Frequently Asked Questions

What are the deadlines for grant proposals?
Can you send me an application?
How do I get a copy of the guidelines?
Can we meet with someone to discuss a possible proposal?
How often do you consider proposals?
How will I know if you received my proposal?
Do you fund general operating expenses?
Do you give grants to individuals?
Do you give grants to organizations outside of Texas?
When and how will I know if my proposal has been accepted or rejected?
We recently submitted a proposal and were declined. May we re-submit?
To whom should proposals be addressed?
My grant was turned down. Can you tell me why?
Do you prefer to fund capital or program?
Can you help us with writing the grant proposal?
I’m a new organization and don’t have all the information requested in the guidelines. Can I still apply?
Do you require a letter of intent before submitting a proposal?
Should we wait to hear from you before applying to others?
Will MFI consider loans?
Do you need multiple copies of our proposal; should they be bound?
Are there areas in which you don’t make grants?
Should we include letters of support?
Before I submit a proposal, can you tell me if the Foundation is interested or would consider the type of grant I am looking for?
Will you do a site visit and should we invite your Board members for a visit?
Does The Meadows Foundation grant money to commercial businesses?
Do you fund scholarships?
Is there a person responsible for handling grants in specific areas of funding?

What are the deadlines for grant proposals?
The Foundation accepts grant proposals at anytime throughout the year. However, it is a good idea to submit your proposal several months before the funding is needed.
Can you send me an application?
There is no formal application form. The Foundation’s grant guidelines contain the required components needed in a proposal.
How do I get a copy of the guidelines?
Grant guidelines are available in English and Spanish on our Web site. In addition, we can fax, mail, or e-mail a printed copy or mail an audio taped copy to you.
Can we meet with someone to discuss a possible proposal?
It is not necessary to have a face-to-face meeting before you submit a grant application. We find that it is usually a better use of your time and ours to schedule a meeting after we have received the application and our staff has become familiar with the proposed project. However, we are available by phone to discuss your projects, and may schedule pre-grant interviews as time allows.
How often do you consider proposals?
The Foundation’s grant-making body meets at least ten times per year.
How will I know if you received my proposal?
We acknowledge receipt of every proposal by letter within a week.
Do you fund general operating expenses?
Generally, we do not fund the annual budget of established organizations. Rather than being a source of funds to maintain the current level of services, we prefer to help organizations reach more people through new programs or expansion of existing services. However, under certain circumstances we will support the start-up of new organizations or efforts to strengthen the organizational capacity of existing ones.
Do you give grants to individuals?
No. Under the terms of its charter, The Meadows Foundation can distribute grants only to qualified public entities or 501(C)(3) charities.
Do you give grants to organizations outside of Texas?
On rare occasions, the Foundation awards grants to organizations outside of Texas, provided that the funding is directed toward a program or project that directly benefits the people of Texas.
When and how will I know if my proposal has been accepted or rejected?
All applicants receive written communication regarding the disposition of their proposal. Proposals are usually processed within 3 to 4 months.
We recently submitted a proposal and were declined. May we re-submit?
Yes. Grant proposals are accepted at any time during the year. However, our policy limits grant requests from eligible organizations to one within each twelve-month period.
To whom should proposals be addressed?
Mr. Bruce H. Esterline
Vice President for Grants
The Meadows Foundation
3003 Swiss Avenue
Dallas, TX 75204
My grant was turned down. Can you tell me why?
Our state is large and its needs are great. Competition for grant funds is intense and there are a number of factors that determine if a request is declined. Most frequently it is because we are unable to fund every request that we receive. The Grant Review Committee looks for programs and projects that best meet the areas of interest outlined in the grant guidelines. We encourage those whose requests are declined to come back to us at a future time with another proposal.
Do you prefer to fund capital or program?
We prefer that you determine your highest priority. At any given time, about half of our grants are for capital projects and half are for program support.
Can you help us with writing the grant proposal?
While the Foundation does not provide a grant-writing service, we encourage applicants to follow our guidelines in preparing a proposal and to call if they have a question. We also refer callers to a Center for Nonprofit Management Assistance in their area that can help. A list of centers can be found at www.txnetwork.org.
I’m a new organization and don’t have all the information requested in the guidelines. Can I still apply?
Yes. Send the most current information you have. Once your proposal is reviewed, a member of our staff will call you if additional information is required.
Do you require a letter of intent before submitting a proposal?
No. We prefer that applicants submit a complete proposal.
Should we wait to hear from you before applying to others?
No. It is a good idea to submit applications to multiple sources of funding, as doing so will improve your chances of success.
Will MFI consider loans?
Yes, in limited instances. When the applicant prefers this form of assistance, and when it can demonstrate the ability to repay the loan in a reasonable time period, usually 1-5 years.
Do you need multiple copies of our proposal; should they be bound?
No. Only one unbound copy is necessary.
Are there areas in which you don’t make grants?
Yes. In general the Foundation does not make grants to construct churches or seminaries; to underwrite fundraising events, professional conferences, symposia, out-of-state performances or competition expenses; or toward general sustentation drives.
Should we include letters of support?
Generally, they are not necessary. If they are needed, the staff person reviewing your proposal will ask for them.
Before I submit a proposal, can you tell me if the Foundation is interested or would consider the type of grant I am looking for?
We can give you a better response after seeing a full proposal. As long as the proposal reflects the interests of the Foundation as outlined in the guidelines, we would like a chance to review it.
Will you do a site visit and should we invite your Board members for a visit?
The staff person reviewing your application will determine the need for a site visit.
Does the Meadows Foundation grant money to commercial businesses?
No, the Foundation does not fund for-profit, organizations.
Do you fund scholarships?
Occasionally and on a limited basis. However, you may wish to research the following web-sites:
www.college-scholarships.com
www.freschinfo.com
www.collegboard.org
scholarships.fatomei.com
Is there a person responsible for handling grants in specific areas of funding?
No. Proposals are not assigned to staff based on specific areas of funding. Our grants staff is trained to review all types of requests.


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