Applicant Resources2026-09-29T17:15:55+00:00

APPLICANT RESOURCES

APPLICANT RESOURCES

We wish to make the best use of the time and effort of prospective applicants.

Thus, we invite organizations to apply based on the fit of the organization with our grantmaking preferences and the amount of grant funding available for new grants.

Please see the information below.

HOW TO APPLY

The details

The application process for Fox Family Foundation 2026 grant awards is now closed for new inquiries. Check back in January 2027 for details on applying for a grant in our 2027 grant cycle. General information about how to apply is provided below.

New Organizations

Organizations that have not been funded by Fox Family Foundation previously or those who have not had a Foundation grant awarded to them in recent years must complete a one-time eligibility screening form via our grant management system, Temelio. Before completing the screening form, review the Foundation’s eligibility requirements (see Frequently Asked Questions below).

Foundation staff will follow up with interested parties after the screening form is submitted. Mark your calendar: a link to the screening form will be posted here in January 2027.

Eligible organizations are then required to complete a meet-and-greet with Foundation staff before submitting a grant inquiry. A meet-and-greet will be scheduled once the required screening form is submitted and an organization’s eligibility is confirmed.

Previously Screened Organizations & Prior Grant Recipients

Organizations that have completed the screening process and those who have received a grant award within the past five years will receive a notice from Temelio when the annual grant cycle opens for new inquiries. The notice will include a link to the online grant inquiry form.

Grant Cycles

Fox Family Foundation has one formal grant cycle each calendar year that opens in the first quarter. For current and recent grant recipients only, we also consider time-sensitive requests outside of our annual grant cycle to meet another funder’s match requirement.

Contact Foundation staff to discuss an off-cycle grant request. Organizations new to Fox Family Foundation are not eligible to apply for off-cycle grant funding and can only apply for a grant during the Foundation’s annual grant cycle.

The process

1. Screening

Organizations not previously or recently funded complete Foundation screening

2. Grant Inquiry

Prospective applicants submit brief inquiry form

3. Invitation to Apply

Foundation Board determines invitations to apply

4. Grant Application

Invited organizations submit grant applications

5. Award Decision

Foundation Board makes award decisions

important dates

Annual Grant Cycle Winter Off-Cycle* Spring Off-Cycle*
Meet and Greet By March 15 By October 15 By January 15
Grant Inquiry By April 1 By November 1 By February 1
Invitation to Apply By June 1 By December 1 By March 1
Grant Application By September 15 By January 15 By April 15
Award Decision By December 1 By March 1 By June 1

*Current or recent grant recipients only

Frequently Asked Questions

How much grant funding do you award annually?2023-09-20T15:47:30+00:00

We estimate paying out about $600,000 for grants each year, a combination of multi-year commitments as well as new grant awards. The annual amount for new grant awards varies year to year and is shared with our announcement of the grant cycle opening.

What are your grantmaking preferences and criteria?2026-01-13T17:05:46+00:00

Fox Family Foundation grant awards are made with the following considerations:

  • emphasis on benefiting Durham County, NC
  • organizational leadership
  • originality of mission and/or approach
  • whether or not the Foundation has existing relationship/s with similar organization/s
  • breadth and evidence of the organization’s impact
  • the substance of the organization’s opportunity or aims
  • financial health
  • strong alignment with organizational and/or community priorities
  • fit with the Foundation’s vision, area/s of support, approach, targets, and/or collaboration interests
  • plus point: grants that have the potential of outsized return on investment or impact

For project-based grants, successful applications will answer these questions:

  • Are the project deliverable/s and/or desired outcome/s clear and realistic given the proposed timeline and activities?
  • Has the applicant clearly identified the resources necessary to carry out the work successfully?
  • Does the overall project cost seem reasonable for the project as described and the aim/s to be achieved?
  • As applicable, has the applicant already identified other necessary revenue or funding sources to support the project and/or established their capacity to raise additional funds needed?
Who is eligible to apply?2026-09-29T16:29:06+00:00

Applicants must be exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (“Code”) or any successor section, or be organized exclusively for one or more of the purposes specified in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code or any successor section.

Prospective applicants must be located in Durham, Orange, or Wake Counties in North Carolina.

We will not make grants to political or religious organizations or award funds to individuals.

See FAQ on how Fox Family Foundation defines religious organizations.

Do you make multi-year grant awards?2026-01-13T17:23:31+00:00

The Foundation will make multi-year grant awards of two or three years. On occasion, the Foundation will consider awards of more than three years. The Foundation implements a pause on new inquiries from multi-year grant recipients for at least one year following the end of their multi-year grant.

How much should we ask for when making a grant request?2026-09-28T19:34:04+00:00

If you have never received funding from Fox Family Foundation or haven’t received a grant in the past five years, we typically consider requests up to $12,500. Organizations with an annual operating budget under $100,000 annually should not request more than 10% of their annual budget. For all other organizations, information re: the amount of funding available and expected giving ranges will be provided each year in January.

Will you accept applications from entities using a fiscal sponsor?2022-10-13T18:36:09+00:00

The Foundation may make grants to 501(c)(3) charitable organizations or other eligible public organizations acting as the fiscal sponsor of a charitable project or endeavor (e.g., a grant made to a coalition of organizations where one coalition member serves as the fiscal sponsor). In such instances, the fiscal sponsor is considered the applicant and shall have full responsibility for ensuring the grant is carried out according to all grant requirements and conditions.

Will you accept applications from non-charitable entities for an expenditure responsibility grant?2022-10-13T18:37:11+00:00

The Foundation will not make expenditure responsibility grants.

Do you award challenge grants?2022-10-13T19:44:11+00:00

All grants awarded by Fox Family Foundation are eligible to be used for a fundraising challenge. Challenge grants represent the Foundation’s commitment to award a specified amount of money to an organization based on the amount of new or increased funding raised in response to a fundraising challenge. Re-engagement of lapsed support may also be used to meet a challenge grant.

Grantees may designate all or a portion of their grant request to be considered for a challenge. For challenge grant applications, the Foundation considers the applicant’s demonstrated capacity or potential for a successful fundraising challenge and the viability of the size/level of challenge.

Grant funds allocated for a fundraising challenge are released after the challenge has been met.

Do you award matching grants?2022-10-13T18:38:12+00:00

All grants awarded by Fox Family Foundation are eligible to be used as a match. Matching grants represent the Foundation’s commitment to award a specified amount of money to an organization to fulfill another funder’s required match.

Payments on matching grants are made to the grant recipient when the grant requiring the match has been awarded.

What is your policy on indirect expenses (aka overhead)?2026-01-13T17:32:16+00:00

Applicants for project grants may include indirect expenses in their project budget. When eligible, the Foundation will pay indirect expenses of 29%, unless an applicant specifically requests less than 29%. Grants that are not eligible for indirect expenses include grants awarded to colleges/universities and grants for endowment, capital, or other fundraising campaigns. Applicants for general operating grants and any other unrestricted grants must not include indirect expenses given awarded funds can be used for both direct and/or indirect expenses. Our policy is informed by research conducted by MacArthur Foundation that found that 29% was the “minimum indirect cost rate associated with financially healthy organizations.”

What is your policy on including personnel expenses in our project budget?2022-10-13T18:39:45+00:00

Fox Family Foundation understands that nonprofits depend on grant funding as one way of supporting the personnel costs necessary to carry out their work. We do not in any way limit the use of our grant funds for personnel.

I know a family member and/or another director on the Foundation Board. Should I contact them about Fox Family Foundation funding?2026-09-28T19:35:19+00:00

We ask that you contact Foundation staff should you have any questions about Fox Family Foundation.

Does Fox Family Foundation have a specific geographic focus?2026-01-13T17:16:18+00:00

Yes. The Foundation prefers to make grant awards benefiting Durham County regardless of whether the grant recipient is based in Durham, Orange, or Wake Counties in NC. Organizations located in these counties with a geographic scope/service area beyond Durham County are eligible to apply. The Board considers the organization’s presence and impact in Durham County when reviewing grant requests from such organizations.

Religious organizations are not eligible to apply. How does Fox Family Foundation define a religious organization?2026-09-28T19:39:25+00:00

For Foundation purposes, religious organizations include but are not limited to: places of worship (e.g., churches, synagogues, and temples); organizations that have a relationship with a place of worship whereby the place of worship, its congregation or membership, or its associates have influence over the organization’s decisions; and organizations that affiliate themselves, their mission, or their efforts with a religion, faith, creed, or form of worship (“religion”) specifically or in general. These restrictions shall apply even if the organization’s work benefits the community-at-large or community residents not affiliated with the place of worship or religion. Organizations that have a history or ongoing relationship with a religious organization but are explicitly secular may or may not be eligible depending on the nature of the relationship.

Page images, from top: Threshold, Inc., photo credit: Natalia Weedy; Meals on Wheels, photo credit: Natalia Weedy.

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