GARDNER FOUNDATION GENERAL POLICY
The objective of the Gardner Foundation is to provide charitable grants to worthy tax-exempt organizations carrying on religious charitable, scientific, literary, or educational activities exclusively.
Grants will be made to such organizations that are tax exempt as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and which are not private foundations as defined in Section 509 of the Code. Grants may also be made to a state, city, or political subdivision thereof but only if the grant is made exclusively for public purposes.
The Foundation's areas of interest for grant-making purposes are relatively broad in scope. A low priority, however, will generally be given to applications requesting funds for normal operating budgets and contributions to annual fund raising campaigns. Seed money for innovative programs will be considered for grants. The Foundation is restricted from making grants to individuals, private for-profit businesses, and private non-operating foundations. The Foundation will continually review the scope of its areas of interest, and periodic revisions are probably and should be expected. The Board oF Trustees of the Foundation maintains the right to make grants outside of its stated areas of interest.
Grants may be conditioned on the grant applicant providing matching funds. If this condition is attached to a prospective grant, the Foundation will determine the parameter of the matching formula. The Foundation may also request the applicant to develop other sources of support for a particular project or program prior to approaching the Foundation for funding. The ability of an applicant to secure funding for a project or program from sources other than the Foundation will be viewed as a positive factor indicative of the applicant's commitment to the program.
Any grant made for purposes of capital construction will be conditional upon the actual construction and completion of such improvement, and the disbursement of grant funds will be scheduled in a manner to ensure completion of that project or program.
Preference will be given to those organizations, which will use and apply substantially all of the grant funds in the State of Nebraska, particularly within a 75-mile radius of Wakefield, Nebraska.
Time is required to properly research and evaluate each application. The Gardner Foundation Board of Trustees will meet to consider grant applications and all commitments of grant funds will be made by the board. You will receive a letter of determination either way. Personal interviews are not necessary or encouraged prior to or in conjunction with the grant application.
Organizations having a grant application denied may not re-submit a request for a grant application for the same or a revised version thereof for a period of one year from the date the first one was denied. The Foundation, as a matter of policy, will not provide applicants whose grants are not approved a reason for the rejection of the grant.
Interested applicants should submit a letter of inquiry via this website. Letters of inquiry will be accepted February 1, May 1, June 1, August 1, September 1, and October 1. Upon review, a formal application will be made available to qualified applicants via USPS.