Creative use of the funds awarded will be important as will be the leveraging of the funds with other financial resources. Funds can be used for planning phases, marketing initiatives and logistics (transportation, speaker accommodations, etc.). In general, grants will not be made to help a committee raise money or pay fees for outside services unless there is an excellent return on investment (monetary or otherwise), e.g. $5,000 grant to raise $25,000 or more, or $500 for outside fees for an event that has a large-scale benefit to the community or promotes the mission of NYWBAF in an exceptional fashion.

New projects which act as pilots and have the prospect of being continued will be favorably considered because of implications for organizational growth. Successful pilot programs may also be shared with other organizations. It should also be noted that the NYWBAF recognizes not all projects proceed as planned and that risk-taking can often have positive results. Consequently, grant applicants are encouraged to "think outside the box."

The following guidelines have been developed to help grant applicants complete the process of grant application. While the application may seem long, the intention is to help you think through the project thoroughly and understand the elements necessary for a successful initiative. The information you will provide the NYWBAF will help insure that its allocations will result in effective use of available funds.

1. Grant requests must be made on the form provided and must be complete. Please do not leave any portion of the form blank. We cannot consider a grant submission without a detailed budget. Please type the form or duplicate it on your computer.
2. Proposals received after the deadline will be considered in the next cycle.
3. Grant awards will be up to [$____] each.
4. Be as specific as possible in describing your project and the reasons for the request. This will better inform the committee who will considered your application.
5. Terms of grant: 85% of the funds awarded will be paid approximately one month after notification. 15% of the awarded funds will be paid upon receipt of the final report. The final report should include the following: what you have learned, the successes and challenges of implementing your project, including future directions; and a completed financial report for the project. Excerpts from the final report, as well as this application, may be used in materials to generate support for the NYWBAF.

If you have any questions about the grant process or for a grant application, please call the NYWBAF at (212) 490-8202. Grant authors will be notified by mail of the committee's decision.