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FAQs

What is the Foundation’s grantmaking process?

Ordinarily our staff contacts nonprofit organizations of interest for a preliminary conversation about their work and how a grantmaking partnership with the W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation might help to advance it. We then present the work to a program committee of our Board, and review the grantmaking possibilities with them. Once the program committee has expressed a strong interest in the work, we contact the organization and work with them on a proposal submission process. The Board of Trustees has the final decision on which organizations the Foundation will fund.

We do not accept unsolicited proposals.

What is the timing of your grant cycles, and what is the deadline for proposal submission? Overall, how long does it take to receive a grant?

The Foundation has two grant cycles per year—one in the spring around late April/early May, and one in the fall, usually in late October. When organizations are invited to submit a proposal to the Foundation, our staff makes arrangements with each of them individually to schedule a date for proposal submission that will work for both parties’ timelines.

Because our staff is in continual communication with potential grantees, the timing for receiving a grant can be anywhere from 6 months to a year from initial contact.

Since the Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, how should an organization contact you about the possibility of seeking a grant?

If the Foundation begins to accept unsolicited proposals, we will post that information to this website.

Does the Foundation award grants or scholarships to individuals?

No. The Foundation only funds tax-exempt nonprofit organizations as described in the Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c) (3). Please see our Resources page for links to other organizations that might be able to assist in your search for funding.

What is the Foundation’s geographic service area?

The Foundation concentrates its giving in Boston, New York, Chicago the San Francisco Bay Area, and Philadelphia and the states in which they are located. These are also areas in which Foundation family trustees have affiliation. On occasion we have funded programs with a national focus or organizations outside these metropolitan areas because they are doing vital work that advances our mission.

Does the Foundation award multi-year grants?

The Foundation makes grant awards on a multi-year and on a yearly basis. We have a strong track record of renewing grantees, based on their ability to accomplish the work they set out to do and their ability to make program refinements, based on their own assessment of what is working well.

Does the foundation award general operating support as well as restricted program support?

Yes, the Foundation provides general operating support to grantees. We recognize that general operating funds can be hard to raise, and that those funds are necessary to support core work of organizations.

Are there any requests that will NOT be considered for funding?

Yes. Please review the list below before contacting us.

The Foundation typically does not fund:

  • Direct support to individuals
  • Endowment campaigns
  • Fundraising events, such as dinners or lunches
  • Capital campaigns
  • Individual schools

How can I obtain copies of the books W. Clement Stone wrote?

The Foundation does not sell or distribute any of W. Clement Stone’s books. However, copies of his publications are readily available from bookstores and commercial web sites.