Apply For Funding

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for funding, applicants must be nonprofit organizations and recognized by the IRS as tax-exempt under Sections 501(c)3.

The Tom and Frances Leach Foundation Does Not Fund:

• Individuals
• For-profit businesses
• Organizations that do not have a Federal Tax ID Number

Apply for Funding

The Foundation will no longer accept paper applications and has moved to an online application process. We are establishing this process via Submittable to ensure that we collect consistent information from all applicants. Follow the link below, submit your application with accurate information, and provide all the required appendices. Should a grant request be successfully approved, grantees will be notified by email, and awards will be issued on or before December 31st of that year.

Please note that the Foundation generally accepts only one application per grantee per year.

Multi-year grantees: Once you have received the final installment payment of your multi-year award, your organization can apply for new funding in the next grant cycle.

Organizations that receive multi-year grants must submit an interim report every year by June 30th.

Current grantees of the Foundation who have questions regarding applying for funding, please feel free to contact the Grant Coordinator by email at [email protected] or by calling 701-255-0479.

Selection Process

All proposals are reviewed by the Foundation’s Grant Coordinator. The Grant Coordinator may contact applicants with questions and request more information before presenting a summary of each proposal and a funding recommendation to the board of directors. Proposals are assessed based on:

• Their alignment with the Foundation’s funding priorities;
• The organization’s capacity to carry out the expected activities without duplicating services already provided;
• How effectively the proposed activities can address an expressed need in the community; and
• The likelihood of achieving measurable, positive impact.

The ultimate grant making decision resides with the board of directors and is usually determined during the Foundation’s annual board meeting each November. Once a decision is made, applicants are generally notified within three weeks.