As you step into the landscape of empowering grants, the Open Meadows Foundation emerges like a guiding light, fostering projects that ignite change. You’ll focus on initiatives led by women and girls, pushing for gender and economic justice while uplifting low-income families and elders who often face the steepest barriers.
With grants up to $2,000, this foundation supports small organizations, particularly those with limited access to funding. Now, let’s investigate the specifics of how you can harness this opportunity.
Key Takeaways
- Mission: Focuses on advancing gender, racial, and economic justice.
- Eligibility: Must be a qualified 501(c)(3) organization in Texas.
- Project Requirements: Led by women, benefiting women and girls.
- Submission: Detailed proposals required with biannual deadlines.
- Funding Restrictions: Excludes out-of-state travel and single events.
Foundation Background and Mission
Open Meadows Foundation, founded in 1985 in the Bronx, New York, focuses on advancing gender, racial, and economic justice by funding women-led projects and organizations. The foundation’s history reveals a deep commitment to supporting grassroots initiatives—especially small women-led groups with budgets under $75,000—to create mission impact that builds community power and fosters leadership among women and girls.
Run entirely by women volunteers, it prioritizes projects promoting inclusive political activism and the arts, along with community-centered efforts that strengthen housing support and health services for women and marginalized groups.
This strong mission impact ensures that funds empower vulnerable communities through innovative solutions addressing women’s specific needs and driving long-term social change.
Eligibility Requirements for Applicants
You must be part of a qualified 501(c)(3) public charity or public entity based in Texas, but your project can support organizations outside the state.
Your project needs to be led by women and directly benefit women and girls, addressing their specific needs with a clear plan that shows your capacity to execute.
Additionally, you have to secure or identify other financial support, submit only one proposal per year, and wait four to five months for a grant decision.
Eligibility Criteria
Although headquartered elsewhere, organizations must be qualified 501(c)(3) public charities or public entities based in Texas to be eligible for Open Meadows Foundation grants. Your project must be led by women and directly benefit girls and women, focusing on their unique needs. You’ll need to show your capacity to deliver the proposed program and secure additional financial support from other sources. Only one proposal is accepted per organization every 12 months, so choose your project wisely. Below, a quick-reference table outlines key grant eligibility and funding qualifications:
| Criteria | Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Organization Type | 501(c)(3) or Texas public entity | Headquarters can be outside Texas |
| Leadership & Beneficiaries | Women-led, benefits women/girls | Address specific needs of women/girls |
| Capacity & Funding | Demonstrated ability to execute; other funds secured | Show sustainability |
| Submission Limit | One proposal per 12 months | Guarantees future eligibility |
Focus on these essentials to streamline your application and strengthen your case for funding.
Project Requirements
Eligibility for Open Meadows Foundation grants extends beyond basic organizational status; your project itself must meet specific criteria designed to advance opportunities for women and girls.
To qualify, your project must:
- Demonstrate clear project impact by addressing the specific needs of women and girls, focusing on areas like education, health, economic empowerment, or advocacy for women’s rights.
- Show strong funding strategies, ensuring financial support from other sources is secured or identified before applying.
- Be led by women and directly benefit women and girls, with your organization being a qualified 501(c)(3) public charity or public entity in Texas regardless of headquarters location.
Priority Areas and Types of Funded Projects
Because the Open Meadows Foundation centers its funding on projects led by women that directly benefit girls and women, it prioritizes initiatives with clear community and social impact. Your project’s impact matters most, especially if it advances gender, racial, and economic justice through grassroots, women-led organizations with budgets under $75,000.
The foundation funds educational programs, health and wellness, advocacy, economic empowerment, arts initiatives, and community efforts supported by locally funded charities, churches, and even data-driven tools like calculators that enhance access to resources and decision-making.
Typical grants range from $1,250 to $5,000, focusing on measurable outcomes. Priority areas include political activism, inclusive arts, and empowerment for marginalized communities within the U.S. to maximize funding priorities and project impact.
Application Submission Guidelines
Securing a grant with the Open Meadows Foundation starts with understanding both the value your project creates for women and girls and the specific steps you must take to submit a strong application.
Follow this submission checklist to strengthen your application:
- Submit detailed project proposals that clearly demonstrate impact and feasibility, keeping in mind only one application is accepted every 12 months.
- Verify you’re a qualified 501(c)(3) public charity or public entity in Texas, with projects directly benefiting women and girls.
- Track biannual deadlines and allow four to five months for the grant cycle; funding decisions are communicated within two weeks of the board’s five yearly reviews.
Use these application tips to align your proposal with foundation priorities and avoid delays.
Review and Grantmaking Process
While you prepare your proposal, understand that the Open Meadows Foundation reviews applications twice a year and takes about four to five months to complete the evaluation process.
The grant evaluation focuses on impact, feasibility, and alignment with their priorities. Once the board makes a decision, you’ll receive feedback on your proposal within two weeks.
Prioritizing grassroots projects, the foundation emphasizes measurable outcomes and scalability.
Funding Restrictions and Exclusions
- Out-of-state travel expenses for performances or competitions
- Single artistic events or performances
- Proposals that don’t directly benefit women and girls or align with the foundation’s priorities
These restrictions guarantee your proposal aligns with their mission and avoids activities outside their scope.
Grant Amounts and Payment Procedures
You can expect grant amounts typically between $1,250 and $5,000, with funding mainly directed to small, grassroots women-led organizations with budgets under $75,000.
Once approved by the board, which meets five times a year, payment details are communicated through your program officer.
You’ll also need to follow reporting requirements after receiving your grant to guarantee compliance and transparency.
Grant Amounts Overview
- Grants primarily support projects with measurable outcomes and potential to scale.
- Nearly 85% of funds target specific programs, not overhead.
- Small women-led groups under $75K budget receive priority.
Payment Disbursement Methods
While grants from the Open Meadows Foundation typically range between $1,250 and $5,000, payment disbursement occurs only after your proposal is thoroughly reviewed and approved, a process that usually takes four to five months.
Once approved, you’ll receive direct contact from your program officer to finalize payment details. The foundation offers straightforward payment options, ensuring timely disbursement.
However, the disbursement timeline is contingent on securing financial support from other sources, ensuring project feasibility. You must investigate alternative funding to supplement your grant.
Reporting and Follow-up
After grant funds are disbursed by the Open Meadows Foundation, you enter an essential phase marked by structured reporting and follow-up, which assures both the integrity of the project and future funding eligibility.
This process involves:
- Impact Assessment: Evaluating the project’s success and how it aligns with the foundation’s goals.
- Accountability Measures: Detailing how funds were used to guarantee transparency.
- Outcome Reporting: Documenting achievements to maintain eligibility for future grants.
Contact Information and Additional Resources
For general inquiries about grants, you can contact Open Meadows Foundation directly via email at [email protected]. This is the primary contact method for questions or proposal submissions.
To stay updated, visit their website at openmeadows.org, where you’ll find resource links like grant application statuses and lists of past grantees.
The site also highlights the Nancy Dean Lesbian Playwriting Award and offers a comprehensive grants database, although it’s manually updated and may vary in accuracy.
You can subscribe to their newsletter for the latest grant updates, market insights, and funding trends that benefit your organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Individuals Apply for Grants?
You can’t apply as an individual because individual eligibility is not met; only 501(c)(3) organizations or projects led by groups can submit a grant application to the Open Meadows Foundation.
Are There Any Specific Grant Cycles?
You’ll find two annual grant application timelines with Open Meadows Foundation—submit by midnight EST on February 15 or August 15—and funding eligibility criteria prioritize women-led, project-specific initiatives that benefit women and girls from vulnerable communities.
How Long Does Review Take?
You benefit from a streamlined application process with the Open Meadows Foundation, where the review timeline typically takes about three months after the deadline. Their review process is efficient, promoting project-specific funding for women and girls.
Can Projects Be Expanded After Funding?
You cannot expand a project after funding from Open Meadows Foundation since they provide one-time grants focused on specific projects. Prioritize grant expansion plans that demonstrate strong project sustainability before applying.
Are Partial Grants Awarded?
You can receive partial funding from the Open Meadows Foundation, but grant limitations mean they typically award up to $2,000 per project, reflecting partial funding to accommodate diverse needs without exceeding their financial scope.
Conclusion
You should note that Open Meadows Foundation prioritizes funding small, women-led projects with budgets under $75,000, awarding grants up to $2,000. Interesting to know, they give priority to organizations not previously funded, encouraging new grassroots initiatives. This means your fresh project idea, especially if you’re part of a startup or small organization, stands a good chance of support in promoting gender, racial, and economic justice for women and girls.