Grant Application Procedures


The following six components are required to complete a grant application. A 3-year comparative budget format is required for general support and project support. An example is provided for your use.

Incomplete applications or applications that fail to follow the guidelines set forth below will not be considered for funding. Sapelo Foundation staff offers to review draft grant applications by fax up to two weeks prior to the deadline to ensure they meet the requirements.

Page 1 - Introductory Cover Letter
  • A Cover letter printed on official letterhead and signed by the executive director or board president
Page 2 - Contact Info & Summary Statement
    Contact Information
    Name of Organization
    Purpose of grant: Note either Project Title or "For General Support"
    Primary contact person
    Title
    Mailing Address
    Phone number
    Fax Number
    Email Address
    Web Site
  • Amount requested: $
  • Summary Statement of primary objectives and methods (two paragraphs only)
Pages 3-6 - Narrative (No More Than 4 Pages)*
  • A narrative using the following 4 required headings:
    1. Statement of Problem
    2. Main Objectives
    3. Action Plan
    4. Anticipated Results and Method of Evaluation
* Recommendation: Focus on specific things your organization plans to do with the funds over the next 12 months if awarded a grant. Do not use your narrative to explain background and history. Highlight recent accomplishments and challenges as well as specific goals and efforts to network with other groups to leverage shared goals. Be honest, factual, and realistic.

Page 7 - Budgets*

Click here to see an example, with pop-up windows, of the required 3-year Comparative Budget Format. Revise the columns as needed to fit your fiscal year and budget categories. We want the last completed year, current operating year and coming projected year's budget.
  • Applications Requesting General Support must submit a 3-year comparative operating budget using the format example provided above.
  • Applications requesting support for a specific program or project must submit both a 3 -year comparative operating budget and a separate 3-year comparative Project Budget, unless the project is for one year or less in duration.
  • Other sources of funding must include a list of each individual foundation you have either received funding from, plan to apply to, or were declined by in the given fiscal year (may be listed on a separate page). So there will be only three bullets in this section..
* The Sapelo Foundation will not fund 100% of any organization or project.

Page 8 - List of the Governing Body
  • Board of Directors or Regents
Page 9 - IRS Tax Determination Letter *
  • Organizations requesting grant funds must provide a letter from the Internal Revenue Service that determines it to be a 501(c) (3) publicly supported charitable organization by the IRS and not a private foundation.
* If your non-profit has not receive its final ruling from IRS, please check your IRS tax determination letter to see if the advanced ruling period has expired.

Page 10-13 - Attachments
  • You may include only 2-3 pages of news articles, letters of support, or other information. Format them on an easy-to-copy 8.5" x 11" page. If you want the attachments to be in color, you must provide 15 copies with your application.

Mail completed application to:

Phyllis Bowen, Executive Director
The Sapelo Foundation
1712 Ellis Street
Brunswick, GA 31520