Policy Central: Grantmaking and Impact Strategy
Grantmaking policies are essential for boards and staffs seeking to develop efficient systems for tracking, evaluating, and managing progress on current and prospective grants. Included here are sample policies and checklists for budgets, site visits, evaluation forms, discretionary grants, and much more.
- Please read our Samples Disclaimer Policy statement.
- Please submit your own policy or sample to share through the NCFP Knowledge Center.
- If you represent a foundation that has an updated version of a sample included here, please contact NCFP staff to update it.
- For assessment tools and other resources related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in family philanthropy, please see our Content Collection on Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
Start Here: Trust-Based Philanthropy Policies
- 6 Grantmaking Practices of Trust based Philanthropy (Trust Based Philanthropy Project, 2023)
- How to Show Up in a Trust based Way (Trust Based Philanthropy Project, 2022)
- Building Trust Through Regular Check Ins (Trust Based Philanthropy Project, 2022)
- Grant Reporting Guidelines (Thousand Currents, 2023)
- General Support Unrestricted (General Service Foundation, 2020)
- 3 Questions for Verbal Reporting (General Service Foundation, 2022)
- General Operating Support Grant Award (North Star Fund, 2023)
- Capacity Building (T Rowe Price Foundation, 2023)
- Grant Agreement (Dorot Foundation, 2023)
- Learning and Reporting Form (Dorot Foundation, 2023)
- Mirror Tool (Chicago Beyond, 2023)
- Guidelines for Interactions with Community Based Orgs (Firelight Foundation, 2022)
- Capacity Building and Grantee Learning (Amplify Fund, 2022)
- Check in Assessment Tool (Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, 2021)
501(c)(4) Agreements and Guidelines
- 501c3 and 501c4 Permissible Activities Comparison (Alliance for Justice, 2022)
- Sample Grant Agreement from 501c3 to 501c4 (Bolder Advocacy, 2021)
Budget Reporting Templates
- Budget Info Form (Topfer Family Foundation, 2022)
- Grant Report Budget Instructions and Template (Tower Foundation, 2017)
- Budget Reporting Template (Walton Family Foundation, 2012)
- Budget Format (HRK Foundation, 2003)
- Grant Application Budget Format (NCFP, 2003)
Capital Grants
- Capital Grant Guidelines (Davis, 2019)
- Investing In Capital Projects (Leighty Foundation, 2018)
- Capital Grant Guidelines Examples (S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation)
- Small Capital Grants Guidelines (Pohlad Family Foundation, 2014)
Community Member Compensation Policy
Declination Letters
Disaster Grantmaking
- Disaster Grantmaking Checklist (Hilton Foundation, 2012)
- Checklist for Effective Disaster Response
- Opportunity Fund Framework (Anonymous)
Discretionary Grants Policies and Procedures
- Discretionary Grants Policies (GEO and NCFP, 2018)
- How to Apply for a Discretionary Grant (Knott, 2023)
- Birthday Discretionary Grant Program (Anonymous Foundation, 2023)
- Grant Types and Methodology (Penney Family Fund, 2023)
- Family Grant Program LOI (Seabury Foundation, 2023)
- Family Grant Program Application (Seabury, 2023)
- Family vs Community Grant Guidelines (Seabury Foundation, 2023)
- Discretionary Grants Policy (Anonymous Foundation, 2023)
- Discretionary Grants Form (Anonymous Foundation, 2023)
- Discretionary Grant Recommendation Form (Russell Family Foundation 2021)
- Discretionary Grant Award Letter (Basic) (Anonymous Foundation, 2023)
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policies and Plans
- Commitment to DEI (Bainum, 2021)
- DEI Commitment Statement (Gates, 2021)
- DEI Policy (Wege Foundation, 2017)
Due Diligence Tools and Checklists
- Due Diligence Checklist (NCFP, 2020)
- Grant Application Questions (Anonymous Foundation, 2023)
- Grantee Assessment Tool (Peak Grantmaking, 2016)
Eligiblity Quiz for Prospective Grantees
Expenditure Responsibility
- Expenditure Responsibility Policy & Procedure (Oishei Foundation, 2016)
- Expenditure Responsibility Report Template (Walton Family Foundation, 2016)
- Expenditure Responsibility Grant Requirements (Moore Foundation, 2016)
- Expenditure Responsibility Agreement and Inquiry Letter (Council on Foundations, 2016)
- Expenditure Responsibility Agreement (Sample, 2016)
- Expenditure Responsibility Primer (Adler and Colvin, 2010)
Fiscal Sponsorship
- Fiscal Sponsorship Who Does What (National Council of Nonprofits)
- Fiscal Sponsorship Due Diligence Checklist (SDBJR, 2016)
- Fiscal Sponsorship Grant Agreement (Adler and Colvin, 2009)
- Fiscal Sponsor Policy (George Gund Foundation, 2024)
General Operating Support anc Capacity Building
- General Operating Support Grant Award (North Star Fund, 2023)
- General Support Unrestricted (General Service Foundation, 2020)
- General Operating Support Grants (Dyson, 2019)
- Principles of Best Practice (Dyson, 2019)
Grant Agreements
- Grant Agreement (Dorot Foundation, 2023)
- General Operating Support Grant Award (North Star Fund, 2023)
Grant Application Forms
- Grant Application Instructions (Shumaker Family Foundation, 2023)
- Grant Application Guidelines (Self Family Foundation, 2023)
- Grant Application Form (Topfer Family Foundation, 2021)
- Formal Grant Proposal (Walton Family Foundation, 2017)
Grant Cycle Timeline
- Grant Cycle Timeline (Tracy Family Foundation, 2023)
- Grant Cycle Timeline (Munzer Foundation, 2024)
- Grant Cycle Timeline (Beaird Family Foundation, 2024)
- Grant Cycle Timeline (Anonymous Foundation, 2024)
- Grant Calendar (Templeton Foundation, 2019)
Grant Evaluation - Trust-Based Reporting Practices
- 3 Questions for Verbal Reporting (GSF, 2022)
- Building Trust Through Regular Check Ins (Trust Based Philanthropy Project, 2022)
- How to Show Up in a Trust based Way (Trust Based Philanthropy Project, 2022)
- Trust Based Philanthropy Self Reflection Tool (TBPP, 2021)
Grant Evaluation - Interim and Progress Reports
- Learning and Reporting Form (Dorot Foundation, 2023)
- Check in Assessment Tool (Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, 2021)
- Interim Narrative Grant Report (Mott, 2019)
Guidelines and Agreement with Prohibition Against Hate
Guidelines with a Focus on Family Involvement
- Grant Guidelines with Focus on Family Involvement (Zale Foundation, 2023)
- Family vs Community Grant Guidelines (Seabury Foundation, 2023)
Guidelines with a Geographic Focus
- Grant Guidelines with Geographic Focus (Frey Foundation, 2023)
- Grant Guidelines with a Geographic Focus (Topfer Family Foundation, 2023)
- Grant Guidelines with a Specific Geographic Focus (Woodard Family Foundation, 2023)
Guidelines & Eligibility
- NCFP Grantmaking Guidelines Collection (2023)
- Grants Alignment Rubric (Grunin, 2024)
- Grant Types and Methodology (Penney Family Fund, 2023)
Indirect Cost/Expense Policy
Matching Grants
- Matching Grant Policy (Tracy Family Foundation, 2020)
- Matching Grants (Morgan FF, 2015)
- Matching Grant Program and Forms (Dobbs Fund, 2017)
- Matching Gifts Policy (Rockefeller, 2015)
- Matching Gift Request Form
Mission, Vision, and Values Statements
Pre-application Questionnaire and Grantee Eligibility Quiz
Publicity, Communications, and Recognition Policies
- Communications and Publicity (Ford Family Foundation, 2024)
- Communication Platforms (Stupski, 2021)
- Statement on Publicity (Genuardi Family Foundation, 2019)
Request for Proposals
- Request for Proposal (Stolte Family Foundation, 2016)
- Invitation for Proposal (Dorrance Fam Foundation, 2016)
- Next Gen Fund RFP (Andrus, 2015)
- Request for Proposal (Paul G. Allen Foundation, 2016)
Sabbaticals
- Sabbatical Programs for Nonprofit Leaders: A How To Guide for Funders (Durfee Foundation 2007)
- Sabbatical Programs for Nonprofits (Durfee Foundation)
- Sabbatical Policy (Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, 2010)
- Sabbatical Application Form (Durfee Foundation, 2003)
Site Visit Forms and Checklists
- Guidelines for Interactions with Community Based Orgs (Firelight Foundation, 2022)
- Site Visit Tips and Case Studies (Family Foundation Advisor, 2022)
- Site Visit Worksheet (Packard Foundation, 2016)
- Site Visit Evaluation Form (Marksbury Family Foundation, 2016)
- Dodge Foundation Site Visit Rubric (David Grant, 2015)
Social Media
- Social Media Policy Example (Anonymous Foundation, 2024)
- Social Media Policy (Pulliam Trust, 2023)
- Social Media Policy (Levitt Foundation, 2016)
Strategic Plans
- Grantmaking Strategy (Oak, 2022 to 2027)
- Strategic Plan Update (Lumpkin Family Foundation, 2023)
- Strategic Directions (MRBF, 2022)
- Strategic Plan (TLL Temple Foundation, 2021 to 2025)
- Long Range Strategic Plan (Tracy Family Foundation, 2020 to 2024)
- Strategic Framework (McKnight, 2019 to 2021)
- Strategic Plan (Ruth Mott Foundation, 2016 to 2025)