Responsibility of Grant Recipients

The recipient of any grant from Ronald McDonald House Charities must use funding provided for the specific purpose of the original stated intent. RMHC requires detailed accounting of all funds awarded as part of the follow-up report that is required to be submitted one year after receipt of the grant.

It is understood that any funds not used in the manner specified in the letter of agreement must be returned to RMHC. A revision in use of funds must be requested in writing to RMHC and requires prior written approval.

Supporting materials sent as part of your grant application cannot be returned. Please do not submit any materials of which you do not have a copy.

Step One: Determine Eligibility

To be considered for funding, an applicant must be designated a not-for-profit, tax-exempt charitable organization. U.S. charities must have a current 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status letter on file with the Internal Revenue Service.

The RMHC Board of Trustees is most interested in national or international organizations that have a specific program related to children’s health and well being.

Organizations seeking funding should have a specific program that:

• Directly improves the health and well being of children
• Addresses a significant funding gap or critical opportunity
• Has long-term impact in terms of replication or reach
• Produces measurable results
• Is sustainable without relying on RMHC funding

Organizations seeking funding should have:

• A broad base of funding support
• Management and staff capacity to effectively execute the project
• A longer-term organizational strategic plan (evidence to ensure program and organization sustainability)
• A clear, concise plan for project evaluation with outcome measurement that shows potential for meaningful change

Ronald McDonald House Charities does not award grants:

• To projects/programs that are local in scope (i.e. those that focus on one particular community/state or those that are not replicable). Applicants, however, may contact their local RMHC Chapter for information about grants for local programs.
• To support ongoing general, operating or administrative expenses (including salaries, travel and overhead). Though special consideration is given to those programs where these expenses are vital to the final outcome.
• For projects/programs that do not benefit children under 21
• To reduce debt
• For annual fund appeals
• For medical research
•  For for-profit organizations
• For fundraising sponsorships
• For programs/projects administered by activist groups
• For projects that have already been completed
• For sectarian or religious purposes
• For scholarships and fellowships to individuals
• To propagandize or influence elections or legislation
• For advertising or fundraising drives
• To intermediary funding agencies
• For endowment campaigns
• For individuals

Step Two: Submit a Letter of Inquiry

The letter should help RMHC understand the relationship between your proposed program/project and our mission. It should give a synopsis of the project, organization and requested funding amount.

RMHC reviews all letters of inquiry from eligible organizations. The review committee will invite organizations that extend the RMHC mission to submit a formal grant proposal.

Letter Guidelines

The RMHC Board of Trustees will not review incomplete submissions and cannot return or forward grant request materials. If any of the items below are not attached, the submission will be deemed incomplete and immediately declined.

Letter Preparation

Your letter of inquiry must be submitted in English, be no more than three double-sided pages in length and should include the following:

1.  Specifications: Type on organization letterhead, signed by a management official and the project leader/principal investigator.

2.  Organization history: Describe your organization, its leadership and past program accomplishments.

3.  Project information/methodology: Describe the problem or need this project will address and your methodology to solve it. Include the program/project’s duration (the start and completion dates and how the project fits within and advances your organization’s long-term strategic plan.

4.  Target population: Summarize your target population in measurable terms, including the audience, how many will be served, age of participants and the number and percentage who fall into specific ethnic groups (i.e., African American, Asian, Hispanic, Native American, Caucasian, etc.).

5. Project objectives: Describe the benefits to be gained from the project’s success.

6. Outcome measurement: Describe project outcome measurement and evaluation.

7. Future funding: Describe your plans for funding this project in the future. If other funding sources are in place, please include this information.

Attachments must include:

• Determination letter confirming organization’s charitable/tax-exempt status for organizations outside the United States
• IRS 501(c)(3) letter (U.S. organizations only)
• Itemized project budget (including total amount requested) with indirect costs not greater than 12 percent.

Letter Submission

Please send all letters of inquiry to:

Deadline: September 4, 2009 (Letter of Inquiry). For more information and details please visit their web site.

To view other available grants please click here.

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