Deadline: 25-Sep-20
The Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund (SOS) is seeking letter of inquiries (LOIs) for its grant program to strengthen the Greater St. Louis community through informed, focused grant-making by educating and inspiring women to engage in significant giving.
SOS Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
- SOS is committed to equity, diversity, collaboration, inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability because all people deserve to live full and abundant lives free of prejudice, discrimination and oppression.
- SOS will prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion in its philanthropy.
DIVERSITY means full participation of all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, gender orientation, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, ability, citizenship status, language, religion, geographic location, and national origin, among other identities.
EQUITY is the condition that would be achieved if one’s identity no longer predicted how one fared in life.
INCLUSION creates a culture and environment for diverse individuals to bring their authentic and full selves. Inclusion results when underrepresented people are seen as fully belonging in a community.
Focus Areas
Grants are not restricted to issues dealing exclusively with women, but are made to organizations focusing on at least one of the following areas:
- Arts and Culture
- Education
- Environment
- Health
- Social Services
Funding Information
- Single-year grants of $5,000 – $25,000 are awarded to nonprofit organizations in the Greater St. Louis community.
Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for SOS grant funding, organizations must:
- Have public charity status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code issued to an organization located in the Greater St. Louis Community
- Have an operating budget of less than $1.5 million
- Be headquartered and provide services within the Greater St. Louis Community which includes the City of St. Louis and/or the following counties: St. Louis, St. Charles, Jefferson and Franklin in Missouri or St. Clair, Madison and Monroe in Illinois (Organizations can provide services outside this specific area but SOS will only fund the services provided to the Greater St. Louis Community)
- Organizations receiving SOS grants for two consecutive years or receiving a multi-year grant must wait one year before applying for additional grant money.
Ineligible
SOS does not award grants for:
- Organizations not operating within the Greater St. Louis Community
- Services delivered outside of the Greater St. Louis Community
- Chapters of national organizations receiving financial support from their national office
- For-profit organizations
- Major building/capital campaigns, although program-specific capital requests may receive grants
- Conferences or benefits
- Individuals, for any purpose
- Scholarships for a named individual, although scholarship funds may receive grants
- Endowments
- Projects that promote religious or political doctrine
- Research (medical or otherwise)
- Operating deficits/retirement of existing debt
Application Process
SoS has a four-phase grant application process:
- September: Submit Letter of Inquiry (LOI)
- January: Submit Full Grant Application By Invitation Only
- February and March: Meet with SOS members during a site visit
- April-May: SOS members vote on selected proposals and grants awarded at the Annual Grant Spirit Awards Ceremony.
For more information, visit https://www.spiritstlwomensfund.org/apply-for-a-grant/
