Grant Focus Area

The SG Foundation has specific criteria which must be met to obtain grant approval. Please review the criteria stipulated below if you are considering a grant application. Categories of grants that SG Foundation will not consider are listed at the end of this section. We hope these guidelines will encourage proposals that match our focus and save agencies the expense of submitting proposals that will not be considered. Some criteria are absolute whereas others are simply preferences.

  1. The applying agency must be a U.S. based 501(c)(3) organization.
  2. If a grant is approved, the applying agency must agree to provide progress reports as instructed and must cooperate when an onsite visit by SG personnel is requested. Onsite visits are arranged for both pre and post grant award reviews.
  3. The program for which funds are requested must target individuals and/or communities at or below poverty level.
  4. It is strongly preferred that the proposed project or service improve quality of life, e.g., community development, education, medical, jobs, agriculture, housing, water.
  5. Grant requests will be considered for one year only, even if the project covers a multiple year span. Multiple year grants will not exceed three consecutive years. All grants will be reviewed annually and multiple year funding will depend on the success of the preceding grant and the quality of the agency progress reports.
  6. The geographic area of any international program new to the SG Foundation must be located in Mexico, Haiti, Dominican Republic, or Central America. National projects are limited to California and the geographic area must be in Fresno County, Kings County, Kern County, or northern Santa Barbara County. These are our closest neighbors with the greatest concentration of poverty.
  7. Long term development programs are strongly preferred over one time relief projects.
  8. Grant requests should not exceed more than 50% of the needed budget for any given project.
  9. Matching grant opportunities are encouraged.
  10. Organizations with low overhead expense ratios, supported by form 990 tax returns, are given preference.
  11. Agencies with a Judeo-Christian influence on those they serve are preferred, but no grants will be given to religious programs for the purpose of proselytizing.
  12. Proposals from small organizations committed to helping the poor are welcome.

Grants will not be considered in the following areas:

  1. Media projects including books and films
  2. Art or cultural programs
  3. HIV/AIDS programs (but consideration may be given for education and prevention programs that deal with innocent victims of HIV/AIDS, such as children)
  4. Endowment funds
  5. General operating funds
  6. Political or lobbying programs
  7. To any individual
  8. To private foundations
  9. To religious programs with the sole or primary purpose of proselytizing

If, after a careful review of SG Foundation’s grant criteria, you believe we will be interested in a proposal from your agency please visit our Proposal Guidelines section for instructions.

Note: All grant applications must follow the SG Foundation’s proposal guidelines and all proposals go through a competitive review process. The SG Foundation reserves the right to approve or disapprove any proposal.