Guidelines and Policies
Jane's Trust
Updated January 2008

This site changes periodically. Please check back
frequently for updates.

2007 Program Summary
2007 Grants
2006 Program Summary
2006 Grants
2004-2005 Program Summary
2005 Grants
2004 Grants

Frequently Asked Questions

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for your interest in Jane's Trust. If you would like to apply for funding, please read the following Guidelines and Policies carefully. Due to the large volume of requests, we will not be able to review applications that are incomplete or that do not conform to the guidelines set forth below.

Jane's Trust was created through the beneficence of Jane B. Cook, who died in July 2002. Mrs. Cook was known in the communities where she lived as a down-to-earth woman who was generous to the core. The Trust will continue for a thirty-five year period the legacy of generosity that she established during her lifetime.

Trustees

Jane's Trust will be administered at the law firm of Hemenway & Barnes, 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts. The Trustees are:

• Michael B. Elefante, Esq.
• Kurt F. Somerville, Esq.
• Martha Robes
• Lisa Steele
• Jean Stevenson

All inquiries regarding Jane's Trust should be directed to Select Client Services, Hemenway & Barnes. Contact information is listed below. Applicants should not contact the Trustees directly.

POLICIES

Overview

Jane's Trust will make grants to address important issues in the Trust's fields of interest and areas of geographical focus described below. The Trustees are interested particularly in organizations and projects which primarily benefit underserved populations and disadvantaged communities. The Trust supports collaborations among nonprofit organizations and welcomes collaborative applications. The Trustees understand that grant requests and collaborations may from time to time bridge two or more areas of interest. The application process, described in more detail below, is a two step process involving first the submission of a concept paper and then, only upon request from the Trustees, the submission of a full proposal. The Trustees meet several times per year to consider concept papers and proposals, although payment of all grants approved by the Trustees is made once a year, in December.

The Trust will work collaboratively with other funders to support projects in its areas of interest. For this reason, and to maintain the integrity of the grants program overall, the Trustees will endeavor to retain flexibility to respond to special circumstances or changing conditions. From time to time, this may result in modifications to these guidelines.

Size of Grants Program

Jane's Trust will make annual grants of approximately $9 million, a portion of which may be committed to multi-year grants, which will affect the dollar amount available for new grants in any given year. Annual grants will generally range in size from $50,000 to $1,000,000, although the Trustees in their discretion may from time to time make awards outside of that range. The Trust does not allocate specific dollar amounts to its areas of interest or to particular geographical areas. Please consult the Trust’s frequently asked questions document for additional information, found at www.hembar.com/janestrust.

Types of Funding

The Trust will support projects in its areas of interest and will also make grants for operating support. The Trust will also provide support for capital projects and endowments. The Trust may make challenge grants where appropriate.

The Trustees recognize that to accomplish certain tasks, support over two or more years may be necessary. Multiple year awards will generally not exceed four years in length and will be based on a careful review, at least annually, of performance in meeting measurable objectives, including the development of funds from other sources for both the initial period and the long term. Objectives and goals will be established by the applicant and the Trustees at the time of the initial award.

GEOGRAPHICAL FOCUS

Jane's Trust will make grants in the states of Florida and Massachusetts, and in the northern New England states of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Preference will be given to organizations located in those states for projects which will primarily provide benefits within those states.

FIELDS OF INTEREST

Grants will be made for the following purposes:

1. Arts and Culture

   The Trust aims to further quality artistic and cultural development in its geographical areas of interest. Grants for arts and culture will be made to support a variety of objectives, including:

   • Increased access to artistic expression and education in the arts for underserved populations;
   • Impact of artistic and cultural exposure on communities;
   • Preservation of and increased access to historically significant buildings and objects.

   Please note that the Trust will not make direct grants to support individual artists.

2. Education

   The Trust seeks to advance educational opportunities and educational quality in its geographical areas of interest. Grants for education will be made to support a variety of objectives, including:

   • Access to educational opportunities, resources and programs, both inside and outside of the traditional classroom, with particular focus on underserved populations;
   • Support for nonprofit organizations and public/private partnerships to serve educational needs of underserved communities;
   • The educational growth and achievement of nontraditional student populations.

3. Environment

   The Trust aims to protect and enhance the natural environment and to conserve natural resources in its geographical areas of interest. Grants for the environment will be made to support a variety of objectives, including:

   • Meaningful and innovative contributions to protection of critical or historically significant rural and urban natural resources;
   • Efforts that have a beneficial impact on the quality of life for underserved populations.

4. Health and Welfare

   The Trust aims to improve the health and welfare of human and animal populations in its geographical areas of interest. Grants for health and welfare will be made to support a variety of objectives, including:

   • Efforts to improve the health and welfare of vulnerable and underserved populations;
   • Projects and organizations that promote individual and community wellness, prevention efforts, and equitable approaches and outcomes;
   • Interdisciplinary efforts to understand links between human and animal health and welfare.

EXCLUSIONS

Jane's Trust will not support:

• loans to charitable organizations;
• attempts to influence legislation;
• requests from individuals.

Please note: Jane's Trust will normally not support public entities, such as municipalities, municipal departments, or public schools directly, but will entertain applications from tax-exempt fiscal agents or partners for collaborative projects with municipalities or schools (described above). This does not apply to public colleges and universities.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

1. Concept Papers

As mentioned above, there is a two step process for application to the Trust. All applicants interested in funding should first submit a concept paper. Concept papers may be submitted at any time, but must be received by the following dates in order to be considered by the Trustees at their next regular meeting:

• January 10 for consideration in February
• August 15 for consideration in September

In case of a weekend or holiday, the deadline is the next regular business day. The Trust does not accept facsimile submissions, but will accept submissions by e-mail. (When submitting via e-mail, please do not send an additional hard copy.)

In order to be considered, all submissions must be complete by the deadlines listed above. These deadlines are firm. Concept papers should be no more than three - four typed pages in length and must be submitted with the Trust's Cover Sheet (a copy of which is available here.) In order to be considered complete, all concept papers should include:

• A brief background statement about the applicant, including its mission, size of organization and total amount desired;
• If applying for support of a project, a description of the project and a description of how the proposed project will strengthen the ability of the organization to reach its goals;
• If applying for operating, capital or endowment support, a description of how this support will enable the organization to fulfill its mission and further its objectives;
• A preliminary budget outlining the project, operating or capital needs for which application is being made;
• Proof of tax exemption under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, including a copy of the IRS exemption letter and Federal Tax ID number;
• Concept papers from departments within multi- departmental institutions must be signed by a representative from the Development Office.

Please note, when submitting via e-mail, kindly submit the Jane's Trust Cover Sheet, concept paper, proof of Federal tax exemption and budget information either in the e-mail submission or via regular mail for receipt by the deadline.

Applications that do not include the required information will be considered incomplete. We request that applicants not submit supplemental materials at the concept paper stage of the application process. Concept papers will be reviewed by the program officers of Jane's Trust and the Trustees, following which the Trustees will request full proposals from a limited number of applicants.

2. Full Proposals

Submission of full proposals is by request only after a concept paper (described above) has been reviewed by the Trustees. Full proposals, if received without request, will be treated as concept papers under these guidelines.

Organizations which submit a concept paper in January will be notified by the end of February whether they will be invited to submit a full proposal. Invited proposals are due in March for consideration in May. Organizations which submit a concept paper in August will be notified by the end of September whether they will be invited to submit a full proposal. Invited proposals are due in October for consideration in December. Once a concept paper has been approved for a full proposal, an applicant will receive additional information from the staff concerning full proposal form and content. Grants are announced within two weeks of each regular meeting and are paid in December of the year in which approved. Challenge grants and multi-year grants will be paid in accordance with the initial terms of the award, established by the applicant and the Trustees.

3. General Requirements for Concept Papers and Full Proposals

Staff availability for interviews is limited and interviews will be initiated only by staff invitation. During the application process, an applicant or potential applicant may telephone staff at Hemenway & Barnes to ask questions regarding the application process or the appropriateness of a request.

An organization may submit only one application at a time. If denied, at either the concept paper or full proposal stage, an organization may reapply after waiting one year from the date of the Trust's annual payout (December). If a grant is received, an organization should wait at least one year after the date of the last payment before submitting another application. Concept papers from prior grantees will not be considered until a final report on the prior grant has been received.

The Trustees hold regular meetings throughout the year to review concept papers as well as full proposals.

CONTACT US

For further general information and to submit concept papers, please contact:

For more specific questions regarding the grants program, please contact the following staff at Hemenway & Barnes:

1. Administration:
   Nancy Gardiner, Program Director, 617-557-9767,
   ngardiner@hembar.com
2. Arts and Culture:
   Gioia Perugini, Program Officer, 617-557-9777,
   gperugini@hembar.com
3. Education:
   Megan Briggs Reilly, Program Officer, 617-557-9774
   mbriggsreilly@hembar.com
4. Environment:
   Gioia Perugini, Program Officer, 617-557-9777,
   gperugini@hembar.com
5. Health and Welfare:
   Rachel Pohl, Program Officer, 617-557-9776,
   rpohl@hembar.com

January 2006

Organization Name: _______________________ Date:___________

Address (specify if changed since last application):

Phone: _______________ E-mail: _______________________ Web:

Executive Director or Board President (include phone, e-mail):

_______________________________________________________

Primary Request Contact (include title, phone, e-mail):

_______________________________________________

Federal Tax Exempt ID #: _____________________

If applicant is not exempt from federal tax under section 501(c)(3) or as provided in section 4945 of the Internal Revenue Code, please identify your fiscal agent. Fiscal agents must be prepared to certify that the project is a worthwhile endeavor, that the fiscal agent will oversee the project and that fiscal agent believes applicant is best qualified to implement project. If funding is granted, both applicant and fiscal agent will be required to sign a fiscal agent agreement.

Please note, concept papers from departments within multi-departmental institutions should list complete contact information of representative from the Development Office: __________________
____________________________________________________________

Request Amount: $________________ over _____________ years. Type of support (project, operating, capital/endowment): ______________________
Organization's mission:

Program Area (check one or more):  Education  Environment  Health/Welfare  Arts/Culture

Project summary (must be 30 words or less):

List approximate size of population served, target population/constituents, and geographic communities:

Please list prior Jane's Trust funding (date/grant amount/type of support):

*total revenue and expenses from most recent Form 990,
Part I line 12 and 17

Downloads

• Guidelines (PDF)
• Cover Sheet (MS Word Doc)
• Cover Sheet (PDF)