John H. and H. Naomi Tomfohrde Foundation

Purpose and Overview:

The Tomfohrde Foundation may make grants "…for charitable purposes or to charitable organizations, with particular focus on supporting the work of charitable institutions, organizations and agencies in the New England area and particularly in Greater Boston, which are dedicated to the cultural, social and civic betterment of the community and particularly which foster the advancement of higher education, the classic arts, scientific research in biomedicine and the improvement of community health…" (From the Declaration of the Trust of the John H. and H. Naomi Tomfohrde Foundation)

Funding Priorities in 2010

The Trustees will focus the majority of grants on programs that address basic needs that have grown as a result of the recent economic downturn; and programs that generally prepare individuals for economic success and self-sufficiency. The Trustees will continue to make grants for other purposes, but on a somewhat limited basis.

General Guidelines and Policies

• Applicants are required to submit a Preliminary Application – Concept Cover Letter prior to submitting a full application. This may be done by clicking on the » Preliminary Application – Concept Cover Letter « link below. The Preliminary Application – Concept Cover Letter should not exceed one page and should include a brief description of your organization, an outline of project activities and goals, potential collaborators, an estimate of the project cost and the amount you intend to request. The 2010 due dates for the Preliminary Application - Concept Cover Letter are as follows: January 5th, April 15th and August 15th. Detailed instructions on the web-page will guide you through this process. All questions should be directed to the grants coordinator.



» Preliminary Application - Concept Cover Letter «

• Only Applicants whose Preliminary Application - Concept Cover Letter has been approved by the Trustees will be invited to submit a Full Proposal to the Trust. The Trustees meet to review Full Proposals during the second week of February, June and October. As with the Preliminary Application, Full Proposals must be submitted on-line.



• Grants generally range in amounts up to $10,000, and a typical grant size is $5,000.



• In order to permit other worthy organizations an opportunity to benefit from the limited resources at the Foundation's disposal, we request that any organization receiving a grant allow at least three years to elapse before applying for further support from the Foundation.



• Because the Tomfohrde Foundation is a relatively small funder, the Trustees find that their limited resources have a greater impact on smaller organizations that have a demonstrated financial stability and sustainability.



• Applicant organizations that neglect to submit a final report on previous programs supported by the Foundation should not expect to receive a favorable response on a current request.



• Applications for grants to cover operating expenses are generally declined. The Trustees recognize, however, that funds provided for special purposes may be a factor in balancing the budget for that year. "Special purposes" include innovative programs instituted by the organization or projects that are designed to enhance its future viability and the continuity of its work. It is anticipated that such programs and projects will, if successful, receive ongoing support from sources other than the Foundation.



• Proposals should be as concise and brief as possible.



• Additional materials pertinent to the proposal may be submitted to the grants coordinator by mail. Please do not send DVD’s or videos.



• The Foundation Trustees will pay particular attention to the composition of an organization's governing board which should include people from diverse backgrounds, professions and occupations who are active and visible in the community served.



• The Trustees will frequently require an applicant organization to seek funds to match a grant from the Foundation. Such challenge grants have proven to be an incentive to organizations to develop other funding sources in the community and at the same time, to raise public awareness of their programs and activities.



• Applicants may be asked to submit, by mail or fax, a federal tax exemption letter and a financial statement signed by a CPA covering the most recently completed fiscal year. The tax exemption letter should state that the organization is not a private foundation.

• Final Grant Report: If you have received a grant and have been notified to complete a Final Grant Report, you can access the report by logging back into the application through the link above. Upon logging in, at the bottom of the Welcome page, you should see a 'Report' link associated with the request you have received funding for.



• To review grants made last year, click here

Trustees                         William B. Tyler and Albert M. Fortier, Jr.

Grants Coordinator:       Susan T. Monahan,