The Trust supports organizations that offer opportunities to individuals that enrich the quality of life, promote self-sufficiency, and assist them in achieving their highest potential.

For the term of the Strategic Plan, the Trust has identified the following focus populations:

• Adults & Transitioning Youth with Disabilities- The Trust aims to strengthen supportive services for adults and youth transitioning to adulthood with intellectual, developmental, or physical disabilities, enabling them to maximize their ability to live independently, gain economic security through a rewarding job, and engage in an inclusive community through social and recreational opportunities.

• Elders- The Trust aims to foster a society where older adults are visible, valued, and receive the support they need to lead a dignified and engaged life. Communities, families, and caregivers are essential components in a holistic approach to aging that enriches the quality of life, encourages self-sufficiency, and values self-determination.

• Foster Youth- The Trust aims to provide children and youth who have experienced disruption or instability in their homes with the support, resources, skills, and knowledge they need to become healthy, self-sufficient, resilient, and successful adults.

• Veterans & Military Familes- The Trust aims to strengthen programs and services that support veterans, service members, and their families in the transition to successful new lives and careers after leaving the military.

The Trust has changed its process for new grant-seekers and has suspended acceptance of unsolicited Letter of Inquiry (LOI) applications. In recent years, fewer than 3% of unsolicited LOIs resulted in a grant. The Trust remains interested in hearing from organizations that may be eligible for future consideration. We have developed a simple email inquiry process to enable aligned, competitive organizations to inform the Trust of their work. While all inquiries will be read, only those that have potential to move forward will be contacted.

Once you have determined that your organization and/or program is consistent with the Trust’s guidelines by reviewing the Funding Priorities, and the Eligibility and Alignment criteria above, the next step is to complete the Eligibility Quiz.

Organizations strongly aligned with the Trust’s grantmaking priorities exhibit these characteristics:

-Meet a demonstrated need or address a gap in services/programs

-Directly address one or more of the strategies identified in one of the Trust's Program Areas.

-Provide services that have long-term, sustainable impact

-Have a proven track record of success, with at least two years of measurable outcomes

-Have clearly-articulated and measurable goals and proposed outcomes and reasonable, practical plans to achieve these

-Have demonstrated the ability to manage an annual expense budget of more than $250,000

-Receive significant support from the community and grants from a variety of other foundation and corporate funders

-Receive less than 70% of their revenues from government sources

-Offer programs and services that reflect best practices or evidenced-based solutions, and/or that represent creative, effective approaches to addressing persistent needs or challenges

-Have experienced and engaged staff and an active and committed board of directors who bring knowledge and experience in relevant fields of service

-Are highly respected in their field of service

-Consistently gather feedback from stakeholders and program beneficiaries and incorporate findings in program design, service delivery, and overall administration and governance

-Collaborate with other entities in order to meet client needs and avoid duplication of effort

-Have a stable financial position and demonstrate strong financial management capacity

-Use volunteers effectively and manage them well

-Can answer the question: “How do you know your work is effective?” – have a sound system for tracking, analyzing, documenting, and communicating improvements in beneficiaries’ lives, or other significant impact

-Engage in learning and reflection and use data to improve services and/or organizational performance