What We Fund

TPC Grantee Doc Wayne Youth Services

The Philanthropy Connection is committed to strengthening organizations working in Massachusetts by:

  • Awarding multiple high-impact grants each year
  • Awarding grants for operating expenses
  • Introducing our Grantees to a wide pool of women philanthropists who will increase their organization’s network of potential funders, board members, and volunteers

Eligibility criteria for organizations applying for TPC Grants:

All applicants must:

  1. Have either 501(c)(3) tax status OR a Fiscal Sponsor & a Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement letter
    • in the case of local organizations/affiliates with a larger parent organization, the local organization/affiliate must have its own 501 (c) (3) status
  2. Meet Revenue Eligibility Criteria:
    • 501 (c) (3) organizations must have annual revenue between $200,000 and $2 million, as reported on the Total Revenue line 12 of its most recent IRS Form 990
    • organizations with fiscal sponsors must have annual revenue between $200,000 and $2 million certified in a letter from its Fiscal Sponsor, including only that which would be reported on the Total Revenue line 12 of IRS Form 990
    • Organizations must be in solid financial standing and have filed requisite Massachusetts Form PC and IRS 990 filings. TPC typically does not fund organizations with significant year over year operating losses or less than 3 months of cash reserves to cover operations.
  3. Meet Geographic Eligibility Criteria:
    • An eligible applicant must be located in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, or for national organizations, have a site within this area, defined largely as towns falling within the I-495 loop, plus:
      • Amesbury, Haverhill, Methuen, Lawrence, Lowell
      • Maynard, Hudson, Marlborough, Milford, Franklin
      • Massachusetts towns north of the intersection of I-495 and Rt. 25
  4. Meet Mission Eligibility Criteria:
    • An applicant must address in its mission one or more of the following:
      • Poverty
      • Income inequality
      • Employment opportunity and readiness
      • Educational opportunity and readiness
      • Health and wellness
      • Social bias (e.g., gender, ethnic, and/or racial)

Disqualifying criteria:

These applicants or funding requests are ineligible:

  • Political, international, or 501(c)(4) advocacy organizations
  • Organizations that provide any religious programming, instruction or proselytizing on behalf of a particular religion
  • Family foundations
  • Local organizations or affiliates of a larger parent organization that lack their own independent 501(c)(3) status
  • “Pass through” or conduit organizations
  • Funding requests for capital campaigns will also not be accepted

In fairness to all applicants, no exceptions will be made.

How may TPC’s grant funding be used?

This year TPC is awarding only unrestricted general operating grants.

Financial Documents Required

With the Letter of Intent Submission

For a 501 (c) (3) organization:

  • Most recent IRS Form 990

For an organization with a Fiscal Sponsor:

  • A copy of its fiscal sponsor agreement letter, and
  • A letter from the Fiscal Sponsor certifying the applicant’s revenue, including only that which would be reported on the Total Revenue line 12 of IRS Form 990

With the Full Proposal Submission
(sample financial documents that we may ask for this year)

For a 501 (c) (3) organization:

  • Certified Financial Review or Audit (with all notes for the last 2 fiscal years);
  • Full Year and Year to date (YTD) Income Statement and Balance Sheet since filing of most recent 990; and
  • List of grants over $2500 with their amounts and terms for the last two fiscal years.

For an organization with a Fiscal Sponsor:

  • Income Statement for the last 2 years;
  • Balance Sheet for the last 2 years; and
  • YTD Income Statement and Balance Sheet.

Questions? Please email unanswered questions to us at connect@thephilanthropyconnection.org. Go to our Apply For a Grant page for more information and a link to our online application. Thank you for your interest in a grant from The Philanthropy Connection.