Basic Application Format

Your application for capital improvement, project and program grants should include the following:

1. Include a one-page executive summary of the organization and the project.
2. A cover letter signed by the organization’s executive director and the chairman/president of the board of directors. Be sure to briefly explain the purpose of the organization, its connection to the Castle Foundation’s purpose and indicate the amount needed for the project.
3. Include a longer, more detailed description of the project including purpose, timeline, how the completed project will be evaluated, which staff are in charge of the project, how the need for it was established, how much money has been raised and still needs to be raised, etc.
4. Include a complete project budget. Please indicate which foundations will be approached for funding, which have committed in writing and which applications are pending.
5. Include a budget for the entire organization as approved by the board of directors.
6. Include the organization’s most recent audited financial statement or a basic unaudited statement if a full audit is not available.
   Note: All organizations which have not applied before, include an IRS tax exempt letter, the organization’s bylaws and charter.
   All applications may be submitted digitally, by regular mail, or hand delivered.

Additional Policies and Priorities

Regardless of priority status, there are certain policies with which applicant organizations must comply.

• Organizations submitting proposals must be tax exempt, publicly supported and charitable as determined by the Internal Revenue Service. The Trustees will not review proposals from organizations that cannot confirm their 501(c)(3) status.
• The Foundation’s focus and chief priority is on early education of children 0-5.
• Grants are primarily awarded to organizations located within the state of Hawaii for programs and projects benefiting the people of Hawaii.
• Programs or projects for which funds are requested must be in response to a documented community need, and not solely an organizational need.
• Grants may be awarded for innovative programs, demonstration projects and “start-up” funding. Program and project support does not generally exceed three years. Program funding must be applied for on a yearly basis. Workforce development is always a high priority as is professional development.
• Programs improving access of low-income families to high quality early education are preferred.
• Grants are awarded for partial funding of a program, as the Foundation rarely serves as the sole funder of an organization or project. Support rarely exceeds 30-40% of the program or project budget.
• Because of the Castle Foundation’s charter, special priority is given to pre-K teacher training.
• Grants are generally not made to individual government-funded entities, such as individual public and charter schools. Grants to assist the creation of a high-quality public preschool system are being considered on a case-by-case system.
• Grants are generally not made to endowment funds.
• Grants are generally not made to third party regranting organizations.
• An organization is generally not awarded more than one grant in any calendar year.
• The deadlines are typically scheduled for the Winter, early Summer and early Fall and are announced well in advance. Complete applications may be hand-delivered, mailed regular mail or submitted electronically. They should be received by 5:00 pm on the announced due date.
• If additional information is required because the original proposal is incomplete, the proposal may be deferred to the next meeting of the Trustees.
• All funded organizations are required to submit a final grant report within a year of the grant award date. This report should include a financial statement for the period in which grant monies were spent, and a brief narrative section describing the outcome of the funded program or project. Organizations not submitting such reports will be disqualified from future grants consideration.
• Generally, organizations will not be eligible for program or project support beyond 3 years. Subsequent to a 3-year grant, an organization should not apply for additional support for at least one calendar year.
• Because of the often prohibitive cost of constructing new pre-schools, the Foundation prefers to fund existing schools and encourages strategic use of existing space and structures.
• Successfully accredited, or in the process of obtaining full accreditation.
• Currently, the Foundation works with the following accreditation agencies: WASC, HAIS (Hawaii Association of the Independent Schools), ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International), NAEYC and NECPA. ACSI-accredited schools are considered on a case-by-case basis.
  
• The trustees of the Samuel N. & Mary Castle Foundation strongly prefer NAEYC accreditation for pre-school applicants. Applicants with NAEYC accreditation will be given priority status.
• On a case by case basis, the Foundation will accept WINHEC accreditation for culture-based family-child interactive pre-schools as meeting full accreditation standards.

Preschool Capital Improvement Project and Program/Project Proposals