The Foundation welcomes requests throughout the year.  However, in order to be considered at the next Board meeting, complete written proposals must be received in the Foundation office by 4:30 p.m. on the following deadline days:

January 1 - for the Spring Meeting

April 1 - for the Summer Meeting

July 1 - for the Fall Meeting

October 1 - for the Winter Meeting

Due to the large volume of requests that the Foundation receives, it is helpful to receive proposals prior to the specific deadlines.    Postmarks, faxes and emails are not accepted.

Please direct all written correspondence to:

John. H. Alexander, Jr.

President

Helen K. and Arthur E. Johnson Foundation

1700 Broadway, Suite 1100

Denver, Colorado 80290-1718

Preliminary Letter

If you have never been funded by the Johnson Foundation, please send a preliminary letter of not more than two pages outlining mission, program and need.  This letter will be reviewed by the Board of Trustees at their next scheduled meeting, and applicants will be notified of their decision.  If the Trustees wish to see a full proposal, information will be sent to the applicant outlining the procedures and timing of such a proposal.  The Foundation will consider one preliminary letter per organization per 12 month period.

Previously Funded Applicants

Please submit one copy of a full proposal in accordance with the guidelines listed below.  The Common Grant application is not accepted.  The Foundation will consider one full proposal per organization per 12 month period. 

If there are questions about the requirements, please call the Foundation office at 303-861-4127.

Full Proposal Guidelines

• A concise cover letter that briefly describes your program and states the amount and purpose of the request.  The letter must be signed by both the Chief Executive Officer and the Chair of the Board of Directors.
• A Cover Sheet with the following information:  Organization Name, Address, Chief Executive Officer, Phone Number with extension if needed, Fax Number, Web Site, Email address, Main Contact Name and Title (if different from CEO) with phone number and email, Requested Amount, Purpose of Request
• A Narrative section including: 
• The history and background of your organization, its goals and objectives.
• A description of your organization’s programs and those they serve.  If the request is for a specific project or capital purpose, please include a discussion of its objectives.
• A discussion of the relevance of your program to similar community programs and your collaborative efforts.
• The timetable for accomplishing your program’s specific objectives.
• A realistic plan for the long-term funding needs for your program.
• The method for evaluating the success of your project or program.
• A list of your current Board of Trustees or Directors with name and affiliation
• A complete operating budget, and if appropriate, a project budget, for the grant period.  The operating budget revenues should be summarized into no more than five (5) main sources of funding and the expenses into three (3) categories – Salaries and benefits, Administration and Program.
• Copies of your financial statements (preferably audited) for the last two (2) fiscal years.  At the very least, these should include a balance sheet and a statement of revenue and expenses.
• A list of other funding agencies receiving a similar proposal from you.  Include the names and dollar amounts requested of those who have given to your project, pending requests and those who have declined.
• A copy of the IRS letter confirming your tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) and 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. 
• Upon receipt of your proposal, the Foundation will send you two (2) documents to complete and return to the Foundation by a specified deadline.  These include:
• A Board and Community Support Form.
• A Tax Exempt Status Certificate

PLEASE NOTE:  Organizations that have submitted proposals to the Foundation in the past should, nevertheless, include all the information requested above.  Do not rely upon previously submitted applications. 

REPORTING

Approximately one year after the award of a grant, the Johnson Foundation will request a written report evaluating the use of its grant funds. The Foundation will send the form to be used for this report at the appropriate time.

To print out a copy of these guidelines, click on the document below.

Grant application procedures