Application Instructions

Once you are invited to apply, grant application deadlines are May 1 and November 1. Applications must be submitted to our Online Grantee Portal no later than 5:00 PM Pacific Time, on the deadline date. If the deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or a US federal holiday, the submission deadline is the next business day. The Foundation does not accept applications in hardcopy or by mail, email, or fax.

If you have been invited to submit a proposal, please review the instructions below. Please note that if your organization received Bullitt Foundation funds in the prior year, refer to the Final Report Instructions and submit the requested information. The report must precede any subsequent grant proposal.

1. A concise overview of your organization and project, entered directly into our online form.
   
2. Three to five anticipated outcomes of your project.
3. A project description (no longer than five pages) describing the significance of the initiative, your organization's chosen strategy, and its prospects for success. Emphasize objectives that can be reached during the 12-month period and, if appropriate, describe how these short-term objectives relate to a longer-term goal or strategy. Describe how the Foundation can measure and evaluate the project's success. 
   
4. A work plan and timetable (one to two pages) for the 12-month period the grant will be in operation.
   
5. A detailed project budget and funding plan for the 12-month period the grant will be in operation. 
   
6. A brief history of the accomplishments of the organization (no longer than one page), and explain why it is well suited to address the stated need.
   
7. Qualifications of those who will bear primary responsibility for the success of the initiative, and clearly state how much of their time they will devote to the project.
   
8. A list of the officers and board members of your organization. If officers or board members will be directly involved in the project, describe the roles they intend to play.
   
9. An audited financial statement for the prior year (or the IRS 990 Report, if the organization did not have an independent financial audit).
   
10. Other attachments only if they are essential for the Foundation to understand the proposed project. Please limit the number of attachments and explain why each one is significant.

The Foundation cannot fund candidates for political office or lobbying activities. Please do not reflect these activities anywhere in the application.

Regarding the Application Evaluation Process:

The application evaluation process takes approximately five months. It includes a thorough staff review and a final review and decision by the full board of trustees. Applicants will be informed of the board decision by email. Due to the large volume of proposals, it is difficult for the Foundation to respond to telephone requests to confirm that proposals have been received. Instead, the Foundation will acknowledge receipt of a proposal by email approximately two weeks following the deadline.

To ensure compatibility with the Foundation's values and goals and enhance the prospects for success, the following guidelines are used to judge potential grants:

• Give priority to projects with broad policy leverage over site-specific work with limited impact, except when local projects attempt significant innovations that could be widely replicated.
• Seek out stable, proven organizations with successful track records, and help  to assure their continued strength, effectiveness, and renewal.
• Support leaders who have demonstrated the ability and determination to succeed.
• Foster synergy among Bullitt Foundation grants.
• Complement the work of other funders.
• Pay special attention to regions and policy areas that are not well covered by other funders.
• Fund projects that are based on good science.
• Make long-term commitments to core projects.
• Favor efforts that foster collaboration by groups within the environmental community and that consciously pursue support from other sectors of society.
• Seek out catalytic opportunities where early Bullitt Foundation support can focus needed attention on threatened places or timely issues.
• Give special consideration to requests from groups that represent disadvantaged communities that are suffering disproportionate environmental impacts.