R. Howard Dobbs, Jr. Foundation

New grantseekers should contact the Foundation by phone or email Rachel Sprecher (rsprecher@rhdobbs.net) to set up a time to meet before submitting a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). During this initial conversation, we will evaluate the potential fit of your request with the Foundation’s programmatic priorities. For more information about these priorities, see the What We Do page. Also, for an understanding of how our Board translates priorities into funding decisions, review our Grant History.

The Foundation also offers monthly general information sessions for anyone interested in learning more about the Foundation. During an hour-long Zoom, Dobbs Foundation staff will be available to connect, answer questions, and talk about the grant-seeking/grant-making process. Information sessions are offered every month. Registration is required to participate.  If interested, please register here and a calendar invitation with a Zoom link will be emailed to you. If you have questions, please contact Rachel Sprecher, Relationships Manager, at rsprecher@rhdobbs.net

Once you’ve confirmed your request is aligned with the Foundation’s priorities, a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) can be submitted at any time during the year. However, if you would like your LOI to be considered during a particular Board meeting month, we recommend submitting the LOI at least one month prior to the Board Meeting. For instance, if you would like your LOI considered at the June board meeting, we recommend submitting it in May. 

Submit your LOI and supporting documents

Trustees review all LOIs on file during each board meeting to identify 8 - 10 proposals they would like to consider for funding during the following quarter. They look for proposals that are most aligned with programmatic priorities and present a compelling case for impact. Trustees act on each LOI in one of three ways:

• The Foundation may decide to consider an application for funding during the upcoming quarter;
• The Foundation may defer an LOI. If the LOI is deferred it will be reviewed again in three months, provided the circumstances of the request remain valid.  Each LOI is eligible for review for up to three quarters.  If not selected after three quarters, an LOI will be automatically declined.
• The LOI may be declined due to a lack of fit with guidelines and/or priorities.

Following each meeting, the Foundation will communicate in writing with grantseekers regarding LOI status and next steps.

If your LOI is selected for consideration, you will receive an emailed invitation to apply.  This email will include an application form, a request for supporting documents, and instructions for submitting information (including the deadline). Once your materials have been received, Foundation staff will schedule and conduct a site visit or Zoom meeting as part of the review process prior to the Trustees meeting.

In most cases, grant applicants will be contacted by phone within 24 hours of the Trustee meeting with information about action taken by the Board of Trustees.

The confirmation email for grant recipients will include terms of the grant and a request for wire instructions for transferring funds. Funds are typically wired within 15 business days once your information has been received.

If you have received a multi-year grant, you will be asked to submit an interim report on the anniversary of the grant. The Foundation will contact you to prompt submission of the interim report and include details about the report’s format.

At the end of the grant term, we will ask for a final report will be due one month after the close of the grant term. We would be glad to receive a report prepared for other audiences provided it speaks to the work funded by the Dobbs Foundation with some specificity. Once we have received your report, we will schedule a 30-minute Zoom conversation to debrief together if needed.

We encourage and hope grantees will stay in touch after the grant has closed. We love to hear from grantees with updates about work in which we have invested. Please feel free to contact the Foundation at any time with these updates.