PEGASUS FOUNDATION GRANT GUIDELINES

The following guidelines are intended for non-profit organizations that have been invited to apply for grants and for current grantees. The Pegasus Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funding. 

Mission

The Pegasus Foundation improves the welfare of wild and domestic animals in the United States, the Caribbean, Kenya, and on Native American lands by reducing animal suffering and overpopulation, and by protecting wildlife habitats. The Foundation believes that all forms of life warrant compassion and respect, and that human beings must strive for a world that is humane for all living things.

Strategy

Through a strategy of engaged philanthropy, the Pegasus Foundation serves as a catalyst to help non-profit organizations achieve their potential by forming partnerships, leveraging resources, and educating the public.  Pegasus Foundation grantees are encouraged to include all communities and all peoples in developing collaborative partnerships that will lead to lasting change.

Successful grantees meet the following criteria:

• Target root causes of problems.

• Demonstrate sustainable solutions.

• Mobilize matching funds from a range of sources.

• Involve a broad range of community partners in planning and implementation, including both the public and private sector when appropriate.

• Demonstrate sound financial and effective organizational management.

• Include a public education component.

The Pegasus Foundation does not typically fund academic or university research or projects, unless they are directly linked to animal or environmental protection and have impact well beyond the academic community; arts projects, including film, video or radio production; endowments; capital projects or campaigns; deficit reduction; individuals; or scholarships.

Funding Priorities

The Pegasus Foundation concentrates its efforts on three funding priorities -- wildlife and habitat protection, companion animal welfare, and education and outreach.

Wildlife and Habitat: The Foundation’s wildlife funding focuses on broad public outreach and advocacy campaigns designed to protect species significant to a region’s ecosystem, specifically bison in Montana and manatees and other endangered species in Florida. Additional funds support wildlife and habitat protection programs in Kenya, Florida and on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Companion Animal Welfare: The Pegasus Foundation concentrates its companion animal funding on spay-neuter services and humane education in several specific economically challenged regions: Native American lands and the islands of the Caribbean. In addition, several companion animal welfare programs in Florida receive Foundation support. The Foundation is interested in expanding companion animal funding to include alternatives to surgical sterilization.

Education and Outreach: The Foundation also supports several special initiatives that educate the general public and engage others in animal and environmental advocacy and protection. Education and outreach funding typically is directly related to the Foundation’s existing grantees. The Foundation is interested in expanding education and outreach funding to animal protection organizations seeking resources for disaster preparation, response, and training.

More specific information can be found in the Pegasus Foundation’s annual reports, which are available on the Foundation’s Web site: www.pegasusfoundation.org

HOW TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL TO THE PEGASUS FOUNDATION

Specific Requirements for Grant Proposals

Upon request, applicants should send a brief proposal (no more than 5-6 pages) that contains the following information:

• A description of the organization, its mission, vision, strategies and principles (see attached appendix for definitions of these terms).

• A one-paragraph executive summary describing the program to be funded.

  A clear statement of the need or problem being addressed.

• The program’s goals and objectives, including a clear plan to achieve them (see attached appendix for definitions of these terms).

• The program’s timeline.

• The expected accomplishments and outcomes, a description of how the accomplishments and outcomes will be measured, and estimated dates by which they will be achieved (see attached appendix for definitions of these terms).

• If the program to be funded involves a staff or consultant position, provide a job description and a resume or CV of the person filling the position.

• Names and contact information of other organizations that will be involved in a collaborative effort to achieve program goals.

• The name, title, address, telephone number, fax and email address of the primary contact person to whom the grant should be sent. If utilizing another organization as a fiscal agent, please also include information on how the check should be addressed.

• The name and contact information for the director of the program being funded.

• A list of other sources of secured and potential funding for the program, including in-kind support.

• A one-page itemized budget, with clear indication about what portion of the budgets will be funded by the grant.  Items to include as expenses are: salaries, wages, fringe benefits, payroll taxes, consultants and professional fees, travel, equipment, supplies, training, printing, copying, telephone, fax, postage, delivery, rent, utilities, and in-kind expenses.  Items to include as income are: government grants and contracts, foundation grants, corporate donations, funds from religious institutions, individual contributions, fundraising events and products, membership income, and in-kind support.

For spay/neuter programs utilizing local veterinarians, please also include the following information:

• A brief explanation about how the program targets low-income people who cannot afford to pay the full price of spay/neuter services. Include information about the cost of spays or neuters at local veterinary clinics and the amount that your program will charge low-income clients.

• A brief explanation about how the program works cooperatively with local veterinarians. Include answers to the following questions: Are the vets paid for their time and materials? Are all local veterinarians aware of and supportive of the program? If not, how have you addressed their concerns? Are the program’s clients encouraged to seek future veterinary services from local vet clinics?

• Name and contact information for veterinarians participating in the program.

For spay/neuter programs utilizing visiting veterinarians, please also include the following information:

• A brief explanation about how the program targets low-income people who cannot afford to pay the full price of spay/neuter services. Include answers to the following questions: What is the cost of a spay or neuter at local veterinary clinics? What amount will your clients be asked to pay for a spay or neuter? What will be the actual cost per sterilization of your program? If this figure is higher than the local cost, what added benefits, if any, will your program bring to the community?

• A brief explanation about how the program works cooperatively with local veterinarians. Include answers to the following questions: Have local veterinarians been consulted about your plan to bring in visiting veterinarians? Are all local veterinarians supportive of the program? If not, how have you addressed their concerns? What role will local vets play in the program (lending use of their clinics, overseeing work of volunteer vets, providing ongoing services as needed for animals treated by visiting veterinarians, etc.)? Will your program’s clients encouraged to seek future veterinary services from local vet clinics?

• Letter of support from local veterinarian(s) and/or contact information for local veterinarians.

Attach to your proposal the following documents:

• A copy of your 501(c)3 letter of determination from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service,

• A copy of your most recent 990 filing.

• Financial statements for your most recent fiscal year (should cover a 12-month period), including a current balance sheet and a copy of your most recent audit.

• Your organization’s budget for the current fiscal year.

• A list of your board of directors and their affiliations (titles and employer name).

• Your most recent annual report.

If your organization does not have tax-exempt status in the United States, please indicate the name of an affiliated organization with 501(c) 3 status that accepts funds on your behalf.

Proposals should be submitted by email to the Pegasus Foundation at:

info@pegasusfoundation.org

Items that cannot be emailed can be faxed or mailed to:

The Pegasus Foundation

218 West Main St., Suite 3W

Hyannis, MA 02601

Fax: 508-778-2920

The Foundation prefers that proposals be submitted by email when possible. Pegasus also prefers that proposals are not sent by resource-intensive express mail. If materials need to be mailed, do not use plastic covers or binders.  Whenever possible, use both sides of the paper and use post-consumer recycled and/or chlorine free paper. 

NEXT STEPS: AFTER PROPOSALS ARE SUBMITTED

Funding Decisions

Organizations that have been invited to apply for a grant must submit proposals within 30 days of receiving an invitation. Pegasus Foundation staff and trustees will review and respond to proposals within 30 days of the date proposals are received by the Foundation.

In researching your proposal, Foundation staff may make telephone inquiries and arrange meetings or site visits to better understand the nature of your request. Additional information may also be requested during the proposal review period.

Multiple-year funding commitments will be considered but should not be expected.  The Foundation generally strives to fund organizations for no more than three years, with reduced grant amounts for the second and third years. All grantees, whether new or continuing, are required to submit funding requests in writing each year.

The Foundation may also seek to stimulate initiatives by issuing calls for proposals on specific topics, convening policymakers and practitioners to explore solutions to critical issues, or initiating its own programs.

Reporting Requirements

An organization that receives funding from the Pegasus Foundation is required to submit reports of program progress and results for the calendar year in which funding is received. Progress reports should be submitted by email when possible. Reports will be required by the dates stated in the grant agreement that will be sent to the grantee for signature prior to issuance of a check. Grantees are also expected to respond to occasional requests for information from Pegasus Foundation staff. 

Publicity

The Pegasus Foundation retains the right to publicize an organization receiving grant funds. This does not prevent the organization from conducting its own publicity.

Special Notice

Discussions may be held with any, all or none of the organizations submitting proposals prior to awarding any grant. Publication of these grant guidelines, receipt of proposals, and conduct of any discussions does not obligate the Foundation to make any award (whether grant, contract, purchase order, or cooperative agreement).

Additional Information

Additional information about the Pegasus Foundation, including annual reports and lists of past grantees, can be found on the Web at: www.pegausfoundation.org

Additional information can also be obtained by contacting:

Susan Rich, The Pegasus Foundation

218 West Main St., Suite 3W, Hyannis, MA  USA

Fax: 508-778-2920

email: info@pegasusfoundation.org

Website: www.pegasusfoundation.org

APPENDIX: DEFINITIONS

Mission: Describes what the organization does, how it is done, and for whom. It is a very general statement, usually aligning the organization to the value it provides to the community.

Vision: Describes a state that the organization is striving to achieve in the future. It is very general, but it gives a sense of what the organization would be doing and how it would look, if it were perfect, and existed in a perfect world.

Strategies: A high-level set of directions that articulate how the organization will achieve its mission and move toward its vision. A strategic plan provides guidance on the types of projects and activities that should be funded and executed. Defining a strategy helps get the entire organization aligned in the same direction.

Principles: Provide an organization with rules of behavior, and moral and ethical statements for how it will function. Usually the principles describe how people within the organization will act, and how they will interact with other people inside and outside the group.

Goal: A statement of broad direction or purpose for a program. A goal, by definition, will identify some outcome that will be achieved.

Objective: An objective or action plan is the specific method or procedure that will be used to achieve a program goal. It outlines the steps that will be taken to achieve the goal. There should be several stated objectives delineated in order to implement the goal.

Timeline: Give dates by which objectives will be completed.

Accomplishments (also called Outputs): The major products and/or the substantial and completed processes that will be created to reach outcomes. The outputs occur in order to achieve an intended outcome.

Outcomes (also called Impacts): The desired change(s) or results that the proposed program will eventually accomplish. They follow from the outputs and identify the anticipated change that is the goal of the program. Outcomes include details on what, when, where, whom (target group), how much (extent), and how we will know (whenever possible, include an "as evidenced by" statement). Example: 95% of children at study school will read at or above grade level by the end of the third grade, as evidenced by school administered assessments. What – reading at or above grade level; When – end of the third grade; Whom – third graders at study school; How much – 95%; How will you know - through school-administered assessments.