Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust and the May and Stanley Smith Trust?
The May and Stanley Smith Trust is a smaller trust and awards fewer grants each year to smaller organizations than the May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust. The May and Stanley Smith Trust has a maximum grant award limit of $6,000 while the Charitable Trust has no such limit. The May and Stanley Smith Trust restricts its funding to organizations and projects in North America that have received grants from the May and Stanley Smith Trust in the past. The Charitable Trust funds new and past grantee organizations delivering services in U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Bahamas, or Hong Kong. Some special initiatives, which are by invitation only from the Charitable Trust, allow for grants in developing countries.
How do I initiate the application process?
The Trust has a two-stage application process. All new and past applicants must first submit an online letter of inquiry (LOI). After review of the LOI, the Trust will contact the applicant with the status of the inquiry. Selected candidates will be invited to submit a full proposal by mail. The Trust does not accept full proposals from organizations that have not been invited.
What is the application deadline?
There is no application deadline. Letters of Inquiry are accepted on a rolling basis.
How do I submit my Letter of Inquiry?
While it is preferred that applications complete an online letter of inquiry (LOI) through this web site, if you have difficulty in accessing the online form, please refer to the Tips for Using the Online Application System. If you are still having problems after reviewing this guide, contact the Grants Manager at grantsmanager@adminitrustllc.com or 415-332-0166 to request a copy of the LOI that can be submitted by mail.
How long does it take for a decision on my application?
Decisions regarding letters of inquiry to the Trust can take up to a month and decisions regarding full proposals can take between three and five months.
Can I fax or email my full proposal once I have been informed that I am eligible to submit one?
No. We only accept proposals sent by regular or express mail services that do not require a signature upon delivery.
How many copies of the full proposal do you need?
One copy.
What should I do if I am having trouble using the online letter of inquiry system or logging into my account?
Please read the Tips for Using the Online Application System. If you still have difficulties, contact the Grants Manager, at 415-332-0166 or grantsmanager@adminitrustllc.com.
Can I set up a meeting with someone from the Charitable Trust?
An organization is expected to fully describe and justify its project in its letter of inquiry and full proposal. The staff at AdminiTrust is available to assist organizations that have questions by telephone or email. The Trustees or staff may request a presentation from a grantee, but do not host meetings to discuss prospective or pending proposals.
Can I apply for a grant if my organization has received past funding?
Yes. The Trust accepts new grant requests in the form of a letter of inquiry only after the current grant has been expended and a final report has been submitted and approved. Keep in mind that each funding request is considered individually and should contain all required items, even if your organization has submitted the items previously.
Is there a form to use for progress and final reports?
No. There is no standard report form. Narrative and financial descriptions of how grant funds were spent should be submitted according to the Guidelines for Grant Reporting included with grant award letters and installment payments.
What size grant should I request?
There are many factors that influence the Trustees’ decision on grant size. An applicant should request an amount that they feel is appropriate for their project and organization. Please note that the Trust rarely supports 100 percent of a project budget, or more than 25 percent of an organization budget, and it takes into account grant award sizes from other foundations.
What constitutes “significant” government funding?
The Trust considers significant government funding to be over 50% of total revenue, and prefers to fund organizations receiving less than 30% of total revenue from government sources. Government funding includes direct grants or earned income from federal, provincial, and local government agencies – including public school districts – and indirect funding including medical insurance or social service reimbursement programs.
If my organization receives significant government funding, but the program for which we’re seeking funding receives no government funding, can we still apply?
No. We measure government funding at the organization level. If your organization receives significant government funding, it does not meet the Trust’s eligibility requirements and, therefore, the programs administered by your organization are not eligible for funding.
When is a new organization considered by the Trust to be beyond the start-up phase?
When an organization has secured funds from a broad base of diversified funding sources – including institutional donors, individuals, and local entities – and has been implementing a program that has demonstrated consistent, positive results for at least two consecutive years, it is likely to be viewed by the Trust as an established organization that has moved beyond its start-up phase.
Is the Trust interested in funding a new program that an organization has never implemented before?
Typically, the Trust prefers to fund an organization’s well-established programs, those which it has demonstrated experience implementing to achieve sustained, positive results. However, the Trust encourages creative approaches, especially those based in, or refined to take advantage of, new research findings or practical evidence. Therefore, the Trust will consider requests for new programs from organizations which are able to demonstrate the expertise to support a new program and past success in implementing similar programs.
What geographic areas do you fund?
The Trust makes grants to organizations delivering services in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Bahamas, Australia, Canada, and Hong Kong. Some special initiatives, which are by invitation only from the Trust, allow for grants in developing countries.
What type of organizations are eligible for tuition assistance grants?
The Trust will continue to provide tuition assistance through certain entities, including scholarship organizations, alliances, and regional funding organizations, although given the reduced budget for tuition assistance funding, grantmaking in this area will become even more competitive. Also, certain schools that serve either a 100% disabled population, or schools that receive less than approximately 25% of their total income from families, will continue to be eligible to apply for tuition assistance grants.
Do you make grants to individuals?
No. The Trust only makes grants to tax-exempt organizations which qualify as public charities.
What are the chances of receiving a grant?
A large number of worthy organizations approach the Trust for support. The process is highly competitive. Even if a project fits within the Trust’s guidelines, it will not necessarily be funded.
Why isn’t there a complete list of grants awarded by the May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust available?
As a foreign organization, the Trust is not required to make such a list available to the public. A select list of grantees is available on the Recent Grantmaking page of our web site. This and the grantee profiles highlighted throughout our web site should provide a sense of some of the areas in which the Trust is interested. Staff is happy to discuss whether or not a project and/or organization is a potential fit with the Trust’s funding interests.
Can you suggest other funding sources?
The Foundation Center maintains a comprehensive listing of U.S. foundations and their areas of interest.
I have a question that is not answered in these FAQs. What should I do?
If the answer to your question cannot be found in the other sections of this web site, you may contact the Grants Manager, at 415-332-0166 or grantsmanager@adminitrustllc.com.