Application Process

The Linden Foundation will invite selected organizations to submit proposals. No unsolicited Full Proposals will be considered. However, interested organizations may submit a Letter of Inquiry to the Foundation for consideration. Please note that most of the Foundation's grants budget is allocated to renewed funding since much of the Foundation's funding is multi-year.



  Letters Of Inquiry

Letters of Inquiry are accepted throughout the year via mail or email but must be received by December 1 to be considered for the spring grant cycle and by June 1 to be considered for the fall grant cycle. A Letter of Inquiry should be a maximum of two pages and describe the project, its purpose, its target population, its likely impact, and the amount being requested. Please include up to date contact information, including name, title, address, phone, and email for applicant. The Letter of Inquiry should also briefly describe the organization, its overall budget and current funding sources. Organizations may submit only one Letter of Inquiry per year. All organizations selected to submit full proposals will be contacted within a month of the deadline.  Unfortunately, the Linden Foundation is unable to acknowledge or notify every organization of its Letter of Inquiry status due to the high volume of letters received.



  Timetable

Twice a year, organizations of greatest interest to the Linden Foundation will be invited to submit a full application. Invitations for full applications will generally be sent out one month before the deadline. Full applications will generally be due on March 1 and September 1. Funding decisions will generally be made by June 1 and December 1.



  Full Proposals from New Applicants

Upon invitation from the Foundation, new applicant organizations submitting a full proposal should include ONE copy of the following information:

  • 1. A two-page Application Cover Sheet, signed by the organization's Chairman, President or Executive Director, summarizing the request (please use the Linden Foundation's form).
  • 2. A narrative, no longer than three pages, including:
  •     a. a description of the organization's mission, past accomplishments, qualifications, current programs, and the population it serves (existing materials, such as an annual report, are acceptable);
  •     b. a description of the program including: the need or issue to be addressed, target population; 3-5 program goals/objectives; time frame; budget; staffing; and plans for evaluating and funding the project in the future.
  • 3. A detailed program budget
  • 4. An overall organizational budget for the year the grant is requested
  • 5. Names, occupations, and length of service of board members
  • 6. Qualifications of key personnel managing the program
  • 7. IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter
  • 8. The organization's financial statements for the most recent two years
  • 9. Funds raised or expected from other sources


The Foundation accepts common grant application forms as well as proposals prepared for other foundations, as long as the above information is included. E-mailed full proposals are preferred, but regular mail is acceptable. Faxed proposals will not be accepted.

The Board may request that a site visit be conducted as part of the evaluation process. However, this is not a prerequisite to a grant being awarded.



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  Proposals from Repeat Applicants

Unless specifically asked not to reapply, repeat applicants should submit ONE copy of the following information:

  • 1. A two-page Application Cover Sheet, signed by the organization's Chairman, President or Executive Director, summarizing the request (please use the Linden Foundation's form).
  • 2.  A grant report for the most recent year (please use the Linden Foundation's Grant Report Form).
  • 3. A detailed program budget
  • 4. An overall organizational budget for the year the grant is requested
  • 5. The organization's financial statements for the most recent year
  • 6. Funds raised or expected from other sources
The Foundation accepts common grant application forms as well as proposals prepared for other foundations, as long as the above information is included. E-mailed full proposals are preferred, but regular mail is acceptable. Faxed proposals will not be accepted.

The Board may request that a site visit be conducted as part of the evaluation process. However, this is not a prerequisite to a grant being awarded.



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  Email Submissions

If you choose to submit your proposal by email, be sure to include each piece of the application as a separate file that is labeled according to the following guidelines:

  • [Your Organization Name]CoverSheet
  • [Your Organization Name]Narrative
  • [Your Organization Name]ProgramBudget
  • [Your Organization Name]OrganizationBudget
  • [Your Organization Name]FundingSources
  • [Your Organization Name]Board
  • [Your Organization Name]KeyPersonnel
  • [Your Organization Name]501c3
  • [Your Organization Name]FinancialStatements[year or years included]
  • [Your Organization Name]GrantReport

In addition, the first page of the Cover Sheet with the signature of the CEO/Executive Director should be faxed to 617-426-7087.



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  Grant Requirements

Grant recipients will be expected to submit a report within 9-12 months of the grant being awarded, including a self-evaluation of the project and its effectiveness, using the Foundation's Grant Report form. A common report form is also acceptable.



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