Frequently Asked Questions

The Yawkey Foundation does not fund the following:

• Organizations that are not tax-exempt under IRS Section 501(c)3 or 509(a)(3) Type III
• Funding for specific positions or salaries to recruit/engage specific employees or staff persons
• Funding for emergency response, events, conferences, sponsorships, advertisements, films/documentaries, travel, individual requests/benefit
• Funder collaboratives, private foundations, and general endowments
• Public school districts, public and charter schools, government agencies, community/economic development corporations, political campaigns, lobbying and cause-marketing
• Religious organizations for sectarian purposes (excludes non-religious programs of faith-based organizations)
• Athletic programs specific to individual towns, districts or counties
• Scholarships for elementary, middle and secondary schools
• International organizations and international programs “pass-through” funds

The Yawkey Foundation reviews Initial Proposals for three Types of Grants for eligible nonprofit organizations aligned with its Areas of Giving, through a highly-competitive two-step process:   

• Program & Small Capital Grants
• Strategic Investment Grants
• Transformational Capital Grants

Nonprofits may submit only one Initial Proposal to the Yawkey Foundation in the course of a calendar year, irrespective of the Type of Grant. It is suggested, though not required, that organizations which have not been previously funded by the Foundation submit Initial Proposals for Program & Small Capital Grants as a way to familiarize the Foundation with its work.

In addition, the Yawkey Foundation funds four-year college scholarships for students in Massachusetts and Georgetown County, South Carolina, through the Yawkey Scholars Program.

Yawkey Foundation does not provide funding for conditional awards such as match grant, challenge grants, or other incentive-based fundraising initiatives.

The Yawkey Foundation is committed to providing support for program expenses and general operations connected to a nonprofit’s established mission and proven program/service delivery connected to the mission. The Foundation does not provide funding exclusively for specific positions, nor salaries to recruit/engage specific employees or staff persons, especially where there is no indication of sustainable support other than from the Foundation.

Yawkey Foundation provides three types of grants: Transformational Capital, Strategic Investment, and Program & Small Capital. Initial Proposals may be submitted for projects that address specific and finite elements of established capital campaigns, such as investments in capital equipment or building new facilities, and those requests should be clearly detailed (including budget, timeline, milestones specific to the project) in the Initial Proposal. However, the Foundation does not provide funding for an organization to meet its general capital campaign fundraising goal, nor does the Foundation provide funding for nonprofit endowments.

Nonprofit organizations seeking to be considered for Yawkey Foundation funding may do so through the two-step process, detailed in the Giving Process section of the website.  Prior to submitting an Initial Proposal, grant seekers should thoroughly review the website, including Areas of Giving, Types of Grants, and Giving Process, where they will find comprehensive information about Initial Proposal submission dates, review timeframes, and guidelines. Unsolicited grant requests via email and regular mail will not be accepted.

Given the competitiveness of the Initial Proposal process across all Types of Grants, a very limited number of Initial Proposals will be selected for invitation to submit a formal Grant Application for consideration by the Foundation.

The Initial Proposal should be a concise overview of the nonprofit, and a description of the project, program, or initiative for which funding is being sought. You will be asked to choose one of the three types of grants: Transformational Capital, Strategic Investment, or Program & Small Capital grant. Suggested details would include an explanation of how the request is uniquely aligned with the Yawkey Foundation’s priorities and Areas of Giving, and the benefits to the individuals, families, and/or communities the nonprofit serves through direct program and service delivery as part of a core mission. Initial Proposals should be no more than 800 words.

Nonprofits may submit only one Initial Proposal to the Yawkey Foundation in the course of a calendar year, irrespective of the Type of Grant. It is suggested, though not required, that organizations which have not been previously funded by the Foundation submit Initial Proposals for Program & Small Capital Grants as a way to familiarize the Foundation with its work.

Please note that all Initial Proposals must be accompanied by a detailed project or program budget specific to the request.

The Yawkey Foundation reviews Initial Proposals for three Types of Grants through a highly competitive two-step process. The specific deadlines for Initial Proposals vary for each Type of Grant.

Program & Small Capital Grant Initial Proposals

Initial Proposal submission dates and deadlines by Areas of Giving category

• Youth & Amateur Athletics (December 1, 2023 – January 1, 2024)
• Human Services (March 1, 2024 – April 1, 2024)
• Education (May 1, 2024 – June 1, 2024)
• Conservation & Wildlife (May 1, 2024 – June 1, 2024)
• Arts & Culture (August 1, 2024 – September 1, 2024)
• Health Care (August 1, 2024 – September 1, 2024

Strategic Investment Grant Initial Proposals

There are two submission periods for Initial Proposals for Strategic Investment Grants, applicable to all of Yawkey Foundation Area of Giving categories:

• March 1 – April 1
• August 1 – September 1

Transformational Capital Grant Initial Proposals

Initial Proposals for Transformational Capital Grant funding are open on a rolling basis throughout the calendar year for all nonprofits with missions aligned to any of the Yawkey Foundation’s Areas of Giving categories. 

The Yawkey Foundation is open to considering Initial Proposals from nonprofits new to the Foundation who have not been funded in the past, provided they meet eligibility requirements and are for programs or projects aligned with Areas of Giving and Geographic Focus.  It is suggested, though not required, that an organization which has not been previously funded by the Foundation start by submitting an Initial Proposal for a Program & Small Capital Grants as a way to familiarize the Foundation with its work. 

Given Tom and Jean Yawkey’s lifelong passion for baseball and softball throughout their lifetimes, the Yawkey Foundation focuses its Youth & Amateur Athletics category Program & Small Capital Grants on baseball and softball.

A nonprofit organization must fully satisfy the Reporting Requirements for a previous/existing Yawkey Foundation grant prior to submitting a new Initial Proposal.

A nonprofit may only submit one proposal to the Yawkey Foundation in the course of a calendar year. Nonprofits are not permitted to submit more than one Initial Proposal, irrespective of Type of Grant, in a calendar year. 

Initial Proposal submission periods, deadlines, and review periods vary according to each Type of Grant. Comprehensive details for each are provided in the Type of Grant section of the website.

Information about grant amounts vary according to the Type of Grant. Comprehensive details for each are provided in the Type of Grant section of the website. 

The resources on our website will provide you with the information you need to determine if our funding priorities and requirements match your needs, and if so, how to submit an Initial Proposal.  With that in mind, and given the volume of Initial Proposals we are receiving, we are unable to provide guidance or feedback prior to, or during the review period for, Initial Proposals submissions.

An invitation to submit a full Grant Application does not indicate that a grant will be approved. Rather, this step is intended to provide the Grants Staff and Foundation Trustees with important additional context and details pertaining to the Initial Proposal, which will help to inform the evaluation and decision process.

Should a nonprofit be selected to receive a grant from the Yawkey Foundation, waiting periods would be discussed and agreed upon in the course of the multistep evaluation process. Reporting Requirements will also need to have been satisfactorily fulfilled prior to submission of a new Initial Proposal. 

Yawkey Foundation Staff and Trustees are only able to accommodate meeting and site visit requests from nonprofits who are being actively considered for funding, which would occur after an Initial Proposal has been thoroughly reviewed and the determination has been made to conduct further due diligence as part of a multistep evaluation process. Should this be the case, a Yawkey Foundation staff member will contact the nonprofit. We are unable to accommodate requests for meetings or site visits prior to, or during the review period for, Initial Proposal submissions.

The Yawkey Foundation Staff and Trustees request that any and all outreach to share information and updates from nonprofits is conducted through the Initial Proposal process. Nonprofits interested in potential funding from the Yawkey Foundation are asked to please review the website, which contains comprehensive information about the Foundation’s Mission, Areas of Giving, and Giving Process specifically intended to guide organizations on how to be considered for support.

The Yawkey Foundation receives many more requests for funding than it is able to accommodate, and therefore, must decline many impactful organizations who are doing very important work. Foundation staff has limited ability to provide feedback on Initial Proposals that it is not planning to consider for additional due diligence and/or an invitation to submit a full Grant Application. However, staff will reach out to nonprofits with any specific feedback that would potentially provide helpful information if/when such circumstances arise.

The Yawkey Foundation focuses on strengthening organizations and supporting nonprofit leadership in the long-term, so that they are prepared to respond to unforeseen emergencies or urgent circumstances impacting their operations and those they serve. With that in mind, the Foundation is not in a position to consider emergency or immediate funding requests.

For questions not answered from the resources provided on our website or in the FAQ, please feel free to send an email with your inquiry to the Yawkey Foundation at: yawkey@yawkey.org.