Guidelines and Policies
Jane's Trust
Updated January 2009
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INTRODUCTION
Thank you for your interest in Jane’s Trust. If you would like to apply for funding, please read the following Guidelines and Policies carefully. Due to the large volume of requests, we will not be able to review applications that are incomplete or that do not conform to the guidelines set forth below.
Jane’s Trust was created through the beneficence of Jane B. Cook, who died in July 2002. Mrs. Cook was known in the communities where she lived as a down-to-earth woman who was generous to the core. The Trust was established to continue for a thirty-five year period the legacy of generosity that she established during her lifetime.
Trustees
Jane’s Trust will be administered at the law firm of Hemenway & Barnes LLP, 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts. The Trustees are:
Martha S. Robes
Jean B. Stevenson
Elizabeth Steele
Michael B. Elefante, Esq.
Kurt F. Somerville, Esq.
All inquiries regarding Jane’s Trust should be directed to Select Client Services, Hemenway & Barnes. Contact information is listed below. Applicants should not contact the Trustees directly.
POLICIES
Overview
Jane’s Trust will make grants to address important issues in the Trust’s fields of interest and areas of geographical focus described below. The Trustees are interested particularly in organizations and projects which primarily benefit underserved populations and disadvantaged communities. The Trust supports collaborations among nonprofit organizations and welcomes collaborative applications. The Trustees understand that grant requests and collaborations may from time to time bridge two or more areas of interest. The application process, described in more detail below, is a two step process involving first the submission of a concept paper and then, only upon request from the Trustees, the submission of a full proposal. The Trustees meet several times per year to consider concept papers and proposals, although payment of all grants approved by the Trustees is made once a year, in December.
The Trust will work collaboratively with other funders to support projects in its areas of interest. For this reason, and to maintain the integrity of the grants program overall, the Trustees will endeavor to retain flexibility to respond to special circumstances or changing conditions. From time to time, this may result in modifications to these guidelines.
Size of Grants Program
Jane’s Trust will make annual grants of approximately $9 million, a portion of which may be committed to multi-year grants, which will affect the dollar amount available for new grants in any given year. Annual grants will generally range in size from $50,000 to $1,000,000, although the Trustees in their discretion may from time to time make awards outside of that range. The average grant size is $153,000. The Trust does not allocate specific dollar amounts to its areas of interest or to particular geographical areas. Please consult the Trust’s frequently asked questions document for additional information, found at www.hembar.com/janestrust.
Types of Funding
The Trust will support projects in its areas of interest and will also make grants for operating support. The Trust will also provide support for capital projects and endowments. The Trust may make challenge grants where appropriate.
The Trustees recognize that to accomplish certain goals, support over two or more years may be necessary. Multiple year awards will generally not exceed four years in length and will be based on a careful review, at least annually, of performance in meeting measurable objectives, including the development of funds from other sources for both the initial period and the long term. Objectives and goals will be established by the applicant and the Trustees at the time of the initial award.
GEOGRAPHICAL FOCUS
Jane’s Trust will make grants in the states of Florida, with a preference for southwest and central Florida; Massachusetts, with a preference for greater Boston and eastern Massachusetts; and in the northern New England states of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Preference will be given to organizations located in those states for projects which will primarily provide benefits within those states.
FIELDS OF INTEREST
Grants will be made for the following purposes:
1. Arts and Culture
The Trust aims to further quality artistic and cultural development in its geographical areas of interest. Grants for arts and culture will be made to support a variety of objectives, including:
- Increased access to artistic expression and education in the arts for underserved populations;
- Impact of artistic and cultural exposure on communities;
- Preservation of and increased access to historically significant buildings and objects.
Please note that the Trust will not make direct grants to support individual artists.
2. Education
The Trust seeks to advance educational opportunities and educational quality in its geographical areas of interest. Grants for education will be made to support a variety of objectives, including:
- Access to educational opportunities, resources and programs, both inside and outside of the traditional classroom, with particular focus on underserved populations;
- Support for nonprofit organizations and public/private partnerships to serve educational needs of underserved communities;
- The educational growth and achievement of nontraditional student populations.
3. Environment
The Trust aims to protect and enhance the natural environment and to conserve natural resources in its geographical areas of interest. Grants for the environment will be made to support a variety of objectives, including:
- Meaningful and innovative contributions to protection of critical or historically significant rural and urban natural resources;
- Efforts that have a beneficial impact on the quality of life for underserved populations.
4. Health
The Trust aims to improve the health and welfare of human and animal populations in its geographical areas of interest. Grants for health and welfare will be made to support a variety of objectives, including:
- Efforts to directly improve the health and welfare of vulnerable and underserved populations;
- Projects and organizations that promote individual and community wellness, prevention efforts, and equitable approaches and outcomes;
- Interdisciplinary efforts to understand links between human and animal health and welfare.
EXCLUSIONS
Jane’s Trust will not support:
- loans to charitable organizations;
- attempts to influence legislation;
- requests from individuals.
Please note: Jane’s Trust will normally not support public entities, such as municipalities, municipal departments, or public schools directly, but will entertain applications from tax-exempt fiscal agents or partners for collaborative projects with municipalities or schools (described above). This does not apply to public colleges and universities.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
1. Concept Papers
As mentioned above, there is a two step process for application to the Trust. All applicants interested in funding should first submit a concept paper. Concept papers may be submitted at any time, but must be received by the following dates in order to be considered by the Trustees at their next regular meeting:
January 10 for consideration in February
August 15 for consideration in September
In case of a weekend or holiday, the deadline is the next regular business day. The Trust does not accept facsimile submissions, but will accept submissions by e-mail. When submitting via e-mail, please do not send an additional hard copy.
In order to be considered, all submissions, whether by mail, hand delivery or email, must be received and complete by 5 pm on the deadlines listed above. These deadlines are firm. Concept papers should be no more than three - four typed pages in length and must be submitted with the Trust’s Cover Sheet (a copy of which is attached to these Guidelines and is also available here.) In order to be considered complete, all concept papers should include:
- A brief background statement about the applicant, including its mission, size of organization and total amount desired;
- If applying for support of a project, a description of the project and a description of how the proposed project will strengthen the ability of the organization to reach its goals;
- If applying for operating, capital or endowment support, a description of how this support will enable the organization to fulfill its mission and further its objectives;
- A preliminary budget outlining the project, operating or capital needs for which application is being made;
- Evidence from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) confirming federal tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) and classification as "not a private foundation" within the meanings of Section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. Please be sure the letter of determination from the IRS includes the federal tax ID number;
- Concept papers from departments within multi-departmental institutions must be assigned to a representative from the Development Office.
Please note, when submitting via e-mail, kindly submit the Jane’s Trust Cover Sheet, concept paper, proof of Federal tax exemption and budget information either in the e-mail submission or via regular mail for receipt by the deadline.
Applications that do not include the required information will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. We request that applicants not submit supplemental materials at the concept paper stage. Concept papers will be reviewed by the program officers of Jane’s Trust and the Trustees, following which the Trustees will request full proposals from a limited number of applicants.
We will acknowledge all concept papers within three weeks of the deadline with an email to the request contact listed on the Jane’s Trust cover sheet. Please contact us if you do not receive this acknowledgement.
2. Full Proposals
Submission of full proposals is by request only after a concept paper (described above) has been reviewed by the Trustees. Full proposals, if received without request, will be treated as concept papers under these guidelines.
Organizations which submit a concept paper in January will be notified by the end of February whether they will be invited to submit a full proposal. Invited proposals are due in March for consideration in May. Organizations which submit a concept paper in August will be notified by the end of September whether they will be invited to submit a full proposal. Invited proposals are due in October for consideration in December. Once a concept paper has been approved for a full proposal, an applicant will receive additional information from the staff concerning full proposal form and content. Grants are announced within two weeks of each regular meeting and are paid in December of the year in which approved. Challenge grants and multi-year grants will be paid in accordance with the initial terms of the award, established by the applicant and the Trustees.
3. General Requirements for Concept Papers and Full Proposals
Staff availability for interviews is limited and interviews will be initiated only by staff invitation. During the application process, an applicant or potential applicant may telephone staff at Hemenway & Barnes to ask questions regarding the application process or the appropriateness of a proposal.
An organization may submit only one application at a time. If denied, at either the concept paper or full proposal stage, an organization may reapply after waiting one year from the date of the Trust's annual payout (December). If a grant is received, an organization should wait at least one year after the date of the last payment before submitting another application. Concept papers from prior grantees will not be considered until a final report on the prior grant has been received
CONTACT US
For further general information and to submit concept papers, please contact:
Susan M. Fish
Grants Administrator
Select Client Services
Hemenway & Barnes LLP
60 State Street
Boston, MA 02109
(617) 227-7940 x775
sfish@hembar.com
www.hembar.com
For more specific questions regarding the grants program, please contact the following staff at Hemenway & Barnes:
- Health and Welfare:
Rachel Pohl, Program Officer, 617-557-9776, rpohl@hembar.com
January 2009
JANE’S TRUST COVER SHEET
Please complete this Cover Sheet and submit with your concept paper to Jane’s Trust. In addition, please be sure to include a preliminary budget and IRS determination letter (with Federal Tax I.D. number). Please do not attach any supplementary materials at this time. Mail to: Jane’s Trust, Hemenway & Barnes LLP, 60 State Street, Boston, MA 02109. Applications must be RECEIVED in our offices by 5 p.m. on the appropriate deadline date (January 10 and August 15). No facsimile applications will be accepted but e-mail submissions are acceptable, provided that this Cover Sheet, the required financial information and proof of exemption with Federal Tax I.D. number are provided. If you have any questions, please contact Jane’s Trust at (617) 227-7940 x 775 or refer to the Trust’s website at www.hembar.com/janestrust
Organization Name: ___________________________________________ Date:
Address (specify if changed since last application):
Phone: _______________ E-mail: _______________________ Web:
Executive Director or Board President (include phone, e-mail):
Primary Request Contact (include title, phone, e-mail):
Federal Tax Exempt ID #: _____________________
If applicant is not exempt from federal tax under section 501(c)(3), or as provided in section 4945 of the Internal Revenue Code, please identify your fiscal agent. Fiscal agents must be prepared to certify that they have entered into an agreement with the applicant regarding the use of the funds over which the fiscal agent will retain ultimate control and discretion. If funding is granted, the fiscal agent must acknowledge the terms of the grant by signing the grant letter.
Name:
Address:
Phone: _________________________ Web:
Contact person (title/e-mail):
Please note, concept papers from departments within multi-departmental institutions should list contact information of representative from the Development Office:
Request Amount: $________________ over _____________ years.
Type of support (project, operating, capital/endowment):______________________
Organization’s mission:
Program Area (check one more): Arts/Culture Education Environment Health/Welfare
Project summary (must be 30 words or less):
List target population, constituents, and geographic communities:
Organizational budget:* $__________________ Fiscal Year End: ___________
Project or capital budget (if applicable): $______________ Grant Period: ______________
Please list prior Jane’s Trust funding (date/grant amount/type of support):
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