Q: Can we look at actual proposals that were successful?
Is it possible to look at copies of grant proposals that Meyer Memorial Trust has funded in the past?
Jane
Hello Jane,
We consider grant proposals that we receive to be confidential and our privacy policy would not permit us to share them with others. There is nothing that would prohibit a successful applicant from sharing its proposal if it wanted to do so, but we do not share them. From time to time program officers from MMT are invited to speak at grantwriting workshops, and we occasionally share proposal examples but all identifying information has been removed or redacted. Because MMT is a general purpose foundation without a particular subject focus, the proposals we receive vary widely. For that reason, it is difficult for us to identify a "typical" generic successful proposal.
There are a number of grantwriting resources that offer proposal examples. See for example the Additional Resources section of our website.
I hope you find this information useful, even though it may not be exactly the answer you hoped to hear.
Thanks for writing,
Marie
Q: Do you fund business startups?
I have been told...there are no dumb questions. Well, this may be the test. I am 56, disabled and want to have a better life. I have longed to live on the Oregon Coast nearly all my life. I am talented, wise and a pretty good person all round. Now, my desire is to have a business of my own. A Bed & Breakfast is my first desire, but I have many other ideas as well. I also have several inventions that I have not found a place to develop...yet. These things will not only help me, but my family, too. The ideas, developed properly, will also give aid and possibly hope, to many others. So, my question is...do you offer help of this nature, or do you know of a place elsewhere, where I may seek sincere assistance with these goals? Hum?
My kindest regards and thanks for your time and for the obvious good
you are doing!
Corinne
Hello Corinne,
Thank you for your question, and you're right, we don't consider any question dumb. We do not fund business startup, we are limited to providing assistance to tax exempt organizations.
However, we have funded some nonprofit organizations that provide assistance to business startups. For example, we awarded a grant to the Oregon Microenterprise Network, an organization that published the Oregon Microenterprise Development Resource Guide. We also awarded a grant to Mercy Corps' Portland Entrepreneur Initiative.
Here are some other links you might find useful:
Oregon Economic Development Directory
Oregon Economic & Community Development Department
I hope you find this information useful, even if we are not a source of direct assistance for you.
Best wishes,
Marie
Q: Do you fund in Idaho?
Does the Meyer Memorial Trust make grants to non-profit institutions
in the state of Idaho? In particular we are a 501(c) 3 Library, not
tax supported in Blaine County, Idaho. We have several programs for
our Childrens Library that would be good candidates for grant funds.
Thanks you
Tom
Ketchum
Hello Tom,
Thank you for your inquiry. No, we do not fund in Idaho. Our grantmaking is limited to the state of Oregon and Clark County in Washington. We have supported quite a number of libraries within our region.
Best wishes with your search for funds, thanks again for your interest in MMT.
Marie
Q: If we are awarded a grant, how long does it take to get the money?
Under Responsive Grant grants, you indicate that it generally takes an
average of four months to render a decision on a proposal. If approved
for funding, how long does it take to get a subsequent check in the
mail? Thanks.
Walter
Grants Pass
Hello Walter,
I'm afraid I have to give you the "that depends" answer. If a grant award is a one-time payment that has no contingencies (e.g., an organization doesn't have to raise a matching amount, or raise the rest of the money to complete the budget, etc.), the check is usually in the mail by the middle of the month following the month the grant was awarded (assuming the grant agreement is signed and returned to us in a timely manner).
If there are contingencies, checks are released once those have been met. In the case of a multi-year grant, the program officer and the organization would work out a payment schedule. Payments would usually be made at annual intervals in that case. MMT awards grants for so many different kinds of projects, it's difficult to describe all possible scenarios.
I hope this answers your question, and if not, maybe you could describe the kind of proposal/project you have in mind and I could give a more specific answer.
Thanks again for writing,
Marie
Q: Do you have a press release template?
We have just received a grant from The Meyer Memorial Trust. I am writing a press release about this grant. Do you have a preferred format or sample press release information that would be helpful to me in writing this release?
Martha
Portland
Hello Martha,
We don't have a press release format we prefer. We send out press releases to announce the grants we make, and encourage our grantees to do so as well to raise community awareness about their activities. We ask grantees to run the press release by us first, but that is primarily to ensure that we are identified as the Meyer Memorial Trust rather than Fred Meyer Inc, which has been a problem in the past.
When you refer to Meyer Memorial Trust in your press release, please consult our website to ensure that you are including up-to-date information about MMT. We include a short summary of the history and purpose of MMT on our website. Our mission and values are included as well.
The most recent statistics about MMT's grantmaking can be found on our website as well.
I would recommend writing the press release from your organization's point of view. In other words, view receiving a grant as a newsworthy event that gives you an opportunity to tell a larger story about your organization and what it does.
I hope this helps,
Thanks very much,
Marie
