The first step in applying to the ABS Foundation is a short letter of inquiry (LOI).  Currently, LOIs will be accepted until Dec 15 for our March 2011 grant cycle.  They should be submitted by email and sent , with attachments in MS Office (Word, Excel, etc.) and/or Adobe PDF. A valid email address is necessary to insure a response to your LOI.

We try to acknowledge the receipt of all correspondence, but please be aware that it occasionally may be several weeks before we are able to respond to your LOI.

LOI’s are first reviewed to see if they match our program priorities. Those that do not will be immediately declined. LOI’s that are a match for our guidelines are then reviewed to determine the following:

• The priority of the proposed activity within the Foundation's goals.
• The impact of the potential results of the activities.
• Geographic compatibility with our current programs.
• The availability of the Foundation's funds.

LOI’s should include the following:

• A brief history of your organization, with its mission and goals.
• A brief summary of the activity or project for which you are requesting support, including an outline of your objectives, and anticipated outcomes and implications.
• The total amount of funding needed, the amount requested from the Foundation, and information about other sources of support, both assured and requested.

When a letter of inquiry most closely reflects the Foundation's program priorities, we will request a full proposal. Since the Foundation requests more proposals than it can fund, you should not interpret such a request as an indication of likely support. We do not have a formal grant application; however, grant proposals should include the information requested in our grant proposal outline.

Click here to view our Grant Proposal Outline

Often we will request additional information from applicants. We might also consult with persons knowledgeable about your proposal and we welcome your suggestions as to who might be qualified to assist us in our review. More importantly, we will often try to meet with applicants at their project site prior to making a decision on a proposal. Personal contacts with our grantees are a priority of our grantmaking programs.

The Foundation’s Board of Trustees, who meet on an annual basis, make final decisions on invited proposals. You will be informed of the Board’s decision shortly following the Board meeting at which your proposal will be reviewed.

Grants are only made to organizations that have been granted tax-exempt status under Section 501 (c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, or equivalent government-recognized nonprofit status for foreign grantees. The Arthur B. Schultz Foundation does not consider any type of grant request from individuals. There will be no response to requests from individuals. Be aware that the entire process from first contact to award of a grant may take up to six months or more.