HOW TO APPLY FOR A BASEBALL TOMORROW FUND GRANT
7 – 2/2011 – Baseball Tomorrow Fund – Grant Application
PLEASE READ!
7 – 2/2011 – Baseball Tomorrow Fund – Grant Application
The Baseball Tomorrow Fund (BTF) will initially evaluate your request based on the following key criteria – Does this project...
§ Increase the number of youth participating in baseball and softball programs?
§ Improve the quality of youth baseball and softball programs?
§ Create new or innovative ways of expanding and improving baseball or softball programs?
§ Generate matching funds?
§ Address programs for children aged 10-16?
§ Support existing programs which have demonstrated success in providing a quality baseball or softball experience for youth?
§ Address opportunities for minorities and women?
The Baseball Tomorrow Fund will also evaluate the each applicant’s ability to demonstrate its:
§ Commitment to increase youth participation in baseball and softball and to be inclusive in all areas of its program;
§ Thorough planning of the proposed project;
§ Ability to be self-sustaining operationally and its ability to maintain fields and facilities on an on-going basis;
§ Strong partnerships with other organizations, agencies, local business community and individuals;
§ Willingness and ability to provide complete and accurate information during the application and review process;
§ Ability to manage and account for the use of grant funds, provide complete and meaningful quarterly and final reports and willingness to adhere to the Baseball Tomorrow Fund Terms and Conditions and Grant Recipient Responsibilities.
Before submitting a letter of inquiry, please read carefully and consider the following important information:
§ Non-profit and tax-exempt organizations involved in youth baseball and softball programs are eligible to apply. An application must designate ONE organization as the applicant.
§ BTF is intended to provide funding for incremental programming and facilities for youth baseball and softball programs, not for normal operating expenses or as a substitute for existing funding or fundraising activities.
§ BTF generally considers projects that include capital expenditures for youth baseball and softball programs such as baseball/softball equipment and uniforms, basic baseball/softball field renovations and construction (e.g. infield mix, sod/seeding, bases, dugouts, fencing, field lighting, irrigation system, grading, etc.)
§ Expenditures such as annual operating expenses (i.e. salaries, field rental, umpire fees, insurance, administrative expenses, membership dues, advertising and promotional expenses, bank charges or audit expenses, etc.), other third party overhead costs, the purchase of land, multi-sport facilities, parking lots, concession stands, grandstands and restrooms will not be considered for BTF funding. Baseball and softball fields used by other sports and activities other than youth baseball and softball (i.e. soccer in the outfield, community festivals, adult softball leagues, etc.) will not be considered for BTF funding.
§ Please note that most successful applications demonstrate a high ratio of confirmed matching funds – a minimum match of 50% is generally required for further consideration.
7 – 2/2011 – Baseball Tomorrow Fund – Grant Application
IMPORTANT: For evaluation criteria related to travel team expense, field lighting and international requests, please click here Travel, Lighting and International Criteria.
Step 1: Letter of Inquiry
§ A letter of inquiry (consisting of no more than two pages) on organization letterhead must be submitted to determine whether the project meets the basic criteria of the Baseball Tomorrow Fund. The letter must include:
– Legal name of the applicant organization and the date of the request;
– Contact person – include name, job title or position, daytime phone number, complete mailing address, E-mail address , organization web address (if any) and signature.
– Brief description of the applicant organization and program, including the non-profit or tax-exempt status and summary of the proposed project, including how BTF grant funds will be used and project start date – please be specific;
– Participation information – include the total children will be affected by this project and how the project will increase participation in youth baseball and/or softball;
– Demographic information – include age, gender, economic status, ethnicity, etc. for the children served by this project;
– Total cost of the proposed project, amount requested from the Baseball Tomorrow Fund and amount of matching funds currently available for the project – include both cash and in-kind.
§ Please mail one (1) copy of the letter of inquiry to: Baseball Tomorrow Fund, 245 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10167 OR E-mail as a PDF document to: . Keep a copy for your files.
§ The receipt of the letter of inquiry will be confirmed via E-mail within one month of receipt; therefore, please provide a reliable E-mail address that is checked daily. The contact person will be notified if a formal grant application is requested.
Step 2: Grant Application
If you are invited to submit a formal grant application, include only information that creates a better understanding of the project and how it corresponds to the Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant evaluation criteria.
§ We strongly suggest downloading the application as a Microsoft Word document by clicking here How To Apply and to enter the information into the document, save and print. An application help guide with examples of content and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) can also be found here. Handwritten applications will not be considered.
§ Please mail one (1) original and one (1) copy of the completed grant application and all supporting materials to: Baseball Tomorrow Fund, 245 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10167 OR as PDF document to: . Please keep a copy of the application for your files.
§ The receipt of the application will be confirmed via E-mail within one month; therefore, please provide a reliable E-mail address that is checked daily.
§ Applicants will receive written confirmation of the status of the application in the month grants are awards:
Grant Review Process Timeline
Review Cycle / Application Deadline / Grants Awarded / Grant Payment (tentative)JANUARY-MARCH / 1 January / April / May
APRIL-JUNE / 1 April / July / August
JULY-SEPTEMBER / 1 July / October / November
OCTOBER-DECEMBER / 1 October / January / February
§ Application deadlines are for applications only. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications prior to the deadline. Postmark dates are not considered. Applications received after a deadline may be deferred to the next review cycle.
§ Letters of inquiry may be submitted at anytime. Please allow at least one month for the review of a letter of inquiry.
§ The length of the review process is 3-6 months, and the grant payment process is at least four weeks. Grant funds are not awarded for past expenditures, so please plan the project timeline accordingly.
REQUIRED Support Materials for all applications
Attach the ALL of the following documents must be attached to the back of the application. Do not omit any of the required documentation.
¨ IRS Determination Letter confirming the 501(c)(3) non-profit status of the applicant organization. Organizations outside the U.S. must attach written confirmation of non-profit or tax-exempt status from the appropriate governmental agency.
¨ Applicant organization’s annual operating budget (a one-page statement listing sources of revenue and income and operating expenses.)
¨ Applicant organization’s youth baseball and/or softball annual budget if different from the applicant organization’s annual operating budget (a one-page statement listing sources of revenue and income and operating expenses.)
¨ Written cost estimates from vendors, retailers, etc. for requested budget items. Cost estimates must be on vendor invoice/letterhead and include a date, vendor contact information, quantities and product specifications.
¨ Letters of support from at least two organizations (other than the applicant organization) affected by or involved in the project.
¨ Name and contact information for the person responsible for project oversight, the use of grant funds and grant reporting responsibilities (if different than the application contact person.)
¨ Name(s), professional affiliation and daytime phone numbers of all members of the applicant organization's Board of Directors.
¨ Name(s) and qualifications of key personnel and outside consultants (if any.)
ADDITIONAL REQUIRED SUPPORT MATERIALS
For all Field Construction, Renovation and Field Lighting Requests
In addition to the required items listed above, ALL of the following documents must be attached to the back of the application. Do not omit any of the required documentation.
¨ Current color photos (2-3 each) of the available facilities, proposed field(s) for renovation and/or construction site. For examples of effective field photos, click here Helpful Photos.
¨ Construction design plans (letter-size only) denoting field dimensions and specifications.
¨ Game day, monthly and yearly schedule of field maintenance work.
READ THIS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT AN APPLICATION:
§ Read the Baseball Tomorrow Fund Terms & Conditions.
§ Find information, application help and tips on http://www.baseballtomorrowfund.com/.
§ A complete grant application and supporting documentation is REQUIRED for further consideration. Incomplete applications may be automatically declined.
§ Please number each page of the application and supporting documentation.
§ The original and copy of the application must be collated and clipped individually. Please do not use staples within the application. Do not use report covers, binders or folders of any kind.
§ Do not send video tapes, DVDs, CD-ROMs, books, etc. (unless it is a sample of requested budget item.)
§ Confirmation and follow-up inquiries from BTF to the applicant will be sent via E-mail to the contact person; therefore, please provide a reliable E-mail address that is checked daily.
§ Save the application instructions for your reference. Do not submit the instruction pages with the application.
§ Save a copy of the completed application and supporting documentation for your files and future reference.
BASEBALL TOMORROW FUND TERMS AND CONDITIONS
By signing the application form, the applicant hereby assures and certifies that it will comply with Baseball Tomorrow Fund regulations, policies, principles and guidelines as stated in the grant application. The Applicant also assures or agrees that:
1. It possesses legal authority to apply for the grant, that a resolution and/or motion of similar action has been duly adopted or passed as an official act of the applicant’s governing body, authorizing the filing of the application, including all understandings and assurances contained therein, and directing and authorizing the person identified as the official representative of the applicant to act in connection with the application, and to provide such additional information as may be required;
2. It will comply with all national, state, and provincial mandates which prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, gender or disability;
3. It will fulfill, to the greatest extent possible, all project tasks, goals, objectives, and expenditures stated in the application;
4. It will not expend Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant funds for any other purpose other than that identified in the grant application without the prior written approval of the Baseball Tomorrow Fund.
5. It will not expend any funds other than for the purposes of the approved grant during the grant term, and it will immediately return to the Baseball Tomorrow Fund any unused funds;
6. It will provide quarterly reports to the Baseball Tomorrow Fund concerning the use of the grant funds, and a final report one month following the end of the grant period. Each report will include a narrative account of what was accomplished by the expenditure of funds (including a description of progress made toward achieving the goals of the grant) and a detailed financial statement attested by the responsible financial officer of the grantee or a certified public accountant. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund may withhold further grant payments from any grantee in the event that a report is not received in a timely manner, and may terminate the grant if the report is not received within thirty (30) days following the date on which it is due;
7. It will provide to the Baseball Tomorrow Fund any copies of original publications directly resulting from the grant;
8. It will show grant funds separately on its books for ease of reference and verification; although, grant funds need not be physically segregated;
9. It will keep records of receipts, vouchers, bills, canceled checks and expenditures under the grant, as well as copies of reports submitted to the Baseball Tomorrow Fund, for at least four years following completion of the grant term;
10. It will make books and records available for inspection by authorized representatives of the Baseball Tomorrow Fund at reasonable times for the purpose of making such financial audits, verifications, or program evaluations as the Baseball Tomorrow Fund deems necessary concerning the grant;
11. It will provide the Baseball Tomorrow Fund with immediate notification of any change in its tax-exempt status as soon as it occurs;
12. It will acknowledge that the grant will not be used for any organization or individual other than the grantee without the prior written approval of the Baseball Tomorrow Fund;
13. It will be solely responsible for the selection of any other organization or individual to receive a portion of the proceeds of the grant. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund will list only the grantee's name as the recipient of the grant and the grantee agrees to provide the Baseball Tomorrow Fund with progress and expenditure reports, as and when they become due, for the total grant amount paid to grantee;
14. It will represent that the grant will not cause grantee to lose its status as a public charity as described in Section 170(b)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, and it will represent that the determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service stating that that grantee is a public charity is still valid and has not been revoked;
15. It will not use the names, logos or trademarks of the Baseball Tomorrow Fund, Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association, or any of their affiliated entities in the titles of programs or other grant-related activities or materials without prior written approval from the Baseball Tomorrow Fund;
16. It will acknowledge the support of the Baseball Tomorrow Fund for its organization and include the name of the Baseball Tomorrow Fund, in a manner approved in advance in writing, on any printed and visual materials produced as a result of the grant;