Our current process is that all requests begin with an LOI. The LOI is a short form with basic information (Organization General Purpose; Project Description; etc.) - If selected to submit a full application, this information is carried over to the application.
What should I expect during a site visit?
We schedule site visits to last approximately one hour. Your assigned program officer will meet at your organization's location, talk with the executive director, a board member and other key staff, and, if possible, view a few minutes of a program. There is no need to prepare any special presentations or additional information. Our staff just wants to see how your organization or program operates and have a conversation about your work.
If my organization is awarded a grant, what are the reporting requirements?
A final report is requested one year after a grant is awarded. Grant reports are submitted through our E-Grant system. You may preview the final report questions here.
How can we show recognition for your support?
If awarded a grant, please do not give gifts to the Foundation. It is reward enough for us to be able to provide support to worthy organizations, and we want you to be able to spend your funding on programs instead of gifts. While we appreciate thank-you cards, they are similarly unnecessary. Due to the high volume of mail that we receive from grantees, staff cannot respond to mail. However, phone calls and emails will always be returned to the best of our abilities.
What if I have more questions?
Please feel free to contact the Grants and Operations Manager at (206) 652-8783 or email us.
For FAQs related to the E-Grant System, click here.