Information for Applicants

The Mellam Family Foundation is a private foundation that makes grants only to organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. No grants are made to individuals. In general, grants are not made to large, public charities such as The United Way.  

Effective April 2002 the Foundation no longer accepts unsolicited grant requests.

Effective May 2009 all solicited grant proposals must be submitted in electronic format (Word, Excel, or PDF). Please do not send hard copy.  Updates and other communication are best delivered electronically.

Requests for endowments are discouraged. Grant requests should be made within the $5,000 to $25,000 range. Where practical, and especially for first time requesters, the Foundation conducts site visits either in advance of or in response to a request for funding.

Grant Application Procedures

The Foundation has no formal application form and will receive proposals in any format that is comfortable for the applicant. Within this context, a proposal should include the following (in electronic format):

All requests for funding should be e-mailed to the Foundation's address as indicated on the Contact Information page.  Board meetings to decide on funding occur near the end of each calendar quarter. Generally, funding decisions are made within a month or two of receipt of a proposal. Decisions are communicated in writing to the requesting organization.

• An executive summary (one page or less) of the project being proposed. This should include the project's goals, timeframe, overall budget, requested funding amount, other possible funding sources, staffing plans and a proposed evaluation method.
• A detailed description of the overall organization, including its history and other programs offered. How the proposed project fits into the overall mission of the organization should be described.
• A detailed description of the project under consideration. This should include a detailed budget, target population, key staffing requirements, evaluation plans and expected goals. Evidence of community need and support of the project is desirable.
• Supporting documentation: Copy of current 501(c)(3) determination letter from the IRS, most recent audited financial statements, current year operating budget and sources of revenues, current list of Foundation and Corporate supporters (including amounts), list of directors and officers of the organization. Annual report if one is published and most recent long term strategic plan if available.

All requests for funding should be e-mailed to the Foundation's address as indicated on the Contact Information page. Board meetings to decide on funding occur near the end of each calendar quarter. Generally, funding decisions are made within a month or two of receipt of a proposal. Decisions are communicated in writing to the requesting organization.