Please tell me more about your focus on public policy. We focus our grantmaking on initiatives that promise to have an influence on public policies. That includes advancing the public debate about important policy issues, development and testing of new policy ideas, and evaluations that help policymakers understand how policies are working and where improvements are needed. We believe such policy initiatives can lead to broad, systemic changes that affect the most people over the long run.
Do you fund communications (e.g., books, publications, videos, documentaries, web sites)? We look for a strong communications plan in any proposal designed to influence public policy. We generally don’t fund communications efforts that are unrelated to specific policy initiatives.
Do you fund research? We fund research that is likely to have a strong impact on public policy in our program areas. See individual programs for more information. We don’t fund basic research.
Do you fund scholarships, fellowships, capital or endowment campaigns, buildings, religious activities, or small business startups? No.
Do you make grants to individuals? I saw you listed in a “free money” guide. Can I get help paying my bills? The Foundation does not make grants to help individuals start a small business, pay school or college tuition, cover medical bills, pay off debts, help buy or build a home, or any similar purpose.
Do you fund government agencies and programs? We generally make grants only to nonprofit organizations.
Do you fund national organizations? We make grants to national organizations for projects that promise to have a significant impact on public policies affecting the Great Lakes region.
Do you make grants outside the United States? Our grantmaking is limited to organizations whose work affects the Great Lakes region of the United States. A few grants are made to Canadian environmental organizations working on Great Lakes issues.
Do you provide general operating support, or must we apply for specific project funds? We generally fund projects, but in rare cases we provide general operating support.
Do you do program-related investments? No, not at present.
Whom can I contact to talk to about my proposal? Please start by reading the program descriptions on this site or in our Application Guidelines to get a sense of how your proposal fits with Joyce funding priorities. Then send a letter of inquiry to the program officer, whose names are listed on the home page for each program.
How long does it take from the time I send a proposal until the decision is made whether to fund it? For information on schedules consult the Seeking a Grant section.
How many copies of a proposal should I send? Just send one copy of the letter of inquiry or proposal, addressed to one of the program officers. It is not necessary to send copies to other program officers or to the Foundation president.
Is it really necessary to send a letter of inquiry? Can’t I just save time and send the proposal? Yes, sending an inquiry letter is required. It helps applicants target proposals better and saves time that would otherwise go into preparing and reviewing proposals that may not fit within our funding priorities.
Would it help if I contacted a member of your board of directors? The directors of the Foundation have requested that they not be contacted individually regarding proposals.
Is there a maximum size for grants? No. The size of grants depends on the organization’s overall budget and the scope of the proposed work. To get a sense of the range of our grants, we suggest you review the grants list under the program area you’re interested in. In 2006 the Foundation awarded 244 grants with an average value of $200,000.
How long after a grant is approved will we get the money? Grant payments are normally made at the end of the month following the board meeting at which the funding decision was made.
Where did the Joyce Foundation get its money? Do you accept contributions from the public? The Joyce family wealth was based on lumber and sawmill interests. (More background is available in the History of the Foundation section.) We do not accept contributions from the public.
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