The Dolphin Trust

Guidelines

The Dolphin Trust is not open to unsolicited requests from organizations at this time.  The following guidelines are for the benefit of existing grantees or organizations identified by the fund as a potential grantee.

The Dolphin Trust's Charitable Giving Program was established in 1996 by an anonymous donor. The trust's giving falls into two major categories: competitive grants and family grants. These guidelines are concerned solely with the competitive grants program and are intended to assist organizations that have been selected to apply.

The Dolphin Trust intends to make a difference through its grants while supporting nonprofit organizations working in the field of the environment, or providing educational programming outside traditional classroom settings.

The trust's particular interest in the environment includes related areas of wildlife protection and animal welfare.

The Dolphin Trust has a preference for supporting smaller organizations where one grant can accomplish two purposes by bolstering the recipient organization while advancing a special project. At the same time, the trustees recognize that there are many ways of seeking a special impact through grant making.

For example, the trust is interested in supporting the implementation of creative ideas which may help resolve a societal problem, the introduction of a new program or innovation which will benefit an organization's service community, well-defined efforts to improve operations and achieve greater self-sufficiency, among others

Grantmaking Priorities

Conservation and Wildlife Protection

The trust's grants in the field of the environment seek to promote activities that respond to critical concerns in the fields of environmental health, land, watershed, and wildlife protection. The trust's top priority is to protect the fragile ecosystems of Cape Cod.

Youth Development and Educational Enrichment

The trust will invite proposals from Boston area  nonprofit organizations for projects that enhance academic achievement and promote school success for public school students.  Funds are available for innovative projects and programs in these two areas of interest:

After-School Programs

The trust will support organizations that provide after-school programming and supportive services to children, parents and schools that increase academic achievement. It gives priority to supplemental educational, athletic, arts, social skill development, and recreation programs that have strong academic links.

Youth Development Programs

Programs that provide young people opportunities to develop and practice concrete leadership skills. Priority is given to programs that challenge and empower participants to develop and implement projects that provide a community benefit.

The trust favors requests that model the best practices of educational enrichment and youth development programs that advance the field.

Trust Policies

Geographic Area:  Trustees have limited the geographic interests to the areas of Greater Boston.  However, grants may be made outside this geographic area from time to time.

Organization Eligibility: The trust limits its support to nonprofit organizations that are tax exempt under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code and are classified as "not a private foundation" under section 509(a) of the Code. No grants will be awarded until evidence of public charity status has been approved.

Types of grants: The Dolphin Trust makes several types of grants, such as support for special projects and programs, for new initiatives, or for small capital needs. On occasion, it may support an organization's general operating needs, when these needs are presented in conjunction with clearly articulated plans and long-range goals that help the candidate move toward greater self-sufficiency.

Grant Range: Grants range from $10,000 to $25,000 for one program year. In addition to making outright grants, it makes occasional challenge grants.

Frequency of Application:  Organizations may submit one invited proposal per year.  

Reporting Requirements: All organizations must include detailed, written progress reports within 45 days of completion of the grant period. In addition to the narrative, this report should contain a financial statement of how the money was spent. Grantees should use the Associated Grant Makers Common Reporting Format available on the Internet at http://www.agmconnect.org

Exclusions: The toundation does not normally provide grants for:

• individuals
• endowments
• conferences
• web-sites
• municipal, state, or federal agencies

Proposal Deadlines: The trust assigns deadlines for applicants on a case-by-case basis. If you have not been notified of where your organization stands in the review cycle, please call before submitting a proposal. In general, however, the Trust has established the following deadlines for receipt of proposals.:

Requests for Boston area youth development programs: April 1, 2008.   

How to Apply

In seeking to achieve a special impact with limited funds, the Dolphin Trust uses a targeted approach to its grant making. Therefore, applications will be accepted and reviewed upon invitation of the trust via a concept letter process or solicited by the trustees and their staff.  

The trust has adopted a two-phase application system composed of a short concept-letter, followed by a limited number of invited proposals.

We must stress, however, that an invitation to submit a full proposal should not be taken as assurance that a grant will be made.

Application Instructions

All applicants should use the Associated Grant Maker's Common Proposal Format available on the Internet at http://www.agmconnect.org The trust does not accept applications by fax or e-mail. Please submit two copies unless otherwise requested.

Foundation Office

The Dolphin Trust
c/o Prentice Zinn, Administrator
Grants Management Associates
77 Summer Street, Suite 800
Boston, Massachusetts, 02110-1006
V  617 - 426 - 7080x307
F  617 - 426 - 7087

pzinn at grantsmanagement dot com

Last updated 1/22/08.