Applying for a grant from the Hartford Foundation is an interactive process.  It begins with a conversation with a program officer, who will guide you through the process, which we hope is not onerous.  Applications are accepted throughout the year, and decisions are made after due diligence by the Foundation.

Here are the key steps in the grant application process:

Step 1: Inquiry

• Review the About Our Grantmaking section of this website, or the Guidelines for Grantseekers document to determine if your organization and project may be eligible.
• Call the Foundation and speak with one of our program officers.  If you have worked with one of them in the past, feel free to contact him or her.  Otherwise, our receptionist will be happy to connect you with a program officer.

Step 2: Determining Eligibility

• If this is the first time you have requested a grant, or if it has been a few years since your last grant, the program officer will ask questions about your organization, such as:
  • Are you an IRS-designated 501 (c) (3) nonprofit?
  • Are you located in the Foundation’s 29-town region? Do you serve a substantial number of area residents?
  • How is your board comprised? Do your board and staff represent the community you serve?  (In particular, we look for appropriate representation of African Americans and Latinos.)

If your agency does not satisfy these criteria, your request will most likely be discouraged at this time. To help you find other potential sources of support, the Foundation has compiled a list, which is available at www.hfpg.org/grantresources or can be emailed to you.

• If your agency does satisfy these criteria, then the program officer, by telephone or in a meeting, will ask you more about the project you are proposing, such as:
  • What is the community benefit you will provide?
  • Who will benefit?
  • What need does the project respond to in the community?
  • Is this a new project or an enhancement or expansion of an existing project?
  • Who else, if anyone, is addressing this need or providing this benefit?
  • How will you achieve these community benefits?
  • How do you know the activities will achieve the benefits you seek? What is your rationale? Are they based on evidence from research or best practices?
  • How will you know you have achieved the anticipated community benefits?
  • How will you measure the outcomes of the project?
  • What resources will you need to carry out project activities?

Click here to read more about the Foundation's evaluation criteria for grant applications.

• The program officer may ask you for a two-page concept paper (which is not a formal application). This concept paper should very briefly describe your agency, the project for which you are seeking support, project activities, and project/community outcomes.  It should also include a preliminary budget and plan to sustain the project.
• The program will officer will share the concept paper with other program staff and senior staff at the Foundation to seek their input.  If it is determined that your request meets the Foundation’s eligibility criteria, you will be asked to complete a grant application.
• If request is deemed not eligible for Foundation funding, the program officer will inform you as soon as possible. 
• From first contact to this point, our goal is to provide feedback within four to six weeks, assuming that the program officer has all of the necessary information.

Step 3:  Submitting the Grant Application

• Applications for all types of grants, except summer program grants, may be submitted at any time of the year.  We do not typically use RFPs or submission deadlines.
• When you submit an application, we will let you know that we have received it and whether it is complete or if other materials are needed.

Step 4:  Reviewing the Application

• Once the application is complete, it is reviewed by a program officer, who researches the proposal and shepherds it through the grantmaking process.
• The program officer’s role is to ensure that the grant request is clear and complete to allow full consideration.  It’s important to know that the program officer, while always trying to be helpful, serves as an objective reviewer for the Foundation and is not an advocate for the applicant.
• While the Board of Directors is the final authority on grant decisions, it has delegated some decision-making to a Board subcommittee and some to senior staff, depending on the certain criteria such as amount requested.  This allows some applications to be expedited.  Your program officer will let you know which review process will be used for your application.
• In addition to reviewing the written proposal, the program officer may also:
  • Ask to meet with members of your agency’s board and staff;
  • Conduct one or more site visits;
  • Contact other agencies, community leaders and individuals familiar with the applicant and the need that the proposal addresses;
  • Thoroughly analyze financial and other relevant data; and
  • Discuss the application with other Foundation staff.

Step 5:  Decision on the Application

• Once the review is completed, process, the program officer prepares a report (or “write-up”) for the decision-maker (Board, subcommittee or senior staff).  The write-up usually includes: brief background on the agency, description of the project and proposed use of funds, community benefits/outcomes to be achieved and how they will be measured, budget and staffing information, and advantages and disadvantages of Foundation support for the project.  The program officer or her/his assistant will let you know when the write-up is completed and approximately when a final decision will be made. 
• The review process typically takes approximately 90 days from submission of the full application, including all necessary documents.  Expedited decisions can be made in certain circumstances.  Complex applications require more time.  In particular, more time may be needed if questions arise regarding the viability and impact of the project.

If, at any time, during the application process, you have questions or concerns, you should feel free to call the program officer.