Grant Making

Sarkeys Grant Guidelines

Proposal deadlines are February 1, 2012 and

August 1, 2012, at 5 p.m.

Please note maximum grant request amount is $50,000

I. Definition

The Sarkeys Foundation is a private, charitable foundation, incorporated under the laws of the State of Oklahoma and operated exclusively for providing support through gifts and grants to charitable, scientific, and educational institutions which are qualified under section 501(c)(3) and which are not private foundations within the meaning of section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Service Code of 1954 or comparable sections of the Internal Revenue Service Code added at a later date.

II. Governing Body

The Foundation is administered by a Board of Trustees and an Executive Director.

III. Meetings

The Trustees meet quarterly in January, April, July and October. Grant proposals for 2012 will be considered at the April and October meetings.

IV. Response to Inquiries

A response to each request or inquiry will be made by the Foundation within a reasonable time.

V. Proposals

The Trustees invite proposals and applications from qualified charitable institutions. A careful evaluation of each such request will be made. Applicants are required to participate in a pre-grant interview with a program officer at what time they will receive an access code for the online application. Nonprofit representatives are urged not to wait until the final deadline.

A. Major areas of support by the Sarkeys Foundation include:
   1. Education;
   2. Social service and human service needs;
   3. Cultural and humanitarian programs of regional significance.

B. Needs normally outside the range of support by the Sarkeys Foundation:
   1. Local programs appropriately financed within the community;
   2. Direct mail solicitations and annual campaigns;
   3. Out of state institutions;
   4. Hospitals;
   5. Operating expenses;
   6. Purchase of vehicles;
   7. Grants to individuals;
   8. Responsibility for permanent financing of a program;
   9. Programs whose ultimate intent is to be profit making;
  10. Start-up funding for new organizations;
  11. Feasibility studies;
  12. Grants which trigger expenditure responsibility by Sarkeys  
        Foundation;
  13. Direct support to government agencies;
  14. Individual public or private elementary or secondary schools, unless
        they are serving the needs of a special population which are not
        being met elsewhere; and
  15. Religious institutions and their subsidiaries.

VI. Application Frequency

Organizations are limited to one application per calendar year or twelve month period. Organizations with a current grant from Sarkeys Foundation are prohibited from applying for additional funding until final payment has been received.

VII. Content of Proposals

Sarkeys accepts proposals through an online process at www.sarkeys.org. The application for the February 1, 2012 deadline will be available Dec. 1, 2011 and the application for the August 1, 2012 deadline will be available June 1, 2012. A copy of the application form required for submitting proposals to the Sarkeys Foundation may be requested by contacting a program. Sarkeys Foundation does not accept faxed or e-mailed proposals. Below are the primary components of the application:

• Organization Information
• Executive Summary
• Project Information
• Financial and Endowment Information
• Board Information
• Description of the Organization
• Description of the Project
• Collaborative Efforts in Your Community
• Line-item Budget for the Request
• List of Secured Funds and Pledges, Outstanding Requests, and Other Potential Sources of Funding

VIII. Challenge Grants

The Board may, at its discretion, determine to award a grant contingent upon the fulfillment of an institution’s additional fund-raising obligation for the project in question within a specified time period.

IX. Proposal Format

Your application must be completed online. You will need to set up an account at www.sarkeys.org. If for some reason, you are not able to complete an application online, contact a program officer for assistance and you will be allowed to either mail or deliver a proposal to the Foundation offices at 530 E. Main, Norman, OK 73071.

Failure to provide complete information will adversely affect your prospects for funding. If you have any questions, please call Susan Frantz, Diana Hartley and Linda English Weeks at (405) 364-3703.