The George Gund Foundation Grant Program

The George Gund Foundation invites proposals from nonprofit organizations whose missions align with the foundation’s belief in addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change, inequality and racial equity, and threats to democracy. The foundation accepts proposals on a triannual schedule, with application deadlines preceding trustee meetings in the fall, winter, and summer. Proposals must be submitted online through the updated applicant portal launched in July 2025, which requires all users—new and returning—to create a new login via the Blackbaud system. Applicants are encouraged to review the foundation’s priorities and determine alignment before initiating the submission process. Once eligibility is established, organizations must use the online portal to complete the full application, which is divided into four primary sections: Organization Information, Proposal Contact Information, Proposal Data, and Attachments. The application must be completed in full before it can be submitted, and all required fields must be addressed. Applicants will receive confirmation once the proposal is successfully submitted. Required attachments include the organization’s background, project description with goals and evaluation methods, project budget, current and prior year organizational budgets, a list of current trustees, the most recent audited financial statement (if available), and a climate change statement. Arts organizations affiliated with SMU DataArts must also submit a specific George Gund Foundation report. Optional attachments may include letters of support, media coverage, or brochures. If applying for general operating support, the project budget may be substituted with a placeholder document. Applicants are also asked to briefly explain how their organization is responding to the foundation’s core concern areas—climate change, racial equity, and democratic engagement—regardless of project type. The application process is intended to be collaborative and efficient; features in the new portal allow users to copy prior applications, add collaborators, and view historical submissions. Completed applications are reviewed internally before being presented to the foundation’s trustees. For the Fall 2025 cycle, proposals are due by July 15, with trustee meetings taking place November 6. Winter proposals are due November 15 for consideration in February 2026, and Summer proposals are due March 15, 2026, for review in June 2026. While proposals submitted for a deadline are not guaranteed review at the corresponding meeting, applicants are encouraged to reach out to a program director or grants manager with questions or special timing needs. All general inquiries may be directed to the foundation office at 216-241-3114 or via email. Technical support is available through Julia Carey, grants administrator, at JCarey@gundfdn.org.

Ensure all required documents are uploaded, including the climate change statement and audited financials if available. Contact the grants team with any questions.