Proposals should include all information necessary to ensure that readers can understand the request, assess it according to our grantmaking guidelines, and compare it with other efforts in the field. Proposals that pass initial screening are referred to one or more program officers for a detailed review. Proposals may be sent to outside reviewers, under conditions of anonymity, to obtain additional views on their merits. While one program officer leads any proposal investigation, almost all new proposals that are judged promising are discussed by the entire staff before recommendation to the Board. The proposal review process may take only a few weeks or as long as several months.
Applicants are welcome to seek an assessment of the likely success of their proposals at any time.
Like most donors, we find that our resources cannot accommodate all the worthwhile proposals submitted, even in our high-priority fields of interest. We must decline the majority of proposals received, including some that fit the guidelines. Proposals declined by the staff are reported to the Board each quarter. The proposal review process conforms to the quarterly meetings of our Board. Although we accept proposals throughout the year, we review new proposals beginning March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1, and aim to give applicants a preliminary response within six weeks of those dates.