NEW HARVEST FOUNDATION CONSIDERS:
- LGBTQ+ Focused and Work in Wisconsin: New Harvest Foundation only considers organizations that provide programs and services that benefit LGBTQ+ communities in Wisconsin.
- Not for Profit: New Harvest Foundation considers proposals from organizations that are not-for-profit and exempt from federal taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service code, or who use a qualifying fiscal sponsor.
- Program / Project Duration: Projects/programs should be one year or less in duration with the possibility of renewal.
- Funding Amount: New Harvest Foundation will consider funding grants for up to $10,000.00.
- Solid Plan: We fund groups whose work is driven by the following:
- A clear purpose with well-planned goals, objectives, and activities and a tool to measure outcomes and impact;
- A timeline and budget that reflects the proposed objectives and activities;
- A realistic fundraising plan.
FUNDING PRIORITIES
New Harvest Foundation gives preference to proposals that:
- Support our most at-risk groups such as LGBTQ+ homeless, the transgender and gender nonconforming communities, LGBTQ+ seniors, LGBTQ+ communities of color, and LGBTQ+ youth.
- Working for Positive Change in the Community: New Harvest Foundation seeks organizations working to examine and challenge the underlying causes of injustice affecting the LGBTQ+ community. They seek to change the conditions and institutions that create and maintain inequality.
- Fostering Leadership: New Harvest Foundation seeks groups that involve the people who are directly affected by an issue at all levels of the organization - in planning, organizing, and leading, and working to continue to build leadership within the community.
- Collaborative or working in alliance with other LGBTQ+ groups to as a way to provide services or create positive change in the community.
- Risk Taking: Are new or innovative, and respond to unmet or undermet needs in our communities; the work may tackle a controversial issue, or be focused on a new and emerging area;
- Achieving concrete success: which has positively impacted the LGBTQ+ community.
- Raise money from multiple sources throughout the community, such as foundations, businesses, individuals, special events, and income generating projects. For smaller organizations, this could be as simple as getting small donations from individuals or hosting an informal fundraising event.
SCREENING CRITERIA
Here are some questions that the Grants Committee and Board consider when evaluating grant applications.
- Does the proposed project work to create a positive impact in the LGBTQ+ community, raise the visibility of LGBTQ+ stories, or serve an unmet or undermet need of LGBTQ+ communities?
- Does the proposed project serve our most vulnerable populations?
- Does the project/program have a solid plan and is it likely to be effective? Will it have measurable results?
- Does the project/program demonstrate collaboration, alliances, or risk-taking?
- Does the project/program involve LGBTQ+ individuals in each part of the project?
- Are the project/program goals and budget realistic for the time and resources allocated?
- Does this project/program have a realistic fundraising plan? Are alternative sources of funding available?
- Will the grantee use New Harvest Foundation funding to provide the greatest impact that they can?
- How large is the audience impacted by this project/program?
- Are there opportunities for the project/program to increase New Harvest Foundation’s visibility through co-marketing, fundraising, sharing lists, promoting NHF, donor sign-up, etc.
- Has the organization been funded by New Harvest Foundation in the past? Were those projects/programs successfully completed and the required reports submitted?
LIMITATIONS
New Harvest Foundation does not fund:
- Projects/programs outside of Wisconsin
- Projects/programs that do not serve LGBTQ+ communities
- Annual fund drives, endowments, or capital campaigns
- Promotion of legislative change (lobbying)
- Candidates for public office
- We do not fund general administrative or personnel costs.
- EXCEPTION: We will consider funding administrative or personnel costs if they are directly and integrally related to the program or project.
- Faith-based organizations will be considered for funding only if they meet the above guidelines.
- Food that could reasonably be donated by an outside sponsor will not be funded. Consideration will be given to events hosted at a venue with restricted catering, but only up to 25% of the total grant proposal.