Apply for a Grant
Apply for a Grant
What You'll Need
GRANT APPLICATION FORM
A short, fillable PDF that covers the basics of your organization.
COVER LETTER
A 750-word letter outlining your organization's request and its impact.
See Grant Application Form for additional instructions.
501(C)3 IRS DETERMINATION LETTER
An official IRS letter confirming your organization's tax exempt status.
INTERVIEWS & CELEBRATIONS
By applying to a student group, your organization commits to making a staff member available for an interview, if selected, and attendance at a closing awards celebration in the spring.
Steps & Timelines
STEP 1
MISSION STATEMENTS
STEP 2
APPLICATIONS
STEP 3
INTERVIEWS
STEP 4
DECISIONS
STEP 5
CELEBRATIONS
Student Mission Statements
Each mission statement below represents an independent group of grantmakers. A nonprofit can apply to any mission statement that aligns with its work. Please read the statements carefully.
Student Mission Statements
Each mission statement below represents an independent group of grantmakers. A nonprofit can apply to any mission statement that aligns with its work. Please read the statements carefully.
The average Schnitzer Cares grant is $3,000-$5,000.
Fundraising is an important part of the Schnitzer Cares student experience. Each group has been guaranteed $7,500 from The CARE Foundation for grantmaking. We ask each group to try to raise $750 to add to this amount. Every dollar the students raise up to that goal is matched with $10 by The CARE Foundation.
If your organization receives a grant from a school, it already reflects The CARE Foundation’s match. That amount is the final amount for the grant.
The CARE Foundation does not require any follow-up reporting from Schnitzer Cares recipients. However, the students who awarded the grant may ask for a report or letter if they choose.
A representative from your organization (employee, board member, volunteer, or friend of the organization) must attend the Grant Awards Ceremony in May to receive the grant. If your organization receives multiple grants, you may need to attend multiple ceremonies to receive each grant.
All 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations whose work directly benefits the residents of the State of Oregon are eligible to apply. If your organization is located outside of Oregon, you may only apply for program funding that would be used in Oregon. Please keep in mind that the student mission statements will often identify specific geographic areas they would like to serve.
If your organization is located in Oregon but your programming benefits people outside of Oregon, you are not eligible for a Schnitzer Cares grant.
Yes. Organizations can apply every year.
Yes! You are welcome to apply to any group whose mission statement aligns with your organization’s work.
Option 1: Create a general cover letter that speaks to all the mission statements you are applying to. Submit a single Grant Application form and check all the mission statement boxes that align. (Students don’t see that page. We take it out when we organize all the materials.)
Option 2: Create tailored cover letters that highlight specific aspects of your organization to meet the unique concerns of different mission statements. Groups will receive the cover letter specifically designed for them. Submit a single Grant Application Form and check all the boxes that align.
Please do not submit tailored cover letters if you are only making minor changes to the letter (such as including a mission statement # or customizing the salutation – please use “Dear Schnitzer Cares Grantmakers” instead). This makes the admin on the back-end much more difficult.
Option 3: Create tailored cover letters and tailored Grant Application Forms. Orgs that choose this option usually have a variety of different programs and want to match a request for program support to a specific cover letter. This option requires multiple uploads.