Grants and Charitable Giving
Apply for a Grant or Charitable Gift
The general application deadline for this year passed on 1 September 2024 at 8 p.m. Pacific Time. The next application cycle will be announced in the spring of 2025.
General Inquiries
Please email info@rmjsfoundation.org or visit rmjsfoundation.org/contact
Application_2024_R2.pdfDownload or Print an Application
Submission Deadline: 1 September 2024
Download a PDF of the 2024 standard application here.
New for the 2024 giving year: Organizations who have previously received grants from the foundation may now submit applications using a shorter form. The shortened form may be downloaded here.
Please email completed applications to:
applications@rmjsfoundation.org
Or mail completed applications to:
Robert and Mary Jane Smith Foundation
Post Office Box 2347
Clackamas, Oregon 97015-2347
United States of America
If you wish to fill out your application on your computer, you may do so through the employment of an application such as Adobe Acrobat Reader.
General Grant and Charitable Giving FAQs
When are grant applications due?
The submission deadline for the 2024 fiscal year was on 1 September 2024 at 8 p.m. Pacific Time.
Where should my organization's application be submitted?
Applications may be submitted electronically or by mail. Please be advised that because completed applications typically include additional documents, envelopes may require additional postage.
To submit your application electronically, please email it to applications@rmjsfoundation.org.
To submit an application by mail, please send it to:
Robert and Mary Jane Smith Foundation
Post Office Box 2347
Clackamas, Oregon 97015
United States of America
When will decisions be made, and when will my organization hear from the foundation?
At this time, the foundation does not employ a rolling application system, and begin our application review process once the September 1 application deadline has passed. You can expect to receive a formal communication during the fourth fiscal quarter of the year. Under normal circumstances, gifts are also distributed during the fourth fiscal quarter of the year.
My organization received a grant last year. Must it submit another application this year in order to be considered for another grant?
Yes. In order to be considered again, your organization must submit another application. However, the foundation now offers a shortened application form for returning organizations, which can be found here. If you have specific questions pertaining to the re-application of your organization, please reach out to us.
Applications for organizations which have received grants from our foundation in the past may occasionally be accompanied by special instructions. However, if your organization has not received special instructions from the foundation, we ask that you please fill out the general application without modification.
My organization has been approved for a charitable gift or grant. How should it expect to receive funds?
Unless specific terms have been agreed upon post-approval, you should expect to receive a check payable to your organization. Checks are typically mailed or, under certain circumstances, hand-delivered by an associate or trustee.
My organization received an invitation to apply for a grant. Does this mean it has a higher likelihood of being approved for a grant or charitable gift?
No. The foundation considers all applications received which meet our qualifications (see above for details) and receiving an invitation to apply does not increase odds of approval. Application approval is contingent on the foundation's giving priorities, which are determined by the board of trustees.
Is my organization allowed to apply for a grant or gift every year?
Yes. At this time, the foundation does not limit the number of consecutive years in which a qualifying organization may apply (or be approved for) for a grant or charitable gift.
What qualifications must my organization meet in order to be considered for a grant or charitable gift?
Eligible organizations must be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are required to provide an IRS Letter of Determination as part of their application. If these conditions are not met, applications cannot be considered.
In order to be considered, organizations must also include appropriate contact information. This includes a mailing address, as well as phone number and/or an email address. If you are unable to provide an appropriate mailing address, please contact us.
My organization's application was not approved last year. May it re-apply this year?
Yes, your organization is welcome to re-apply. If you have questions surrounding application submission or approval, please contact us.
My question was not listed. How can I contact a representative of the foundation?
If you did not locate an answer to your question, please contact us.
I am having difficulty emailing my application. How may I receive assistance?
If you are experiencing difficulties while submitting your completed application via email, please double-check the size of the application file. While the foundation's email platform is able to accept attachments as large as 24 MB, please be advised that many other email platforms have a much lower file size limit.
We are always happy to provide support during the application process. Feel free to contact us at info@rmjsfoundation.org.
As an alternative to submitting via email, the foundation welcomes physical applications submitted by mail. Applications may be mailed to:
Robert and Mary Jane Smith Foundation
Post Office Box 2347
Clackamas, Oregon 97015
United States of America