Tell us about your idea

Applicants must submit a brief (no more than three pages) letter of inquiry (LOI) that describes the organization and the project for which support is requested. However, because the full review process -- including submission and review of a full proposal -- can take from two to six months, we encourage you to submit the LOI as soon as project plans have been developed.

1. A brief description of the project, including community or other needs addressed and the target population to be served.
2. If this is a new project offered by an existing organization, an explanation of how it fits within the overall goals of the organization.
3. The specific expected outcomes of the project, listed by number. (Outcomes are changes you hope to achieve with your target population. They are the intended results of the project, not the process of achieving them.)

A. A projected line-item budget for the project. Include how much you are requesting from the foundation, your other projected sources of support and the amount of your organization’s total operating budget for the current fiscal year.
B. If a registered UK charity, a copy of the constitution and registration certificate.

Once Ibrahim Foundation receives a complete LOI, a team of program officers will review it and determine if your project can be given further consideration. In some cases, particularly for requests of £5,000 or less, the information included in the LOI is sufficient for the community foundation to consider a grant. In other cases, you may be invited to submit a full proposal. The foundation receives far more requests for support than it is able to fund. If your project will not be awarded funding, you will be notified by letter.

When an organization is invited to submit a full proposal, the foundation staff will inform the organization when the proposal is due and when the community foundation will likely review and either approve or deny the request. The request for a full proposal does not guarantee funding at any level. While the community foundation does not have a standard application form, we request you adhere to the following guidelines when you submit a proposal:

Submit two copies of the proposal and related materials in the following format:
Pages should not be bound.
All pages of the narrative and project budget should be numbered.
The narrative should not exceed eight pages (for elements 1 through 10 listed below). You may also submit the proposal by email to grants@ibrahimfoundation.com

Proposals should include the following elements:
1. A one-paragraph “proposal summary” of the project.
2. A brief description of the organization; include the year of incorporation or first year of operation.
3. A description of the proposed project, including the number of clients to be served and the demographics of that population.
4. The specific geographic area served by the project and by the organization.
5. A numbered list of the intended outcomes that should result from the project.
6. A description of how you will evaluate the success of the project, using appropriate measures. You may wish to include the projected cost for evaluation in your budget.
7. A discussion of why your organization is uniquely positioned to serve the target population, including a description of the qualifications of key organizational staff.
8. A discussion of how your project is distinct from any similar projects offered by other local agencies. If applicable, describe how your project collaborates with other projects.
9. A detailed timeline of the project.
10. A discussion of how you plan to sustain the project in the future, beyond the funding you have requested from the community foundation.

Proposals should include the following elements:
A. A detailed line-item budget for the project and a budget narrative.
B. A copy of your organization’s current overall operating budget.
C. Other sources of support, including the names of prospective donors, the amount of funding requested and any action that has occurred to date.
D. Most recent financial statements, audited if available.
E. A list of the organization’s board of directors and their affiliations.

Should you have questions about the Ibrahim Foundation, please email grants@ibrahimfoundation.com