Stonewalls Grace the Natural Landscape

Morning Glories Grace a Garden Gate

The Serenity of the Rural Landscape on Martha's Vineyard

Grant Review Process

The Permanent Endowment is a family of funds, each with its own name and purpose.  These funds have been established by individual donors, families and organizations as a way to provide support to enhance the quality of life on Martha’s Vineyard.

Grant requests are considered twice a year, in the spring and in the fall.  The deadlines for the 2012 grant cycles are February 15th and September 15th.  In general, grants range in size from $1,000 to $5,000.  Application materials are available on this website.  The Endowment’s staff reviews all applications and follows up on missing information or with questions regarding a submission.  An incomplete application will be deferred until all of the necessary information has been provided.

Organizations submitting complete requests for funding will be scheduled to meet with representatives of the Endowment’s Board.  Typically, an organization’s executive director and project manager, as well as a representative of the board, participate in these 15 minute meetings. The purpose is to provide grant seekers the opportunity to describe their organization, discuss their proposal, amplify information provided in the written application and answer questions about the project.  Sessions are informal and designed to provide a better understanding of a project’s goals, activities to be undertaken and anticipated impact on the community.  In some cases, additional information may be requested to help clarify a project.

Applications are reviewed by the Endowment’s Board which votes on each request and determines the amount of every grant approved.  All applicants are notified of the Board’s action, usually within a few weeks of the Board’s decision.

Organizations receiving grants from the Endowment are required to submit a final report on program activities within a year of the grant award.  The report consists of a narrative on the outcome of the initiative and a final financial accounting.  Subsequent requests for support will not be considered until all reports for prior grants have been received.