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. The Overview & Guidelines section has an Eligibility Quiz and information on how to apply. More detailed instructions can be found in the Application Process, and you can always contact us for more information.
What is the application review process?
The Medina Foundation has a two-step application process – a letter of inquiry (LOI) and a full application. Before applying, it may be helpful to review our grant guidelines, and you are welcome to schedule a call with one of our program officers to find out more about our priorities.
The first step in the process is to submit an LOI through our E-Grant System. A copy of the LOI questions can be found here.
Upon review of your LOI, the Medina Foundation will invite selected organizations to submit a full grant application through the E-Grant System. In response to feedback from grantees, we implemented a Streamlined Application Process for organizations with operating budgets of $500,000 or less who are requesting $15,000 or less.
Because of the volume of requests received, we unfortunately have to decline about half of the LOIs that are submitted. A declination does not mean that we don’t think you are doing important work; it’s typically due to our limited funds, and you can contact us to follow up for more feedback.
If invited, we will review your full application, then request a site visit (or phone call) with the Executive Director of the organization. After the site visit, the trustees meet to make grant decisions.
A grant decision typically is made within two to four months after the receipt of a complete application.
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. 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. You can cut and paste any information from previous requests that is still applicable.
Are there application deadlines?
No. Trustees typically meet every other month and consider completed applications in the order they were received. LOIs are also reviewed in the order they are received.
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, you may submit a new LOI any time to restart the process.
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. Please add
“administrator@grantinterface.com” to your list of approved senders.
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 is helpful. We make nearly 200 grants per year with only two program officers, so this format allows for greater efficiency in our review process. We continue to review our processes and grantee feedback around this issue.
What do you do with grantee feedback?
You will see that there are places throughout our application, on our email signatures, and on GrantAdvisor to give us feedback, anonymously or by name. Your feedback is really important to us, and we review it on a regular basis and incorporate your suggestions. You can click here to see how grantees have informed and improved our processes.
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, but the majority of our funding tends to go towards general operating support since that is so important. We rely on each organization to let us know their greatest area of need. The Trustees give preference to requests that meet critical needs, are directed by the voices of those being served, employ innovative and effective approaches, fill a unique niche in their community, and have a diverse funding base.
Do I need to know which focus area I'm applying for?
The Medina Foundation’s primary areas of grantmaking focus on positive pathways for youth, stabilization for families and individuals, and economic opportunities. We know that there is a lot of overlap within those categories. These categories are primarily for internal use, you don’t need to select one, and we don’t give greater priority to any one of them.
What is an average grant size?
Typical grant size varies depending on an organizations size, project and need. However, the median grant range is $15,000 to $25,000. Here is 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.
Do you make multi-year gifts?
Up to 20% of our annual payout is committed to multi-year grants. 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, let us know during the site visit. Please do not submit requests for more than one year of funding; multi-year grants are determined by the trustees.
Can I apply in consecutive years?
Yes. Because of the volume of requests we receive we are not able to consider a new LOI until a 12-month period has passed since the last decision date. Since we have no deadlines, we have no regular "grant cycles." For organizations that are invited to submit applications in consecutive years, the fastest funding timeline is typically around 15 months or more between grants, based on processing time and other factors. For more information about funding timelines, please contact us.
What should I expect during a site visit?
We schedule site visits to last approximately one hour. There is no need to prepare any special presentations or additional information. Our staff appreciates the opportunity to just have a conversation about your work. If your program officer has any questions about your application, they will ask during the site visit, and if any additional information is needed, they will follow up after the site visit.
In the past, your assigned program officer would 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. In light of the pandemic, our staff has made changes to the way we conduct site visits for safety and simplicity. We are primarily scheduling a phone call between your program officer and your organization’s executive director. As we adjust over time, we may ask your preference of a phone call or in-person meeting, or you can let us know when we reach out to schedule the site visit.
If my organization is awarded a grant, what are the reporting requirements?
A final report is requested one year after a grant is awarded, to be submitted through our E-Grant System. You may preview the final report questions here. You can also submit your own version of a final report (a general status update or a report you have already prepared) as an attachment rather than using our format. We do not require any financial reports as final reporting requirements.
How can we show recognition for your support?
It is reward enough for us to be able to provide support to organizations, and we want you to be able to spend your funding and time on your important work. While we appreciate the thought, any gifts, thank-you cards, or letters are unnecessary.
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. The Overview & Guidelines section has an Eligibility Quiz and information on how to apply. More detailed instructions can be found in the Application Process, and you can always contact us for more information.
What is the application review process?
The Medina Foundation has a two-step application process – a letter of inquiry (LOI) and a full application. Before applying, it may be helpful to review our grant guidelines, and you are welcome to schedule a call with one of our program officers to find out more about our priorities.
The first step in the process is to submit an LOI through our E-Grant System. A copy of the LOI questions can be found here.
Upon review of your LOI, the Medina Foundation will invite selected organizations to submit a full grant application through the E-Grant System. In response to feedback from grantees, we implemented a Streamlined Application Process for organizations with operating budgets of $500,000 or less who are requesting $15,000 or less.
Because of the volume of requests received, we unfortunately have to decline about half of the LOIs that are submitted. A declination does not mean that we don’t think you are doing important work; it’s typically due to our limited funds, and you can contact us to follow up for more feedback.
If invited, we will review your full application, then request a site visit (or phone call) with the Executive Director of the organization. After the site visit, the trustees meet to make grant decisions.
A grant decision typically is made within two to four months after the receipt of a complete application.
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. 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. You can cut and paste any information from previous requests that is still applicable.
Are there application deadlines?
No. Trustees typically meet every other month and consider completed applications in the order they were received. LOIs are also reviewed in the order they are received.
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, you may submit a new LOI any time to restart the process.
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. Please add
“administrator@grantinterface.com” to your list of approved senders.
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 is helpful. We make nearly 200 grants per year with only two program officers, so this format allows for greater efficiency in our review process. We continue to review our processes and grantee feedback around this issue.
What do you do with grantee feedback?
You will see that there are places throughout our application, on our email signatures, and on GrantAdvisor to give us feedback, anonymously or by name. Your feedback is really important to us, and we review it on a regular basis and incorporate your suggestions. You can click here to see how grantees have informed and improved our processes.
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, but the majority of our funding tends to go towards general operating support since that is so important. We rely on each organization to let us know their greatest area of need. The Trustees give preference to requests that meet critical needs, are directed by the voices of those being served, employ innovative and effective approaches, fill a unique niche in their community, and have a diverse funding base.
Do I need to know which focus area I'm applying for?
The Medina Foundation’s primary areas of grantmaking focus on positive pathways for youth, stabilization for families and individuals, and economic opportunities. We know that there is a lot of overlap within those categories. These categories are primarily for internal use, you don’t need to select one, and we don’t give greater priority to any one of them.
What is an average grant size?
Typical grant size varies depending on an organizations size, project and need. However, the median grant range is $15,000 to $25,000. Here is 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.
Do you make multi-year gifts?
Up to 20% of our annual payout is committed to multi-year grants. 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, let us know during the site visit. Please do not submit requests for more than one year of funding; multi-year grants are determined by the trustees.
Can I apply in consecutive years?
Yes. Because of the volume of requests we receive we are not able to consider a new LOI until a 12-month period has passed since the last decision date. Since we have no deadlines, we have no regular "grant cycles." For organizations that are invited to submit applications in consecutive years, the fastest funding timeline is typically around 15 months or more between grants, based on processing time and other factors. For more information about funding timelines, please contact us.
What should I expect during a site visit?
We schedule site visits to last approximately one hour. There is no need to prepare any special presentations or additional information. Our staff appreciates the opportunity to just have a conversation about your work. If your program officer has any questions about your application, they will ask during the site visit, and if any additional information is needed, they will follow up after the site visit.
In the past, your assigned program officer would 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. In light of the pandemic, our staff has made changes to the way we conduct site visits for safety and simplicity. We are primarily scheduling a phone call between your program officer and your organization’s executive director. As we adjust over time, we may ask your preference of a phone call or in-person meeting, or you can let us know when we reach out to schedule the site visit.
If my organization is awarded a grant, what are the reporting requirements?
A final report is requested one year after a grant is awarded, to be submitted through our E-Grant System. You may preview the final report questions here. You can also submit your own version of a final report (a general status update or a report you have already prepared) as an attachment rather than using our format. We do not require any financial reports as final reporting requirements.
How can we show recognition for your support?
It is reward enough for us to be able to provide support to organizations, and we want you to be able to spend your funding and time on your important work. While we appreciate the thought, any gifts, thank-you cards, or letters are unnecessary.
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.