All initial inquiries that come in by the 15th of each month are batched together and reviewed by the program officers, who identify questions, strengths, concerns, etc. of each proposal. Summaries of the proposals written by program officers go to the trustees at their next month's meeting, where they decide which applications will be investigated further. Applicants are notified of the decision right away. Applicants whose inquiries move to further study are invited to submit a full proposal. They generally have three weeks from the date of notification to do so.
Those approved for further study are assigned to a program officer. After the proposal and supporting financial documentation is received, the program officer arranges a site visit. The purposes of the site visit are to establish a face-to-face relationship, view the organization and/or project "in person," follow up on questions submitted ealier, and gather additional information as part of the due diligence process. The timing of the site visit depends on the program officer's workload and MMT's internal calendar. Within a month or two of the site visit, the program officer submits a summary report to the trustees. At their next meeting, the trustees discuss the proposal and make a decision about whether to fund it. Applicants are usually notified of the decision within a day of the trustee meeting.
The average time for a final PRI decision is about four to six months from the time the initial inquiry is submitted.
