Grant funds will not be considered for the following:

• Activities that solely promote a religious doctrine
• Academic research
• Creation of, or addition to, an endowment fund
• Expenses incurred before the grant award date
• Fundraising campaigns or events
• Organizations classified as private foundations
• Organizations that discriminate in its employment practices, volunteer opportunities or delivery of programs and services on the basis of race, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by law
• Organizations that have been in operation less than three years
• Payment of debt or legal settlements
• Political or partisan purposes
• Staff salaries for school or public agency employees

The following guidelines explain our current requirements.

• Groups that are covered under a Group Ruling MUST submit a letter of good standing from the parent organization that covers the year of application. If you have questions, contact the Philanthropy office at [email protected] or 831.649.1533, before applying.
• Groups or programs under a fiscal agent should contact our Philanthropy Office at [email protected] or 831.649.1533, before applying.
• Government or other public agencies are recommended to contact our Philanthropy Office at [email protected] or 831.649.1533, before applying.
• Requests for technology will be considered with preference given to requests containing: a plan to sustain upgrades/maintenance from a variety of strong funding sources.
• Requests for scholarships are considered by invitation only.
• Exceptions may be made to the above exclusions in response to an emergency, or for a one-time significant, community-wide benefit.

Organizations should be aware that there are many components of determining grant size. If your organization has been historically limited by an audit requirement, please contact our Philanthropy Office at [email protected] or 831.649.1533 to discuss the size of your next request. Please note that this change does not imply that funding will increase.

We believe that ongoing support is a critical element of community grantmaking. At the same time, expectations of similar funding each year can create dependency and limit the development of diverse funding streams. We may begin to ask organizations that have received more than five years of consistent support to take a break from funding for a one-year period. Whenever possible, the break will take place after a multi-year award, providing advance notice for planning and to generate other support. We hope that this tool will help build resiliency and strength for our nonprofit partners.

The following guidelines explain additional requirements for Public Schools (K-12), Private Schools, School Districts, Charter Schools, Public/Private Universities, Community Colleges, and other education institutions:

• Individual public K-12 schools are limited to requesting no more than $50,000 per year. Only public K-12 schools may use the Public K-12 School grant application. Use of incorrect application may result in the delay of review. See guidelines for school districts, charter schools, and private schools below.
• School districts are limited to requesting no more than $400,000 per year for projects critical to a district-wide strategy. Monterey Peninsula Foundation may ask the district to take a year or two off from application after a significant grant has been committed. School districts must apply using the general grant application, and are subject to the same requirements as nonprofit organizations.
• Charter schools, private schools, public/private universities, community colleges, and other education institutions must have 501(c)(3) nonprofit status and apply using the general grant application and are subject to the same requirements as nonprofit organizations.
• The Foundation requests that, prior to applying, charter schools reach out to Ambry Capistrano at [email protected] to schedule a pre-application meeting.
• Requests for technology will be considered with preference given to requests containing a plan to sustain upgrades/maintenance from a variety of strong funding sources.
• Requests for scholarships are considered by invitation only.

For questions about eligibility or to schedule a meeting to discuss your potential funding request, please contact Ambry Capistrano at [email protected].

For high schools or 501(c)(3) nonprofit groups (i.e. PTA, Booster Club) requesting funds for sober grad events, please complete the required form.

In most instances the grant term is 8 months. Multi-year support is considered on a case-by-case basis. We consider a variety of factors to determine the term of the award, including good standing with recent grants awarded, reducing burden, organizational capacity, and more. Public K-12 schools are not eligible for multi-year support.

Check your award letter for specific information on the term of the grant.  Grant terms are calculated based on reporting deadlines.

For questions about multi-year support, please contact Nancy Enterline at [email protected] or 831-649-1533.

Impact of Application Timelines on Duration of Grants

Each Grant Cycle has a consistent reporting deadline each year: Spring Cycle – December 1 and Fall Cycle – June 1. Grant terms are calculated based on reporting deadlines. Please plan accordingly.

Note that your application MUST fall within the Grant Cycle you have elected. Grant Cycles are a strategic choice made by the agency applying. We rarely allow agencies to switch cycles once they have made their strategic choice.

Please contact Ambry Capistrano at [email protected] if you have a question about grant cycles or reporting deadlines.

Learn more about the Timeframe for Applying