General Funding Guidelines
The Dyson Foundation makes grants to tax-exempt public charities described under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Service Code.
We do not accept applications from:
- individuals
- fiscal agents
- organizations serving the whole of New York State, unless the Mid-Hudson Valley is a substantial focus area for the organization’s programs or services
- government units such as fire districts or municipalities, except for projects exploring consolidation or merger
- private schools
- nonprofit fire and rescue squads
- agricultural organizations for food production or donations
- organizations focused on specific health diagnoses or illnesses
- animal-based therapy programs
- Rotary clubs and similar service clubs
We do not make grants for:
- galas, fundraising events, tickets, or sponsorships
- direct mail campaigns
- international projects
- general endowments
- debt or deficit reduction
Faith-Based Organizations
The Dyson Foundation will not fund faith-based organizations or institutions for activities and/or programs of religious teaching or training such as religious services or bible study. In addition, the Foundation will generally not consider management assistance mini-grant applications or general operating support requests from faith-based organizations. However, the Foundation will consider grants for community-based service programs that meet the following criteria:
- services must be available to all regardless of their religion or beliefs and must not be rooted in a particular religious doctrine or belief system
- there is a formal structure for provision of services (e.g., mission, staff, program policies and procedures)
- services go beyond religious charitable work to include activities that make a real impact on the lives of people living in their communities
Schools
Funding for Public Schools in Dutchess County (K-12)
The Dyson Foundation values quality public education and is committed to helping to improve public schools in Dutchess County at the pre-kindergarten, elementary, and secondary levels. However, the Foundation believes that it is not appropriate for a private entity to assume financial responsibility for public education. To this end, the Foundation will provide limited grant funding for certain targeted projects.
The Foundation will consider funding to Dutchess County public schools for the following:
- Programs involving parents in actively supporting the education of their children (i.e. parent literacy, parenting classes);
- Professional development for teachers and administrators. This applies to conferences and workshops for teachers and administrators offered by outside organizations and does not include scheduled in-service workshops done in the individual school districts.
The Foundation will not award funds directly to public schools. Applicant schools must have an established relationship with a 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt organization that will serve as a fiscal sponsor (such as an affiliated foundation or community foundation).
Funding for Field Trips
Through a grant from the Dyson Foundation, the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley administers grants to public school districts in Dutchess and Ulster counties to support field trips. For more information and to apply, visit the CFHV Grants page and select Education.
After-School and Summer Programs
After-School and Summer Programming for Children and Youth
The Dyson Foundation considers grants for out-of-school time programs including after-school, summer, and year-round activities. Applications for programs located in the Mid-Hudson Valley counties of Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, and Ulster will be considered, with a focus on enabling the participation of economically disadvantaged children. Funding priority will be given to programs operated by organizations whose mission and expertise is focused on youth development, and that conduct targeted outreach to low-income families and children, offer program schedules that support working families, and those that give consideration to and make efforts toward providing transportation assistance and meals.
Application Timelines
After School Programs (school year and year-round):
For after school programs or year-round programs, there is currently no set due date for inquiries, but we encourage you to submit your letter of inquiry at least six months in advance of your program start date. Contact the Foundation if you would like more guidance on this.
Summer Programs:
We strongly encourage summer program applicants to adhere to the following application timeline. Contact the Foundation if you would like more guidance on this.
- February 15 – Letters of inquiry due for summer programs
- March 30 – Full applications due, if invited
- May – Notification of grant approval or declination (June notification may apply to larger requests)
- June-August – Funded summer programs occur
Resources
Following are a few resources that organizations providing summer youth programming may find helpful in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of effective summer programs. The resources include research and information on best practices in serving economically disadvantaged youth.
Five Ways to Make Summer Learning Programs Successful
What Works for Summer Learning Programs for Low-Income Children and Youth
Child Trends: Effective Summer Programs for Economically Disadvantaged Youth (several research publications available)
Preparing Youth to Thrive: Promising Practices for Social and Emotional Learning
Getting to work on Summer Learning
Summer Learning Toolkit
Hospitals and Colleges
The Dyson Foundation will only consider designated funding to hospitals and colleges. We will not consider general operating support or management assistance grants.
Capital Projects
Generally, we do not consider funding for capital projects to organizations that are not current or prior grantees, except for affordable housing projects. However, if you have a particular capital project you’d like to discuss, please contact us.
NON-DISCRIMINATION
The Dyson Foundation’s policy on non-discrimination prevents us from awarding grant support to organizations that, in their constitution, bylaws, or practices, discriminate against a person or group because of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or religious belief. Grantees, however, may target services to a particular population when the targeted groups require specialized programs to meet specific needs not shared by the general population.
PUBLICITY GUIDELINES
You may choose to use a media release, social media post, or another form of publicity to announce your Dyson Foundation grant to journalists and media outlets, and the general public, although the Foundation does not request nor require this. When describing its role as a financial contributor, the Dyson Foundation should be referred to as a funder or supporter (not a sponsor or underwriter), and funding should be referred to as a grant (not a gift). Text of any proposed publicity requires Foundation approval before release (with the exception of a donor listing in your annual report).
The Foundation generally does not allow the use of its logo in promotional materials; however, special requests regarding logo usage should be discussed with a Dyson Foundation program officer.
