Please note: As of June 2024, we are not currently accepting Introduction Forms. Please stay tuned for our new application process timeline, coming soon.

Organizations demonstrating a potential fit with our mission and areas of focus will be invited to submit a Grant Application. The Grant Application is submitted by invitation only, after receipt and review of the Introduction Form. Grant Applications are solicited and accepted anytime throughout the year. An invitation to submit a Grant Application does not ensure that an organization will receive funds.

The trustees make the final decision about whether to fund the proposed grant or an amended grant. Before funded activities can commence, the foundation and the partner organization sign an agreement that includes intended results, targets, milestones or reporting deliverables, and a payment schedule. Grant applications are solicited and accepted anytime throughout the year.

In a maximum of 10 pages, your Grant Application should follow the outline below and include:

Introductory Information

  1. Date of application

  2. Organization’s full name, mailing address, telephone and fax number, website address

  3. Organization’s EIN#

  4. Name, title, telephone number and e-mail address for the following:

    1. Executive Director

    2. Development Director/Proposal Contact

    3. Board President

  5. Organization’s mission

  6. Summary of organization’s history

  7. Description of organization’s current programs, activities, total number served annually, and accomplishments

Funding Project/Activity Information (Please limit to two or three pages)

  1. Project title

  2. Total project budget

  3. Amount of request

  4. Proposed use of funds

  5. Funding period requested

  6. Project description (Please limit to three sentences)

  7. Describe the issue/need to be addressed including target population and geographic area served. Include details on the number of individuals to be served by the grant. Please be specific as to why this is important to the St. Louis Region.

  8. What are your project goals? (For operating or capital requests, what are your agency’s major goals)?

  9. What will your organization do to achieve these goals?

  10. What are the anticipated measurable outcomes that would be achieved by this grant?

  11. What is the timeline for implementation of this grant?

Ancillary Information

  1. How are you collaborating or interacting with other community partners? How is your work similar or differentiated from other agencies or projects doing similar work? How is your work innovative?

  2. What are the qualifications of key staff and volunteers that will ensure the success of the project/organization?

  3. What is the long-term funding plan for your program/project beyond the length of the proposed grant?

  4. Describe the extent to which your project/organization is based on approaches that have been shown to be effective in other settings.

  5. What is your organization’s evaluation process? How does evaluation inform future programming?

Request in preparing this application: The trustees would very much appreciate an easily understood submission. We wish to avoid not giving the application proper consideration because of a misunderstanding of the nature of the request. Thank you for your submission.

Attachments

  1. A copy of the current IRS Letter of Determination indicating tax-exempt status.

  2. List of current board of directors including their professional affiliations (name of organization of employment).

  3. Letter of support from collaborating organizations that explains their role and is signed by the executive director(s) of that organization(s). (if applicable)

  4. Financials (see below)

    1. Project/Program Budget

    2. Program/Project Budget Narrative—Please provide a description of each line item expense listed on the program/project budget. Indicate whether this is a new expense for your project or if funding is being requested to cover a current/existing expense.

    3. Current fiscal year operating budget, including revenues and expenses

    4. Complete copy of organization’s audited/reviewed/compiled financial statements for the last fiscal year which includes two (2) years of financial information. If your organization does not have audited financial statements, we require the organization’s most recently filed Form 990 plus internally prepared financial statements for the past two (2) years. In this case, you must include:

      1. Statement of activities (income statement)

      2. Statement of financial position (balance sheet)

      3. Statement of cash flow

NOTE: Financial statements are to be prepared according to generally accepted accounting procedures (GAAP).

Please save your Grant Application in PDF format and email (with attachments) to: bethany.springer@usbank.com. In the subject line of your email please state "Tilles Foundation Grant Application" followed by the name of your organization.