Granting FAQs

FIND ANSWERS TO MANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS REGARDING OUR GRANTMAKING PROCESS HERE.

What is the Wyoming Women's Foundation?

Established in 1999, the Wyoming Women’s Foundation (WYWF) is one of a family of funds held at the Wyoming Community Foundation. WYWF makes grants and spearheads initiatives that benefit women and girls as well as our communities overall. As a statewide leader dedicated to promoting women and girls, we leverage funds through our endowment, and grantmaking is focused on lasting change.

WYWF is advised by a volunteer board that helps to set granting and advocacy direction, and to raise funds to carry out its mission. The mission of the Wyoming Women’s Foundation is to invest in the economic self-sufficiency of women and opportunities for girls in Wyoming.

Does the Wyoming Women's Foundation have funding priorities?

Yes. WYWF is focused on funding programs that make an impact on economic self-sufficiency for women in Wyoming and opportunities for girls. We accept applications for programs supporting income and asset development, mentoring and leadership, and systems change. Learn More

Who can apply for a Wyoming Women's Foundation grant?

Nonprofit organizations exempt from federal taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and  in good standing with the IRS are eligible to apply for grants that benefit women’s economic self-sufficiency and opportunities for girls in Wyoming. Confirm your nonprofit status here.

On occasion, to public/governmental agencies.

Grants are NOT made to individuals and cannot be made for lobbying purposes.

Organizations with outstanding reports will need to complete their reports before submitting an additional application.

How much can I request?

Most grant amounts awarded are between $1,000-$10,000, with other amounts considered. An organization may receive full funding, partial funding, or be denied funding. In some cases, additional conditions may be attached to funding approval. If you are uncertain as to how much to request, we encourage you to contact staff to discuss request amounts.

WYWF  accepts one application per organization for any given grant deadline and a final report must be submitted prior to submitting a new grant request.

Does the Women's Foundation accept capital and operational grant requests?

Yes, but capital and operational requests must fit within our priorities. To receive funding for general operations, you must present a convincing argument for how your organization’s operational costs will be covered in the future.

May I submit more than one application at a time?

No. Please submit only one application per deadline. If you believe your organization has certain extenuating circumstances that require more than one application at a time, please contact Alex@wycf.org to discuss your situation.

However, organizations may apply to both grants offered by the Wyoming Women’s Foundation and Wyoming Community Foundation during overlapping time periods.

When are grant applications due?

Grant applications open on March 15 and close on May 15th.

When are grant decisions made?

Grant decisions will be made by August 15th.

How are grant decisions made?

Grant applications are first reviewed by the Wyoming Community Foundation’s program staff to determine eligibility and to make certain that the application is complete. After staff review, your funding recommendation is presented to the WYWF Advisory Board for a decision. WYCF’s Board of Directors makes final approval.

An organization may receive full funding, partial funding, or be denied funding. In some cases, additional conditions may be attached to funding approval.

How can I access the online grant application?

WYWF and WYCF share an online grant system.

Visit our Grant Application Portal. It should be noted that several questions within the online application have character limits that include spaces.

If you have questions about navigating the grant portal, feel free to speak with a member of the WYCF program team by contacting us at 307-721-8300 or emailing Meganl@wycf.org.

Please make certain you have reviewed the information available on the website prior to contacting program staff.

 

Can I submit an application in hard copy instead of electronically?

It is our goal to have all applications submitted electronically. It is not our intent to cause additional hardship for any organization that does not have adequate online service. If you have a special situation that prevents you from submitting your application electronically, please contact WYWF.

What makes a compelling grant request?

The most competitive grant requests address improving women’s economic self-sufficiency and opportunities for girls in Wyoming and/or increase the capacity of your organization to carry out its mission. Multiple funding partners and collaborations with other key organizations strengthen requests, as well as attention to available data and resources. It also is important to submit a clear, well-written, complete proposal based on a strong idea.

What are the reporting requirements?

WYWF has an online final reporting form. Grantees must submit the final report within one year of the date on the award letter. To be eligible to reapply for funds through WYWF, previous grant projects and the final report must be complete. If applying for two consecutive years, grantees will be expected to submit a final report within 9 months of being notified of the first award.

WYWF also asks that grantees share the news of their award on social media and with a press release. Click here for resources. Contact Alex@wycf.org with questions. 

Will WYWF allow for extra time to complete a project or file a final report?

Yes, an extension on your final report due date is easy to receive. Simply email your request for an extension to Alex at alex@wycf.org. Your request should include a brief and reasonable explanation for the extension and the date by which you can most likely complete the report. Please note that WYWF will not accept new requests for funding from the grantee if past grant reports are overdue, incomplete or have not been submitted.

Ready to apply? Click here to access our application portal

Still stumped? Contact Alex Shannon at alex@wycf.org or 307.721.8300

Mission: To invest in the economic self-sufficiency of women and opportunities for girls in Wyoming.

Contact Us

Phone: 307-721-8300
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 am-5:00 pm
Address: 1472 N. 5th Street, Suite 201 Laramie, WY 82072

 

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