100 YEARS OF PURPOSE & PASSION
$100,000 GRANT AWARD PROGRAM
"No child is ‘perfectly’ whole in mind, body, spirit, ability…nor can any child meet all of a parent’s hope and expectations. Yet there is a wholeness of each and every child, a wholeness that is unique and brings with it a unique set of possibilities and limitations, a unique set of opportunities for fulfillment."
- Fred Rogers
From our beginnings dating back to 1910, the mission of The Children’s Guild Foundation has been one of creating positive change in the lives of children with special needs and their families through support and advocacy in the areas of health care, research, education and therapeutic recreation. In our hearts we consider these children, our children. And over these years, our organization has provided, supported and advocated for advancements in the care and treatment of our children in all the above focus areas as a way for them to find their path in life and to contribute to the greater good of the community.
As an organization, we understand that to accomplish our mission we must create new paths and partnerships to achieve our goals going forward. Seeking out existing organizations that share our vision, helping to create new collaborations, and working with non profits, professionals, corporations and colleagues will be instrumental in making progress for our children. Through our current funding, over 3,000 children with special needs and their families across Western New York are annually afforded opportunities that affect their lives for the better. In addition to our program and service grants, we make possible research studies that positively impact thousands more through diagnosis, treatment and care. But, there is still much more that can be accomplished. It is our hope to do this by using as a catalyst our 100th Anniversary year (2010) in a way to energize the Western New York community around the issues, both positive and negative, that our children and their families face everyday.
We financially support within the community healthcare professionals, medical researchers, special needs teachers and program experts dedicated to meeting the on-going challenges of special needs conditions which afflict children and impact their families. Our focus areas include medical, behavioral, developmental, learning and mental health for children from birth to 25 years of age.
The Children’s Guild Foundation seeks to increase public awareness of the status of programs and services for children and bring forth knowledge of the challenges they endure and successes they achieve to better educate the Western New York community. From this, we hope to inspire others to support our children by getting involved in the work being done through volunteerism and/or philanthropy as well as possibly inspiring individuals to pursue a career in the field of pediatric special needs.
The Children’s Guild Foundation’s 100th Anniversary
$100,000 Purpose & Passion Grant
The Children’s Guild Foundation is acknowledging its 100th year serving the community by granting a special $100,000 Purpose & Passion Grant award to an organization or collaborative effort that embodies the Foundation’s vision for the future within its focus areas of healthcare, research, education and therapeutic recreation: "to be a catalyst of demonstrable change for children with special needs and their families by creating opportunities that will allow them to achieve their highest potential."
The grant will be awarded to the selected recipient(s) in October of 2010 at an event organized to highlight the opportunities made possible by the funding. In addition, at the event the Foundation will honor individuals and groups for their exceptional contributions to the community of special needs children. These recipients will receive a one-time $1,000 grant to be given to a nonprofit organization of their choice working in the field of special needs. This event will be designed to foster an environment of shared success and commitment to the focus of children with special needs. It will also highlight activities and showcase role models within the areas of medical, behavioral, developmental, learning and mental health.
The Children's Guild Foundation acknowledges its 100th Year of Purpose & Passion Partners for their support of the Foundation's activities during 2010:
CBS Sports commentator & former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Steve Tasker & his wife, Sarah Tasker
PROPOSAL PROCEDURE
LETTER OF INQUIRY
Submitted to the Foundation no later than February 15, 2010
• The letter of inquiry is to be a narrative summary of the proposal idea along with an estimated budget.
• The letter is to be on institutional letterhead, generally no longer than three pages plus one page for the budget.
• The letter is to be signed by the executive director(s) and board chair(s) of the submitting organization(s)
• The letter is to be addressed to the President of the Foundation.
• The letter will form the basis of a follow-up conversation between the applicant(s) and the President of the Foundation.
Upon review of the proposal narrative, the President will contact the submitter(s) to request a full proposal or to indicate that the proposed idea is not within the Foundation’s focus area or criteria.
Please submit letter to:
The Children’s Guild Foundation
Attn: Catherine A. Gura - President
726 Exchange Street, Suite 1016
Buffalo, New York 14210
Phone: 716-362-9650
E-mail: cgura@thechildrensguild.org
PROPOSAL
Submitted to the Foundation no later than June 1, 2010
A summary of the proposal in a cover letter on the letterhead of the organization(s) signed by the executive director(s) and board chair(s). If the contact person for the proposal is different from the signing officer, please provide that information.
The proposal narrative should be concise and include the following information:
- Statement of need for the proposed program, including current supporting data.
- Objectives of the proposal, including descriptions of persons or groups that will benefit.
- Detailed work plan including collaborating organizations and timetable of activities.
- Method of evaluating the project’s outcomes.
- Plan for securing continued support beyond the initial grant period, including relevant potential sources of funding (public or private.)
The proposal budget should include the following information:
- A one page line-item budget for the proposed activity, including total cost, sources of income from other funders already committed (if applicable), the organization’s financial commitment, and the amount requested from the Foundation
- A budget narrative that explains line items (if not obvious), and how amounts in the budget were determined.
Supplemental Information should include:
- Brief description of the history and mission of the organization
- Description of current programs, including program goals and persons served
- A list of the board of directors and officers including affiliations
- Current annual operating budget for the organization
- Tax exemption letter from the Internal Revenue Service under Code Section 501(c)(3)
- Most recent audited financial statements
- Draft memorandums of understanding in collaborative efforts
- Recognition plans
- Any other pertinent supplemental documents as discussed with the President of the Foundation
* Please Note: 13 copies of the proposal are to be mailed/delivered to:
The Children’s Guild Foundation
Attn: Catherine A. Gura - President
726 Exchange Street, Suite 1016
Buffalo, New York 14210
* 1 copy is to be emailed to: ckollmar@thechildrensguild.org
Submissions should be unbound except by a paper clip – no staples, folders, tabs, or ring binders.
The Children’s Guild Foundation requires every recipient organization to submit evaluation reports during and at the conclusion of the grant period. Information on reporting will be given on approval of the proposal. Grantees may also be asked to participate in site visits by the Foundation directors and staff and/or in formal presentations to the board of directors.
This award will be in addition to the regular grant application process of the Foundation in the areas of healthcare, research, education and therapeutic recreation. The regular grant process will continue to occur monthly throughout the year.
Grant Award Announcement:
October 2010 – Date to be announced