Grant Application

Directions for Completing Maine Women’s Giving Tree Grant Applications

• Grant applicants must use the 2025 MWGT instructions and forms found in this document. Forms from past years may contain obsolete information such as directions, criteria, or the Budget Form.The MWGT Grant Application consists of three parts: the Cover Sheet, the Proposal Description, and the Budget Form. Applicants must submit all three parts of the application for it to be considered complete.
• Once the application is complete, the Executive Director must sign the Cover Sheet, either manually, or electronically, either with a facsimile signature or a typed signature. For organizations without an Executive Director, the equivalent position should sign instead. 
• Be sure to address all five required topics within the Proposal Description. The five topics are Organization, Proposed Program, Need, Implementation, and Evaluation. The Proposal Description must not exceed four pages. 
• Complete all columns of the Budget Form.  
• MWGT will not accept incomplete or unsigned applications. Submit one signed copy of the Grant Application by 5 pm on February 28, 2025 by emailing  a PDF copy to [email protected]. MWGT does not accept applications submitted by USPS mail.

Additional guidance for preparing your grant application:

• We strongly recommend you review the Grants section of our website (mainewomensgivingtree.org),  which includes information about our organization, the Grants process, eligibility and criteria, and items we do not fund. Past grant recipients may be found under About Us.   
• The grant amount requested should be the amount stated in your Letter of Intent. If the amount has changed, please note this, and provide an explanation under Proposal Description.  We will consider, but not necessarily approve, this request when reviewing your application.   
• Whether your organization is well-known or not, please assume that reviewers of your application are unfamiliar with your programs.
• Note that the application is a stand-alone document. Grant reviewers will consider only the information contained within. For example, reviewers will not consult your Letter of Intent, your website, past applications, or you for additional information.
• MWGT will vote on one of three possible outcomes: to approve your grant proposal with full funding; approve it with partial funding; or deny funding for this year. If you have previously been awarded or denied a grant, understand that past outcomes have no bearing on current applications.
• Carefully review your application for clarity, accuracy, and completeness.
• The firm application submission deadline is 5:00 PM, February 28, 2025.

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Topics to Include:

1. Organization:

• Briefly describe your organization, including its mission, brief history and ongoing programs.  Be concise and relevant!

2. Program Description:

• Describe the program for which you are seeking grant funding and the amount requested. 
• Is it a seed grant for a new and/or experimental program, an enhancement of a current program, or a sustaining grant to continue an ongoing program?

3. Need:

• Define the target population. Be as specific as possible. Demonstrate the need in our catchment area (primarily Mid-Coast Maine between Freeport and Wiscasset, not Maine as a whole or the U.S.
• Explain in detail why this funding is necessary. How will the target population benefit? Tell us what we will see happen as a result of this funding. Make your case!
• Describe in detail how you plan to engage the target population to participate in the program.

4. Implementation:

• What are the expected outcomes in the 12-month grant implementation period (July 1 – June 30)?  Do you foresee any potential barriers to completing implementation during this time? If so, how will you address these?
• Who will manage implementation and/or delivery of services? Include relevant qualifications of significant personnel.
• Do you expect volunteers to participate in the project? If so, how will they be utilized?
• What other resources exist and/or are needed to ensure the success of the project (e.g., facilities, materials, supplies, transportation).

5. Evaluation:

• What method(s) will you use to evaluate the effectiveness of the project?
• Who will oversee the final evaluation process and report on the progress of the grant during implementation, including producing the interim and final reports as required?

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Completing the Budget Form

• List all personnel who would be involved in the grant program, not just those for whom our funding is sought. The qualifications of these personnel should be described in the Implementation section of your application. This helps us evaluate the adequacy of staffing being devoted to the project.
• List all direct costs of the program, not just those for which funding is sought. Describe each line item (for example, don’t just say Miscellaneous, especially on those line items for which our funding is sought). This information helps us evaluate the adequacy of resources being devoted to the project. Fully explain in the implementation section of your application the math behind the cost of the product or service for which you request our funding (for example, if your program provides meals, provide the total number of meals, serving size, cost of meals).
• The totals and sub-totals in the first column (Cost) should equal the sum of those in the second column (Amount requested from MWGT) and in the third column (Amount from external sources).

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Grant Application