Grantmaking Programs

Competitive Grants

The Fund's competitive grantmaking program responds to individual proposals initiated by the eligible organizations. This program funds, on a competitive basis, the very best ideas that come forward. The objective of the proposal is determined by the applying organization. Quality of the idea, relevance to the organization's constituency and community, and consistency with the grantmaking goals of the Fund are the principal criteria that inform the trustee's grantmaking.

In 2007, the Fund awarded 95 competitive grants totaling $10,248,277.

Feasibility Grants

The Fund recognizes that programmatic excellence is defined both by an organization's vision and by its capacity to accomplish that vision. Feasibility grants, by providing limited, short-term funding, allow eligible organizations to ask and answer fundamental questions before undertaking new work. The typical feasibility grant ranges from $2,000-$5,000.

In 2007, the Fund awarded 22 feasibility grants totaling $105,560.

ELIGIBILITY
The Jessie Ball duPont Fund makes grants only to a defined universe of organizations. An organization is eligible if it received a contribution from Mrs. duPont between Jan. 1, 1960 and Dec. 31, 1964. Proof of eligibility is determined by examining Mrs. duPont's personal or tax records or by the applicant presenting written, verifiable evidence of having received a contribution during the eligibility period.

Religion Initiative

Among the religious organizations eligible for Fund support are religious judicatories, a synagogue and churches ranging from small rural congregations to large urban cathedrals.

The Fund supports these institutions through five grantmaking programs:

  1. People In Need Grants allow organizations, primarily churches, to provide charitable services to society's poorest members. In 2007, 70 organizations received People In Need Grants totaling $525,000. The institutions then redistributed 100 percent of these funds to the needy in their communities.
  2. Repair and Restoration Grants provide much-needed capital improvement dollars for church buildings. The Fund recognizes that a church's greatest and most urgent need often can be to maintain and repair the buildings that provide the place for ministry to happen. Under this program, churches can receive up to $50,000 from the Fund to renovate or repair their buildings. All dollars raised by the church will be matched on a 2:1 basis by the Fund. In 2007, 11 organizations received Repair and Restoration Grants totaling $557,987.
  3. Clergy Enrichment Funds allow clergy to attend conferences, take extended leaves, subscribe to theological journals or periodicals, or begin or complete studies in an accredited degree program. In 2007, the Fund supported 32 organizations through this program with grants totaling $122,758.
  4. Diocesan Enrichment Funds support professional development opportunities for clergy in the seven Episcopal Dioceses and one Catholic Archdiocese that are duPont eligible organizations. In 2007, the Fund made grants of $60,000 under this program.
  5. Technical Assistance Grants support purchase of computers, office and communications equipment and organizational management training. In 2007, the Fund made 15 grants totaling $57,130 under this program.

Nonprofit Initiative

Nonprofit organizations comprise the largest group of the Fund's eligible organizations - 150 out of roughly 330. The majority of these nonprofits are eligible for support through this initiative (excluded are 21 hospitals and four foundations). These nonprofits are eligible for two specific types of funding, and for the opportunity to attend the Jessie Ball duPont Fund Executive Institute.

  1. Executive Director's Discretionary Fund awards grants of $10,000 to one third of the eligible nonprofits each year on a rotating basis. 2007 Awards: 41 grants totaling $410,000.
  2. Nonprofit Technical Assistance provides support for technology needs, training or consultation to improve organizational operations.Eligible nonprofits may apply once every three years. 2007 Awards: 40 grants totaling $197,389.

Small Liberal Arts College Initiative

The Jessie Ball duPont Fund considers the small private liberal arts college to be among the nation's most vital assets. To support these institutions - 37 of which are eligible for duPont funding - the Fund created three programs:

  1. President's Discretionary Fund provides dollars - $10,000 to each institution every two years - to be used at the discretion of the institution's president to support institutional needs. In 2007, grants in this program totaled $180,000.
  2. Sabbatical Program provides grants to support sabbatical leave at the National Humanities Center in North Carolina. In 2007, the Fund supported one sabbatical leave at a cost of $88,200.
  3. Jessie Ball duPont Fund/National Humanities Summer Seminar is a three-week summer session held each June. In 2007, 31 college professors participated in seminars at the National Humanities Center campus in North Carolina, at a total cost of $250,573.

Independent Schools Initiative

The Fund supports 17 independent, pre-collegiate schools and has established two programs under this initiative.

  1. Independent School Discretionary Fund provides each school $10,000 of discretionary funding every other year. In 2007, awards totaled $80,000.
  2. Independent School Technical Assistance allows schools to apply for funding to support technology needs, training or consultation to improve organizational operations. In 2007, awards totaled $40,000.

Relief Grants

The trustees occasionally make, on an unsolicited basis, relief grants in response to disasters or other extraordinary events. These grants are made solely at the discretion of the trustees. No grants were awarded in this category in 2007.

Awards

The Jessie Ball duPont Fund bestows three awards recognizing excellence on the part of individuals and institutions:

  • Jessie Ball duPont Fund Award - The award honors selected individuals chosen for vision, courage, integrity, creativity, perseverance and compassion, whose life work focuses on promoting justice, equality and compassion in their communities.
  • Jessie Ball duPont Fund Turnaround Award - Recognizes the critical difference one individual can make in the health and relevance of an institution.
  • Jessie Ball duPont Fund Making A Difference Award - Recognizes an individual, group or institution for creating a program that meets a critical societal need.

No awards were announced in 2007.



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