Who, How and When

The Bennett Family Foundation considers grants to organizations in the Greater Boston/New England and Greater Philadelphia/Southeastern PA areas. We make most of our grants in May and November.

In both regions we are interested in:

• Organizations with staff expertise in their field and who measure their impact on the population they serve
• Smaller, local organizations
• Organizations that can demonstrate momentum towards sustainability of programs

In most cases, preference will be given to small local projects over national programs.

Restrictions

Funding generally will not be provided to:

• Individuals or non-501(c)(3) organizations
• Educational institutions for their general operating funds or endowments
• Religious organizations for religious purposes
• Cities, counties or other governmental organizations
• Organizations engaged primarily in public policy or political advocacy
• National organizations or their local affiliates, except programs developed at the local level
• Application to budget deficits, debt reduction, fundraising or recognition events
• Scholarships

Absolutely no funding will be given to organizations which discriminate, either in hiring or in populations served, based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual preference, or physical or mental ability.

Types of Grants

If we ask you to categorize your request, here is the language we use:

General Operating Support

• Purpose: Unrestricted funding to cover a non-profit's overall operating expenses.
• Uses: You can allocate funds where they are most needed, whether for direct program delivery or overall day-to-day operating costs.

Program- or Project-Specific Grants

• Purpose: Designated for specific programs or projects within your organization.
• Uses: These grants support initiatives with defined goals and outcomes, such as launching a new program, or for supporting a smaller program within the organization that most clearly supports our areas of interest. They require clear objectives and measurable results. In your attachments or follow-on documents, include program/project budgets and timelines.

Capacity-Building Grants

• Purpose: Strengthen the overall infrastructure and capabilities of a non-profit organization.
• Uses: Focus on long-term sustainability and efficiency, helping you improve internal systems, leadership, and overall capacity to deliver on your mission.  We would expect detail and timeline around specific needs and how the grant will address them with measurable improvements in your capacity to deliver services and/or to scale programs. 

Outcomes and Metrics

We are interested in understanding the impact of your work, rather than just the activities or outputs. We would like to understand the impact and outcome measures that are specific and relevant to your mission. In presenting your results, tell us how they compare with your expectations and/or benchmarks that can provide context.

Other Sources We Look At

When we review grant applications, we often consider other sources of information, including 990s and audited financials.  We may review your profile on sites such as GuideStar and Impala. We encourage you to keep those sources up-to-date!

Next Steps

For Boston, the grant process begins with a simple, on-line inquiry. Depending on the size of the grant request, and whether your agency is new to us or not, we may ask for additional information.

For Philadelphia, we invite new organizations to send us a "letter of introduction." If we decide to continue we will contact you for a formal grant proposal and supporting information.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the Bennett Family Foundation fund? We make grants to nonprofits in the Greater Boston/New England and Greater Philadelphia/Southeastern Pennsylvania areas. In the Boston region we occasionally consider organizations in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont as well.

When does the Foundation accept applications? We award grants twice a year, in May and November. For Boston, submit your initial request via our online form — submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis leading up to each cycle. For Philadelphia, send a letter of introduction to philly@bennettfoundation.org at any time.

How much does the Foundation typically grant? Most grants range from $2,500 to $25,000. We occasionally make larger or multi-year commitments for capacity-building or capital campaigns.

What types of grants do you offer? We offer three grant types: general operating support (unrestricted funds for overall expenses), program/project-specific grants (support for defined initiatives with clear goals and timelines), and capacity-building grants (infrastructure improvements that increase your ability to serve your community).

Who is not eligible for funding? We do not fund individuals, non-501(c)(3) entities, educational endowments, religious activities, government entities, national organizations, or political advocacy work. We also do not fund budget deficits, debt reduction, fundraising events, or scholarships. Organizations that discriminate in hiring or in populations served are not eligible under any circumstances.

Does the Foundation fund large or national organizations? We focus on smaller, locally based organizations. We do not fund national organizations, with the exception of locally-developed programs that are independently operated.

What does the Foundation look for when evaluating a grant request? We prioritize organizations with documented staff expertise, a track record of measuring impact, and a clear path toward program sustainability. We focus on the outcomes of your work — the difference you make in people's lives — rather than just activities or outputs. We review your 990, audited financials, and any available GuideStar or Impala profiles as part of our evaluation.

How do I apply if I'm a new organization? For Boston: review our Boston Grants page first to assess your fit. Then complete the form on our Initial Grant Request page.  For Philadelphia: we are not currently accepting formal proposals from new grantees, but you're welcome to send a letter of introduction to philly@bennettfoundation.org for future consideration.