Our Grantmaking Approach
Under the Foundation's new strategic plan, the first two-year grant cycle includes Fiscal Year 2010 and Fiscal Year 2011 (from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2011).
The Foundation’s grants budget is significantly constrained due to existing grant commitments and challenging market conditions. As a result, the work described in our strategic plan will be phased in gradually over several years.
In 2010, the Foundation will consider proposals submitted only by organizations invited to apply in specific focus areas (see our Programs page). Most of the Foundation's funding decisions will be shaped through this process. Therefore, we cannot accept unsolicited proposals at this time.
We focus our resources on three targeted outcomes within our region. In 2010, grantmaking will be further narrowed to select issues, as indicated below.
Asset and Wealth Building
A key strategy for moving low-income people out of poverty is to increase financial assets and build wealth among individuals and in communities. We support efforts that link asset development strategies for greater impact.
- The Foundation will support efforts that:
- • Provide direct and indirect support to effectively integrate economic development with asset- and wealth-building practices.
- • Expand and develop local and regional partnerships that employ workforce development and small business strategies including green opportunities.
Capacity and Leadership
Making lasting change depends on the active participation of people and organizations with skills, experience and knowledge. Grants support efforts to increase the civic, social, political and economic life of communities throughout our region, with emphasis in small rural and reservation communities.
- The Foundation will support efforts that:
- • Increase local and regional capacity among asset- and wealth-building practitioners of color.
- • Promote civic engagement to advocate for public policy by leveraging existing work and supporting regional networks and asset coalitions.
In the current and next fiscal year, the Foundation is addressing this outcome through existing grants to organizations and initiatives in rural, urban and American Indian reservation communities.
Public Policy
Public policy takes tested approaches and scales them up for the benefit of people and communities across a community, state or region. We support best practices in asset development, public policy advocacy, and civic engagement to reduce poverty and build sustainable prosperity. We work to engage the most vulnerable populations in these efforts: Native American, immigrants, people of color and the most isolated poor.
- The Foundation will support efforts that:
- • Target existing commitments to influence public policy.
- • Expand and develop the capacity of State Fiscal Analysis Initiative affiliates to monitor and advocate on behalf of policies and pledges initiated at the state level.
Your ideas, comments and questions about reducing poverty and building sustainable prosperity are important to us. You can contact the Foundation at grants@nwaf.org, or call us at 888-904-9828.
