burke foundation grantmaking process
frequently asked questions
A full description of the Burke Foundation’s funding criteria and application schedule can be found on the Burke Foundation’s website at http://www.theburkefoundation.org/apply.
We invite all organizations that fit our grants criteria to apply.
The Burke Foundation anticipates that the application process will be highly competitive. Because of the limited capacity of the Burke Foundation staff, there will not be an opportunity to discuss individual applications. If you have additional questions not covered on our FAQ page,
you may email [email protected].
We invite all organizations that fit our grants criteria to apply.
The Burke Foundation anticipates that the application process will be highly competitive. Because of the limited capacity of the Burke Foundation staff, there will not be an opportunity to discuss individual applications. If you have additional questions not covered on our FAQ page,
you may email [email protected].
General Parameters
How do I know if my organization is eligible to receive a grant from The Burke Foundation?
To request a grant from the Burke Foundation, your organization must be a federally tax-exempt, section 501(c)(3) charitable organization or have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, be focused on youth development or urban education, and serve youth in the City of Milwaukee.
How much money may an organization request?
Grant awards will range from a total of $15,000 to $250,000 for non-capital requests, and up to $500,000 for capital projects. Requests must be based on project need, and supporting financial documents will be heavily vetted.
Does it matter where my organization is based geographically?
The Burke Foundation will only consider organizations that serve youth in the City of Milwaukee.
How does the Burke Foundation define youth?
The Burke Foundation defines youth as age 0 to age 25.
What is the duration of the Burke Foundation grant?
Awarded grantees are eligible to receive funds from the Burke Foundation between one and two years. Grants will not be renewable.
Will the Burke Foundation fund capital projects through this grant?
Yes, capital projects will be considered in this grants process. Please indicate that your project is a capital project when completing the Letter of Intent form.
Will administrative costs be considered?
Operational/ administrative/ overhead costs will be considered in this grants process.
Will schools be considered?
Individual schools and school networks are welcome to apply for funding. For purposes of this LOI, the Burke Foundation is defining school networks as having a centralized administration that supports more than one campus. Please indicate that your organization is a school when completing the Letter of Intent form.
Are current and former Burke Foundation grantees eligible to apply for the Burke Foundation Award?
Yes, organizations that have been funded by the Burke Foundation are eligible to apply.
Are programs that receive United Way funding eligible for consideration?
Yes, organizations that have been funded by the United Way are eligible to apply.
Can my organization submit multiple applications for various projects?
For our 2020 cycle, the Burke Foundation will only accept one application per organization. Organizations may not re-apply for funding for the same project if they submitted a proposal in 2019. Exceptions will be made for organizations that are partnering with another organization on a project. In such cases, organizations may submit a Letter of Intent for their individual project, and also for their partnered project.
How has eligibility for this grant period changed since 2019?
The Burke Foundation has updated the grant criteria for the 2020 grants cycle. Organizations that submitted a proposal in 2019 are welcome to submit a new proposal for a different project in 2020. Please do not submit a Letter of Intent to the Burke Foundation for previous requested projects, as duplicates will not be considered. Only one project proposal may be submitted per organization (including collaborations).
What are the Burke Foundation’s preferences in terms of type of program to fund, age, partnerships, etc.?
By design, our application criteria is open and flexible to allow for creative projects. The number of grants we are expecting to award each round is also flexible, and we do not have any pre-determined numbers set.
There is intentionally no definition of urban education or youth development in the Burke Foundation grants process.Our intent is for organizations to share their understanding and experience of these fields within their Letters of Intent. Our mission is to serve youth - however, if your project model has secondary impacts, (full family support, community impacts, scholarships, etc.) please include that information in the application.
Application Process
How does an organization apply for a grant from the Burke Foundation?
Completing a Letter of Intent Form is the first step in applying for funding from the Burke Foundation. LOIs that demonstrate the most potential for meaningful impact will be invited to submit full proposals. Please note that we will not accept applications that are emailed, faxed, or mailed. Also note that we have NOT determined the dates of our next cycle of grant opportunities, though our application form remains open. Access the LOI form by following this link.
May I set up an appointment to discuss my project idea?
Because of limited staff capacity, the Burke Foundation will not be taking meetings or calls to discuss individual applications. You may submit questions about the Burke Foundation grants’ process or by emailing [email protected].
What is the timeline for the application process?
Applicants who advance beyond the Letter of Intent round will be invited to a virtual meeting, and provided a short list of targeted questions to prepare for that meeting. Virtual meetings will be by invitation only and will be held between October 19 and November 6, 2020.
If I am awarded a grant, what are the reporting requirements?
The Burke Foundation staff will work with the awarded organization(s) to discuss the reporting process, and to determine appropriate reporting dates. Reports may be required for grants longer than one year. The Burke Foundation will also schedule meetings for the duration of the grant to discuss the grant’s progress.
If I am award a grant, when will we receive the first payment?
The Burke Foundation staff will work with the awarded organization(s) to determine appropriate payment dates. The first payments may be made in December 2020 or January 2021, pending board approval.
Will the Burke Foundation meet with me to provide feedback on my denied application?
The Burke Foundation cannot provide individual feedback on denied applications due to the anticipated volume of the requests we anticipate receiving.
How do I know if my organization is eligible to receive a grant from The Burke Foundation?
To request a grant from the Burke Foundation, your organization must be a federally tax-exempt, section 501(c)(3) charitable organization or have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, be focused on youth development or urban education, and serve youth in the City of Milwaukee.
How much money may an organization request?
Grant awards will range from a total of $15,000 to $250,000 for non-capital requests, and up to $500,000 for capital projects. Requests must be based on project need, and supporting financial documents will be heavily vetted.
Does it matter where my organization is based geographically?
The Burke Foundation will only consider organizations that serve youth in the City of Milwaukee.
How does the Burke Foundation define youth?
The Burke Foundation defines youth as age 0 to age 25.
What is the duration of the Burke Foundation grant?
Awarded grantees are eligible to receive funds from the Burke Foundation between one and two years. Grants will not be renewable.
Will the Burke Foundation fund capital projects through this grant?
Yes, capital projects will be considered in this grants process. Please indicate that your project is a capital project when completing the Letter of Intent form.
Will administrative costs be considered?
Operational/ administrative/ overhead costs will be considered in this grants process.
Will schools be considered?
Individual schools and school networks are welcome to apply for funding. For purposes of this LOI, the Burke Foundation is defining school networks as having a centralized administration that supports more than one campus. Please indicate that your organization is a school when completing the Letter of Intent form.
Are current and former Burke Foundation grantees eligible to apply for the Burke Foundation Award?
Yes, organizations that have been funded by the Burke Foundation are eligible to apply.
Are programs that receive United Way funding eligible for consideration?
Yes, organizations that have been funded by the United Way are eligible to apply.
Can my organization submit multiple applications for various projects?
For our 2020 cycle, the Burke Foundation will only accept one application per organization. Organizations may not re-apply for funding for the same project if they submitted a proposal in 2019. Exceptions will be made for organizations that are partnering with another organization on a project. In such cases, organizations may submit a Letter of Intent for their individual project, and also for their partnered project.
How has eligibility for this grant period changed since 2019?
The Burke Foundation has updated the grant criteria for the 2020 grants cycle. Organizations that submitted a proposal in 2019 are welcome to submit a new proposal for a different project in 2020. Please do not submit a Letter of Intent to the Burke Foundation for previous requested projects, as duplicates will not be considered. Only one project proposal may be submitted per organization (including collaborations).
What are the Burke Foundation’s preferences in terms of type of program to fund, age, partnerships, etc.?
By design, our application criteria is open and flexible to allow for creative projects. The number of grants we are expecting to award each round is also flexible, and we do not have any pre-determined numbers set.
There is intentionally no definition of urban education or youth development in the Burke Foundation grants process.Our intent is for organizations to share their understanding and experience of these fields within their Letters of Intent. Our mission is to serve youth - however, if your project model has secondary impacts, (full family support, community impacts, scholarships, etc.) please include that information in the application.
Application Process
How does an organization apply for a grant from the Burke Foundation?
Completing a Letter of Intent Form is the first step in applying for funding from the Burke Foundation. LOIs that demonstrate the most potential for meaningful impact will be invited to submit full proposals. Please note that we will not accept applications that are emailed, faxed, or mailed. Also note that we have NOT determined the dates of our next cycle of grant opportunities, though our application form remains open. Access the LOI form by following this link.
May I set up an appointment to discuss my project idea?
Because of limited staff capacity, the Burke Foundation will not be taking meetings or calls to discuss individual applications. You may submit questions about the Burke Foundation grants’ process or by emailing [email protected].
What is the timeline for the application process?
- February 1, 2020, 11:59pm: Original Letters of Intent Submitted
- Thursday, July 23, 2020, from 9:00am – 10:00am: Q&A Session 1
- Tuesday, August 4, 2020, from 3:00pm – 4:00pm: Q&A Session 2
- Friday, September 4, 2020, noon: Proposal updates due. If the Foundation does not receive an updated submission, we will assess the applicant’s original proposal.
- October 1, 2020: Applicants will be notified of the status of their application. Rather than a full proposal narrative and in-person site visit, selected applicants will be invited to a virtual meeting and given specific questions to prepare to address during the meeting.
- October 19 – November 6, 2020: Virtual meetings
Applicants who advance beyond the Letter of Intent round will be invited to a virtual meeting, and provided a short list of targeted questions to prepare for that meeting. Virtual meetings will be by invitation only and will be held between October 19 and November 6, 2020.
If I am awarded a grant, what are the reporting requirements?
The Burke Foundation staff will work with the awarded organization(s) to discuss the reporting process, and to determine appropriate reporting dates. Reports may be required for grants longer than one year. The Burke Foundation will also schedule meetings for the duration of the grant to discuss the grant’s progress.
If I am award a grant, when will we receive the first payment?
The Burke Foundation staff will work with the awarded organization(s) to determine appropriate payment dates. The first payments may be made in December 2020 or January 2021, pending board approval.
Will the Burke Foundation meet with me to provide feedback on my denied application?
The Burke Foundation cannot provide individual feedback on denied applications due to the anticipated volume of the requests we anticipate receiving.