Application Process and Guidelines

All applications must be submitted through the Foundation’s on-line application portal which can be accessed here: Apply.

Once you have created an account on the portal you can create a new application and review existing applications.

If you have any technical difficulties completing your submission, please feel free to email Program Officer Nathan Howrey at nhowrey@thehallefoundation.org for help.

Eligibility and Deadlines

Please review the eligibility and deadlines requirements described above to ensure your organization and the proposed project meet the basic qualifications for applying for grant funding. You are encouraged to consult the Foundation website, and if necessary, contact the Executive Director, well in advance of this deadline to clarify any questions you may have.

Tips for a Successful Application

The Foundation seeks to help organizations with strong leadership and a proven track record of success exploit new opportunities or meet extraordinary needs that will further the missions of both the organization and the Foundation.  Be as specific and persuasive as possible in responding to the application question regarding how the proposed project will advance the Foundation’s mission.

The Foundation does not typically make grants for unrestricted operating support nor does it fund new projects indefinitely. It also rarely supports projects for which it is the only funder or which do not appear to have the potential to eventually become self-sustaining. Applications that demonstrate a broad base of financial support for the project from the organization (in-kind and direct financial support), from its constituencies (e.g., earned revenue, student contributions), and/or from third-party funders (e.g., other foundations or private donors), and which reflect a high degree of financial discipline, are given the highest priority.

While the Foundation encourages succinctness in applications (and will contact you if further information is needed after receiving your proposal), make sure not to omit basic information.  Be certain to tell us the number of individuals you expect to participate in your program and how they will be selected, and the project’s timing, its basic content, and its objectives. (In the case of a travel program, for example, give us your best estimate as to dates of travel, who and how many people will go, the places they will visit, and the activities they will engage in.)

For exchange and other travel-oriented programs in particular, the Foundation looks for indicia that are characteristic of a true educational experience (as distinguished from a “travel tour.”)  Such indicia might include some amount of German language training; visits with businesses/government officials/academic partners; lecture/seminars/workshops; the possibility of earning academic credit; a well-organized pre-trip orientation and post-trip debriefing; supervision and design of the trip by well-credentialed faculty; etc.

Budgets should reflect financial discipline and appropriate cost-sharing.  Understanding that there is a certain amount of price volatility in items like air fares, budget projections which wildly overstate those amounts are not helpful.  Note also the Foundation does not pay, and budgets should not include, “reserve” amounts or “indirect cost” or similar cost overhead items.  Budgets should be expressed US dollars.

Here you will find an exemplar annotated application and a budget.  Review the sample budget carefully as budgets should follow the general formatting reflected there very closely.

Notification of Action and Grant Agreement

In most cases, grant applicants will be contacted by email within one week of the trustees meeting with information about action taken by the Board of Trustees. Successful grant recipients will subsequently receive a grant agreement, outlining the terms and conditions of the grant, which must be signed and returned to the Foundation.  Please review the sample copy of the Foundation’s grant agreement below. The grant agreement should be reviewed in advance of submission of the grant proposal, as modifications of the agreement are not generally permitted.