Hamilton Family Charitable Trust Grant - Aquidneck Island, RI

_NOTE:_

• _Letter of Inquiry - This deadline represents two tasks that need to be completed. To begin the application process, an organization must establish an account in our grant management system, complete and pass the Eligibility Quiz, and complete the Letter of Intent (LOI) form. All requests for funding begin with the submission of a LOI. The LOI is the best way to present your request to the Trust and is a pre-requisite for application._
• _Full Proposal - Invite Only - An invitation to apply is not guaranteed with the submission of an LOI. An invitation to complete the full application is extended to an organization after the LOI has been reviewed and approved to continue._

Our Guiding Vision

A community where strong and accessible education can expand worlds and change lives.

History of the Trust

The Hamilton Family Charitable Trust comprises two generations of the Hamilton family with a long history of philanthropy in the Philadelphia region. Since 1992, the family has been committed to improving educational opportunities for children and youth, a mission established by Dorrance Hill Hamilton (1928–2017), mother and grandmother of the family Trustees. The family extended their philanthropic reach to Palm Beach County, FL and Aquidneck Island, RI in 2017. The family convenes three times annually to honor this legacy, supporting many programs and projects that enhance the lives of the young people they serve.

Funding

First-time grants vary in range up to $25,000.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

• Who is Eligible for our Funding:
  • Aquidneck Island, RI:
  • Financial Documents -
  • 501(c)(3) status: first-time applications must provide documentation verifying tax-exempt status.
  • For organizations that are part of a larger group, such as a religious affiliate, the ruling organization’s 501(c)(3) will suffice.
  • Project Budget
  • Organization Overall Operating Budget
  • Audited Financial Statements:
  • Organizations with revenue less than $750,000 must submit their most recent two-year comparative internally prepared, reviewed, or audited financial statements.
  • Organizations with revenue over $750,000 must submit their most recent two-year comparative financial statements audited by a CPA.
  • IRS Form 990:
  • Applicants must submit the organization’s IRS Form 990.
  • IRS Form 990 should not be older than 10.5 months after your most recent fiscal year-end.
  • Geographical Focus -
  • Programs supporting children and youth in Aquidneck Island.
  • Population(s) Served -
  • Children and youth in grades K-12 in under-resourced educational environments and communities — more than 70 percent of all participants in the organization should be eligible for free or reduced-rate lunches in schools.
  • Program Focus -
  • Data-driven literacy-based programs focused on developing robust reading and writing skills with a strong history of success.
  • These can be programs that:
  • Take place during school hours, after school, or during the summer.
  • Take place across school systems, but the funding can support only nonsectarian programming including within a religious institution.
  • Grades K-8 programs should devote at least 70 percent of their time directly to instruction and activities in reading and writing.
  • Grades 9-12 programs should provide innovative approaches to students in under-resourced areas for high school completion and/or post-secondary success.
  • Youth workforce development programs that focus on quality career exploration and preparation initiatives.
  • Recreational programs with a strong academic component.
  • Things To Consider -
  • First-time grants:
  • are generally designated for program support.
  • The Trust rarely funds new staff positions for initial grants.
  • Continuing partners (current grantees):
  • may apply for continued funding if they have met all the grant requirements including the submission of required reports.
  • Multi-year grants:
  • requests are typically reserved for grantees with three (3) years or more of consecutive funding from the Trust.
  • Multi-year grants require approval prior to application submission.
  • Approval is generally communicated as a part of the response to the organization’s LOI.
  • An organization may only apply to the Trust once per year.
  • The Trust may request that an organization which has received funding for three continuous years (or more) delays any further applications for support for a year (or more), to expand opportunities for other potential grantees.

Ineligibility

• The Trust does not provide funding for:
  • Individuals
  • Capital Projects
  • Human Services
  • Programs focusing on/serving:
  • school assembly, religious education, or college or university students
  • Endowment funds
  • Other foundations or family trusts
  • Entry fees for museums or other cultural institutions
  • Projects with unpaid teaching artists
  • Political candidates, parties, or PACs
  • Debt-reduction programs
• Aquidneck Island, RI:
  • Program Focus -
  • College programs are not funded.