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Annual Early Childhood Education Grant Guidelines

 *** The 2008 Early Childhood Education grant cycle is now closed.  ***

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General Information

Grantmaking Objective

The objective in the Early Childhood Education Grant category is to facilitate improvement in the academic outcomes of youth by better preparing children ages 3-5 for school.

Eligibility

Organizations operating preschools that are: 1) tax-exempt organizations with 501(c)(3) classifications from the Internal Revenue Service that are not private foundations or described as 509(a)(3) organizations; 2) non-profit public benefit corporations; and 3) diocesan and public school districts.

Geographic Areas

Massachusetts:

• Barnstable County
• Dukes County
• Essex County
• Nantucket County

New York State:

• Erie County
• Niagara County

Funding Priorities

Priority is given to:

• early intervention projects
• projects that focus on literacy and language development
• professional development that leads to improved classroom instruction
• projects that identify children with learning disabilities and link them to appropriate services
• projects that reduce barriers to education

Additional Information

Please note that:

• preference is given to projects targeting low-income populations
• priority is given to projects where the incremental costs, i.e., the costs that are new to the organization as a result of the proposed project, are a substantial portion of the grant request
• sustainability of the project after Tower Foundation grant funding terminates is of paramount importance to the Foundation
• multi-year grants are encouraged

Applying for a Grant

Submitting a Letter of Inquiry

The first step in applying for a grant is submitting a letter of inquiry not to exceed three pages in length. The Foundation accepts only one letter of inquiry per applicant. The letter must be signed by the applicant’s executive director, superintendent, or headmaster.

To be considered for a grant in 2008, your letter must be received by 5:00 p.m. on January 16, 2008. E-mailed and faxed copies are not accepted.

Your letter of inquiry must include the following:

• a description of the project for which support is requested, including an outline of the specific objectives you hope to accomplish
• a brief statement of the history and goals of your organization, the issues to be addressed by the project, and your organization’s involvement with these issues
• the target population and geographic area(s) served
• the number of individuals directly impacted by the proposed project
• the approximate start and end dates of the project
• the total project cost
• the dollar amount requested from the Foundation (for multi-year grants specify the amount for each year) and a brief summary of how the funds will be used
• information about other sources of support, both assured and requested

Notification of Interest

All letters of inquiry are reviewed to determine if the Foundation wishes to pursue a grant application. Applicants will be notified by March 1, 2008 of the result of this review. Please note that you should not interpret a request for an application as an indication of likely support. The deadline for grant applications, if requested, is March 26, 2008.

The following criteria will be used to evaluate applications:

• clarity of project goals and anticipated impact
• strength of project design
• the number of individuals served
• organizational capacity and readiness to implement and oversee the project
• evidence of commitment by the organization’s leadership and management
• plan for assessing the project’s impact and capacity to measure project outcomes
• likelihood that the project will be sustained after grant funding terminates

Final decisions on grant awards are made by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees at its spring meeting. You will be informed of the Board’s decision by June 13, 2008.

The Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.

Required Reports

Successful applicants will be required to sign a Terms of Grant which will specify the Foundation’s program and fiscal reporting requirements. In general, these include on-going progress reports for multi-year projects and a final report, due 60 days after funding terminates. Reports include a summary of all funds received and expended for the project covered by the grant and a narrative describing the outcomes and significance of the project.

Restrictions

The Foundation does not fund programs or projects that:

• may be used for the private benefit of any grant recipient or affiliated person
• attempt to influence legislation
• attempt to influence or intervene in any political campaign

The Foundation also does not provide funds for:

• capital campaigns or improvements
• equipment purchases independent of a broader project that meets one or more of the Foundation’s funding priorities
• individual scholarships

Timeline Summary

If you have any questions about the guidelines, please feel free to contact us.

Send Letter of Inquiry to:

Glenda M. Cadwallader
Executive Director
The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation
2351 North Forest Road
Getzville, NY 14068-1225