Guidelines/Deadlines

San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge - East Span, between San Francisco and Alameda Counties

Guidelines

Organizations that provide direct legal services, legal assistance, and legal advocacy for vulnerable populations in Northern California are eligible to apply for funding. Exceptions will be made for organizations that serve counties in the far north of the state; in those counties, the Foundation will consider legally related programs. The Foundation will also support Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) programs in the far north of the state.

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please contact the Foundation. We are always happy to help you decide if it is worth your time and effort to submit a request.

If you determine that your organization/program is in alignment with the Foundation’s interests, you must next decide which application form to complete: NEW/RETURNING or RENEWAL.

  • NEW/RETURNING applicant is one who has never been funded by the Foundation OR one that has been funded prior to last year. 
  • RENEWAL applicant is one that has received a grant last year and will be reporting on that grant as part of their grant request.

Once you determine your eligibility and which application you should complete, you may begin the application process.

Please note that the Foundation is currently prioritizing organizations with which we have an existing relationship. If you are new to the Foundation, you are welcome apply but please understand it is unlikely that your request will result in a grant. Please feel free to contact the Foundation to discuss your request but in the interest of transparency, we are bringing few, if any, new grantees into the portfolio.

Deadlines

The application deadlines for 2024 are as follows:

  • Q1 – Friday, January 19, 2024 (March Board Review)
  • Q2 – Friday, April 12, 2024 (June Board Review)
  • Q3 – Friday, June 21, 2024 (September Board Review)
  • Q4 – Friday, September 13, 2024 (December Board Review)

Applications must be received by the deadline. Please submit applications by 11:59pm of the deadline date listed above. Our goal is that all applications submitted on time will be considered at the next regularly scheduled board meeting. However, in some instances, additional due diligence is required or unforeseen circumstances arise that result in our having to move certain proposals to a future docket. If your proposal is delayed, we will let you know and keep you updated.

All application forms will be available online one month prior to deadlines listed above. All application deadlines for 2024 will be published online by the middle of December 2023.

Grant Amounts

If you are wondering about how much to ask for, please review the Grants List. Most grants are in the $7,500 – $30,000 range. A small number of grants are listed at $75,000 and above; these larger grants are initiated internally. Please do not request a large grant unless invited by the Foundation. You are welcome to contact us for guidance if you have questions.

Questions?

If you have any questions or need further clarification about the guidelines, please contact Angela Hom, Administrative Assistant, by email at ahom@vlsrr.org or by phone at (415) 512-0500.

If you have questions or need assistance with our online grant application system, please contact Heidi Emmel, Online Grants Consultant, by email at hkemmel@vlsrr.org.