FAQ

Basic Eligibility

We fund only organizations that are recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as having 501(c)(3) status that align with our Mission. The Foundation does not make grants to individuals.

Additionally, in order to focus the impact of the Foundation’s giving, beginning July 1, 2021, The Sara Giles Moore Foundation will no longer accept Letters of Inquiry from organizations which have not received funding prior to 2017.

No, every organization must submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) on our website to be considered.

We strongly discourage direct contact with our individual Trustees unless we initiate the communication. We recommend working directly with our Executive Director.

Yes, grant requests from organizations outside of the Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia area are not commonly considered for funding. When Mrs. Moore started the Foundation, one of her wishes was that preference be given to organizations operating in or providing programs which are carried out in Metropolitan Atlanta and primarily within the City of Atlanta.

Almost without exception, the Foundation does not fund the following:

  • Galas, benefits, and other fundraising events
  • Conferences or symposia
  • Concerts, theater or media performances, or art exhibitions that are not connected to current grants
  • Disease-specific organizations
  • Public or private colleges and universities

Additionally, in order to focus the impact of the Foundation’s giving, beginning July 1, 2021, The Sara Giles Moore Foundation will no longer accept Letters of Inquiry from organizations which have not received funding prior to 2017.

The Foundation considers requests for general operating support, capacity building, and capital campaigns.

Please bear in mind that we receive many Letters of Inquiry (LOI’s) from deserving organizations and unfortunately cannot fund all of them.

Additionally, in order to focus the impact of the Foundation’s giving, beginning July 1, 2021, The Sara Giles Moore Foundation will no longer accept Letters of Inquiry from organizations which have not received funding prior to 2017.

Now we will contact you with basic information such as, password to access the on-line proposal form, due dates, and instructions to sign up for a site visit. We strongly recommend that you review the Tips for Writing Proposals sheet.

Proposal Basics

No. We only accept proposals via our website's grant portal.

No, there are no set minimums or maximums. We look at all requests in proportion to programs, an organization’s budget, and needs. Our Executive Director will guide applicants on the appropriate amount for which to ask.

Please contact the Foundation's Executive Director for assistance.

We strongly discourage direct contact with our individual Trustees unless we initiate the communication. We recommend working directly with our Executive Director.

The Trustees appreciate concise applications that include:

  • a clear description of the organization purpose and history
  • a well-developed business plan
  • well-articulated goals and objectives surrounding impact
  • evidence of strong internal fiscal management and long-term fiscal viability
  • evidence of personnel with qualifications to achieve organizational goals
  • realistic dollar amount of request
  • evidence of enhancement of services or enriching the lives of your constituents
  • capability to measure results and communicate findings and lessons learned

Do not worry, this is an internal decision that the Trustees determine.

Full Proposal

We notify the organizations within the week following board meetings. Meetings are held in the spring and fall of each year. Exact due dates and meeting dates will be given to applying organizations.

The Foundation's Executive Director will guide applicants on the appropriate amount for which to ask.

The Foundation's Executive Director will guide applicants on the appropriate time frame for grant requests.

Yes. All of our Trustees are actively involved in local nonprofit organizations and understand the challenges of operating a nonprofit as well as the challenges of obtaining operating grants. The majority of the Foundation's grants are provided for general operating support.

Yes. You will work directly with our Executive Director on your proposal. We are here to answer any questions as well as assist with forming an appropriate request.

We encourage grant seekers to contact our Executive Director directly rather than contacting our Trustees. Frequently, our Trustees will attend meetings or site visits. Our Executive Director coordinates these events.

Yes. We conduct site visits for organizations that have been invited to submit a full proposal. We like to meet with the executive team as well as with board members and constituents of your programs.

The Trustees look closely at the dollar amount that each board collectively contributes.

Please contact our office for assistance.

Reporting

Yes, we have a final grant form for you to complete at the end of your grant year. The report is available in the grant portal, associated with the funded request for support. We value your input and would like to learn how our investment was used to help your organization and if it made a difference. Failure to submit a Final Grant Report timely will disqualify an organization from applying in future grant cycles.

The final report is available via the Foundation's grant portal.

It is imperative to keep the Foundation notified of any changes in staffing. You must contact us so we can add your new user so the Final Report will be visible. We do not recommend using the log-on credentials of a former employee.

Setting reasonable goals on your proposal is important. When those goals are not met, the Trustees want to know about the variance of goals to actual. The Final report form has room for explanations. Often, other goals are met beyond the goals set in your proposal. Our Trustees take every opportunity to learn from disappointments. Not meeting outcome measurements does not automatically mean that you will not be considered in the future.