Application Instructions

Once encouraged to apply, grant application deadlines are May 1 and November 1. Applications must be postmarked or hand delivered to the Foundation office no later than 5:00 PM Pacific Time, on the deadline date. If the deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or a federal holiday, the postmark deadline is the next business day. The Foundation does not accept faxed or electronic applications.

If you have been invited to submit a proposal, please follow the eleven steps listed below and submit one unbound copy of the requested information to:

Grant Application, Bullitt Foundation
1212 Minor Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101-2825

If a section of your application is just over the requested number of pages, please use part of an additional page rather than reducing the font size or widening the margins. Please print double-sided and number the pages of your document.

If you wish, you can download the Application Instructions here.

1.  Complete the Application Cover Sheets (maximum three pages) and place them at the top of your application. The cover sheets are a very important part of your application. They provide a concise overview of your organization and project.
   
2. Write a project description (no longer than five pages) describing the significance of the initiative, your organization's chosen strategy, and its prospects for success. Relate the proposal to the Anticipated Outcomes listed in the Application Cover Sheet and to the Foundation's stated priorities and objectives. It is not necessary to determine into which program(s) the project will fall. The project description should cover activity during the 12-month period the grant will be in operation: May 1 deadline – October to October; November 1 deadline – April to April. 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. The Foundation cannot fund candidates for political office or lobbying activities. Please do not reflect these activities anywhere in the application.
   
3. Outline a work plan and timetable (one to two pages) for the 12-month period the grant will be in operation.
   
4. Provide a detailed project budget and funding plan for the 12-month period the grant will be in operation. Identify other prospective sources and likelihood of financial support. Do not include lobbying activities in the budget and funding plan.
   
5. Provide 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.
   
6. Describe the 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.
   
7. Provide 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.
   
8. Provide an audited financial statement for the prior year (or the IRS 990 Report, if the organization did not have an independent financial audit).
   
9. Provide documentation verifying the tax-exempt status of the organization.
   
10. Provide 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. Video and audiotapes are discouraged.
11. If the 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.

Optional Questions

The Bullitt Foundation is interested in learning more about our applicants. We appreciate your taking the time to provide answers to these following questions, but it is neither required nor will it have a direct bearing on the funding decision.

1. Describe how the organization strives to be diverse and inclusive in its programs, staff, board, and volunteers, and describe your progress to date.
2. Describe any steps the organization has taken to reduce its global warming footprint. If so, what are they and what have been the results? May we share these ideas with others?
3. Has the organization prepared a response strategy for coping with worsening economic conditions? Can you briefly outline what you are doing?

Formatting Preferences:

• If a section of your application is just over the requested number of pages, please use part of an additional page rather than reducing the font size or narrowing the margins.
• Please print double-sided, if possible.
• Be sure to number the pages of your document.
• Please do not staple, hole punch or otherwise use a binding on your application.
• Please use plain white paper. Letterhead or parchment is not necessary.

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 letter. 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 mail a postcard to acknowledge receipt of a proposal 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.