The Professional Dairy Producers Foundation was founded by producers and agribusiness friends who believe education is the key to a healthy dairy community, and wanted to ensure that this strongly-held value remains part of our dairy communities. We support educational programs for youth, producer professionalism, and building public trust in what we do as dairy producers. Because we serve the entire dairy industry, we seek out the best education ideas through our competitive granting program. TO WHOM WILL THE FOUNDATION AWARD GRANTS?
Applying organizations must be non-profit, with an IRS status of 501(c)(3) or (c)(5). At the present time, the Foundation only funds programs within the United States.
FUNDING AVAILABLE:
In our Fiscal Year 2013-14, organizations may apply for a grant of up to $5,000. The maximum amount for each grant will be $5,000. The maximum amount given to any one organization will be $5,000.
TARGETED AREAS OF SUPPORT:
At the present time, programs or education initiatives we intend to support fall into these main areas:
Building PRODUCER PROFESSIONALISM - Engaging and equipping our people in lifelong learning, including producer leadership skills and our next generation of professional dairy producers.
Maintaining PUBLIC TRUST Unified outreach programs that educate and engage both the dairy community and the public, helping facilitate trust.
For a sample of programs we have funded, view our web site at www.dairyfoundation.org.
WHAT WE DO NOT FUND:
Requests from individuals or scholarships for individuals
Political or social organizations
Endowments
Artistic or religious programs
Loans, start-up expenses or seed capital funding for private businesses
Dairy promotion or nutrition programs that are directly the responsibility of our state and national check-off organizations. We are pleased to work collaboratively with our check-off organizations, but not in competition.
For more information about our Foundation, please see our web site at www.dairyfoundation.org.
GRANT-MAKING CRITERIA:
The PDPF Selection Committee will weigh the quality of proposals against any or all of the following considerations:
1. Industry Leadership-Will this grant be a catalyst for change or further education opportunities? Like a tugboat, our funds can be used to lead the industry into uncharted waters, trying new ideas.
2. "Sharability"-Does this grant align with the PDPF mission? Our mission is "To share ideas, resources and experiences about important issues surrounding the dairy industry through educational opportunities for dairy producers and the public." Therefore, we want to work in partnership with organizations that align with our mission. We look for ways to advance promising programs and share "what works" with others in the industry.
3. Leverage-Will this grant make use of already proven solutions? We encourage organizations to leverage our grant with other resources to achieve educational goals.
4. Impact-Is the applying organization capable of demonstrating measurable impact: When we ask donors to give to the Foundation, we ask them to invest in the future of the dairying in our communities. Therefore, we look for a demonstrable return on the grants we make. Applications should include ways that you intend to communicate and publicize your program's results and findings.
5. Commitment to Partnership-Is the applying organization capable of helping the Foundation grow its influence and capacity in the future? Our vision is "a professional, proactive and prepared dairy community, united through education initiatives." We ask our grant recipients to help us build awareness and support for the Foundation among key audiences, so we can build our fundraising capacity and continue to fund education programs.
APPLICATION DEADLINE:
Applications for this grant cycle should be received by: June 1, 2014.
HOW TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION:
If you have reviewed our criteria and believe there is a strong match with your program, please submit an application, preferably under 10 pages when complete, using at least 12 point Arial type. Please include the following:
- Cover Page for Grant Application
- Who: A description of your organization and a brief summary of your organization's
1. Past achievements in relation to the problem or need you are addressing in your proposal
2. Capacity to successfully facilitate the proposed activities.
- What and How: A statement of the problem or need you plan to address and an explanation of how your organization will respond to it. Include a summary of what you expect to achieve through your efforts.
- When: Explain the timeframe for the proposed activities.
- Budget: Estimate the cost of the entire project or activity and include the specific amount requested from the Foundation in a complete project budget. If you are leveraging funds from your or another organization to help support your proposal, include that information as well.
- A copy of your IRS Determination Letter verifying your organization's status as either 501(c)3 or 501(c)5.
- Submit your grant application as follows:
1. Send 8 hard copies to: Grant Proposals, Professional Dairy Producers Foundation, 820 N. Main St., Suite D, Juneau, Wis., 53039.
2. Email one copy in an email with subject line "Grant Application" to: shext@dairyfoundation.org.
PROGRESS REPORTS AND IMPACT STATEMENTS:
Please note that all programs funded will be subject to periodic progress updates.
After the proposed activities are complete, grant recipients must submit an evaluation, impact statement and other requested information that fits the spirit of our mission, "To share ideas, resources, experiences and solutions through education about important issues surrounding the dairy industry."
INDIRECT COSTS:
The Professional Dairy Producers Foundation does not allow for proposals to be submitted with any associated indirect costs. Grant submitted with indirect costs will not be considered.
OUR APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS:
We will honor all requests with a response.
Since grant-writing is a time-consuming process, we encourage you to review our criteria carefully and be sure your request falls within our guidelines. We cannot fund every request and may need to decline worthwhile projects for various reasons-availability of funds at a given time may be the reason, as opposed to the validity of the request.
Finally, we urge you to help us spread the word about the Foundation, so that we can improve our industry awareness, build our fundraising support and increase our capacity to fund worthy educational efforts.
4.7.2014