Funding FAQs

All applications and Letters of Intent must be submitted by the stated deadline, no later than 5:00 PM.

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Your budget should include expenses and revenues directly related to the funding request, as outlined in the grant application.

If requesting funds for general operations, please include your entire operating budget with itemized expenses in each category.

For more detailed information, please refer to the Guidelines for Financial Information.

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Budgets should exclude costs not directly related to your project, such as grant writer fees or unrelated administrative expenses.

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If you are unable to provide 3 bids for your project, you can submit alternative documentation, such as:

• Quotes

• A scope of work detailing the timeline, deliverables, and a budget.

• Estimates

For all grant applications, we require a Letter of Support from the leader of your organization, such as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Executive Director/CEO (for nonprofit organizations), President of the University (for universities), or Mayor (for cities). The letter must be on official letterhead, signed, and include specific details on why the leader supports the project, program, or operating request. For Collaborative, Matching, and Foundation Initiative grants, we also request Letters of Support from partner organizations involved in the project. These letters should confirm their understanding of the project, including the timeline, goals, and their specific involvement. If third-party Letters of Support are required, they must be uploaded directly through our grant application software via a link sent to the partner organization.

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We accept grant applications twice a year for our Responsive, Collaborative, and Foundation Initiative grants. Spring Cycle: Opens mid-February, with a May 1 deadline. If your request exceeds $50,000, a Letter of Intent (LOI) is required by March 20th. Fall Cycle: Opens mid-August, with a November 1 deadline. If your request exceeds $50,000, the LOI is due by September 20th. If you have been awarded a grant or funding that requires a match and it does not align with these cycles, please contact Alondra Vazquez at avazquez@vblf.org for guidance.