Grant FAQs
Eligibility
Grant proposals are considered from eligible organizations who:
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Qualify as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization according to the Internal Revenue Service Code
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Provide services in one of the following funding categories:
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Serve Central Oklahoma, primarily the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, Oklahoma County and surrounding counties and communities.
What/who is ineligible for a grant from Kirkpatrick Foundation?
-Nonprofits that fall under a different subsection of the IRS code
-Individuals
-Lobbying organizations
-Medical and/or health-related causes
-Social service causes
-Athletic programs
-Governmental entities
-Groups utilizing a fiscal sponsor unless previously approved
-Organizations currently funded by the Kirkpatrick Family Fund (excluding endowment matching grants)
-Fundamentally, we do not fund organizations that advocate for or are involved in the killing, abuse, or harm of animals.
My organization’s board of directors is not very active. Is that a concern in applying for a grant?
Funders can evaluate the viability of an organization by learning about its board of directors. This evaluation is a big part of a funder's decision in awarding philanthropic support. We expect that 100 percent of your board make a financial contribution to your organization.
Application process
How large are your grants?
Grants are normally no larger than 10 percent of an organization’s current fiscal year budget. The average award is $25,000 in the large grant category and up to $10,000 in the small grant category.
How often can my organization apply?
Applicants may submit one small or large grant application per year.
What types of requests should be avoided?
Capital campaigns
Event sponsorships
Foundation fees
Financial deficits
Indirect costs
Salaries
Scholarships
Endowments
*Consider contacting the Kirkpatrick Family Fund to learn about their endowment match program.
My organization is applying for the first time. Should we apply for a small or large grant?
After you have thoroughly reviewed this FAQ and see a fit with your organization’s purpose and its needs, call the office to discuss next steps with the senior program officer. First time applicants are usually encouraged to apply for a small grant. Note, small grant requests are reviewed/awarded monthly, so if you require a fast response, the small grant program is recommended.
What is the deadline for applying for a small grant?
Small grants are reviewed monthly and there are no specific deadlines. However, please allow 60 days for review, meetings, and follow up information.
What are the deadlines for applying for a large grant? When will we know if a grant was awarded?
Large grants have a two-stage process which occurs twice per year. Letters of Inquiry are due June 1st and December 1st annually. Applicants will be notified within two weeks of the LOI deadline if they will be invited to progress to stage 2 of the large grant application process.
| Timeline |
Cycle 1 |
Cycle 2 |
| Letter of Inquiry Due |
June 1st |
December 1st |
| Deadline for Stage 2 Application Submission |
July 15th |
January 15th |
Deadline for submission through the grant portal is midnight the date of the deadline or on the following business day if it occurs on a weekend or holiday.
Why are there two stages for the large grant application and not for the small grant application?
The small grant program is designed to aid organizations with smaller programs and events and for those who need a faster response time. The application is not as rigorous.
Conversely, the large grant program asks for a Letter of Inquiry, which, if accepted, is followed by a more intensive, second-stage application. This keeps you from spending time writing a lengthy application and obtaining support materials for a program that we are not likely to fund.
We missed the grant deadline. Can we still apply?
Please call the senior grant program officer.
My organization has many needs. How do we know what to apply for?
Review our funding categories outlined on the website and how this may or may not correspond with your work. Then consider your most pressing needs and how this impacts your organization’s long-term growth and success. We encourage you to speak with our senior program officer. Through the course of the conversation, you’ll learn more about the current priorities and limitations of the Kirkpatrick Foundation grants program and be able to share the current projects and challenges of your organization.
What financial information is required in the application?
-Statement of activities for the last two completed years
-Statement of financial position for the last completed year
-Organizational budget for the period of the grant
-Proposed project budget
My organization no longer has the credentials for accessing the Kirkpatrick Foundation’s grants portal. Can these credentials be reset?
Yes, please contact the senior program officer to request a transfer of your organization’s account and password reset.
Can I just email my letter of inquiry rather than submit through the grant portal?
You are welcome to email an initial inquiry, but you will ultimately have to submit an LOI through the grant portal since it is a two-stage application process.
Consideration Process
Will we meet with the Kirkpatrick Foundation to present our request?
After submission, you may be asked several follow-up questions by email or phone after you submit your grant. Kirkpatrick Foundation staff may also ask to visit your organization.
When will we be notified if my organization received a large grant?
June 1st cycle – notification occurs following trustee meeting in late September
December 1st cycle – notification following trustee meeting in late March
During the Grant Period
My organization received a grant, now what?
You will receive a letter officially notifying you of the pending grant as well as a grant agreement that requires two signatures by officers of your organization. Once that agreement is signed and returned to us, your grant check will be processed and mailed to the address on file.
What reporting is required?
A final report is due within 30 days of the end of the grant period. This report is submitted via the online portal along with the final project financial summary.
Our project was not completed within the grant period. Can we request an extension?
Extensions are possible. Please call or email the program officer to discuss your specific circumstances.
What if a staff member relevant to the grant or our executive director leaves the organization during the grant period?
Please notify us so that we may update our records and discuss how this may impact the project for which the grant was awarded.
What recognition should I provide the Kirkpatrick Foundation?
Our logo is available to you for use in downloadable format on our website and we welcome it’s use in printed and/or web communications. We always appreciate the opportunity to review content on press releases, scripts and brochures in order to ensure consistency with our grant decision. We discourage being listed as an event sponsor but rather prefer to be recognized as a donor of your organization.
We would like to use the grant for something different than what the request involved. Is this possible?
Please contact the senior program officer to discuss proposed changes. The proposed change must serve the same general purpose as the original request outlined.
Declined Grants
Your organization will receive a letter of declination with an explanation. You are welcome to contact the senior program officer to learn more about the reason your grant was declined.
