Visionary Leadership Fund
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can my organization receive funding if we only provide direct service to women and/or girls and do not have a social change component?
Yes - Can my organization receive a grant from both the Valentine Foundation and the Valentine Fund for Visionary Leadership?
Yes - Is funding available to support leadership development for board members?
The grant is intended to develop individual nonprofit leaders; it is not a Board development grant. Board representatives may be included in the grant as long as they are part of a team that includes at least one professional executive staff member. - Who should be completing the grant application?
The Leadership Fund grant application should be completed by a representative of your organization (the “Applicant”) and by the individuals who will be participating in the proposed leadership initiative (the “Nominated Individual(s)”). Generally, the “Applicant” is the person representing the organization. They are responsible for providing a budget and the reason for submitting the grant. Though the two parts of the application are separate, we strongly encourage your Applicant and Nominated Individual(s) to discuss your responses with each other. The application also asks you to identify a Champion for each of the Nominated Individuals. The Champion is the person in your organization who will be responsible for ensuring the success and support of the Nominated Individual(s) in the Leadership Development Initiative. The Champion could be the individual’s supervisor or another staff or board member. - Can the Applicant and the Champion be the same person?
Yes, if the Applicant is not one of the Nominated Individuals. If the Applicant is one of the Nominated Individuals, someone else in your organization should be identified as the Champion. If the Nominated Individual is the Executive Director of your organization, a Board member should be selected as the Champion. - May individual leaders apply, independent of a nonprofit organization?
No. If an individual leader does wish to apply for funding but does not have the support of her current organization, she may contact Valentine Foundation to inquire about other available sources of leadership development. - Is it acceptable to propose nominating an individual for a leadership program or course that is not one of the previously funded?
Yes. You are welcome to choose the leadership initiative that is most appropriate for your organization and leaders. You will have the chance to explain why you’ve chosen this particular leadership initiative. Examples of Leadership Development initiatives that have been funded by the Valentine Foundation in the past can be found here — Leadership Development Initiatives. - Where can I find information about the grants awarded in the past?
A list of organizations and projects that have been funded through the Fund for Visionary Leadership can be found here — Valentine Visionary Leaders. - Will the Fund for Visionary Leadership provide tuition support for a graduate degree program?
No. - Will funding be provided for men working in non-profits that serve women and girls?
No. - Who can I contact if I have questions about eligibility or other questions about the application?
Contact Alexandra V.A. Frazier, Executive Director of the Valentine Foundation by email at info@valentinefoundation.org, or you may call at 610-283-5579. - Will there be an information session for potential applicants?
We are offering two virtual information sessions for potential applicants, scheduled on January 10, 2023 from 9:00am-10:00am and on January 18, 2023 from 5:00pm – 6:00pm. These sessions are intended to address issues of eligibility and assist applicants in preparing and submitting their application. You are welcome to attend either session. Questions may be submitted in advance by email to info@valentinefoundation.org. - We want a whole team to participate in the leadership initiative, but the application only has space for three Nominated Individuals. Can we have a whole team participate? If yes, how should we complete the application?
You are welcome to have a whole team participate. Please explain this to us in the grant application question “Why now, and in what ways is this Leadership Development Initiative important for your organization?” Then, choose 3 of the team members to be your Nominated Individuals. - What is an Aspiring Leader?
An individual in your organization who you believe has leadership potential or who has made a significant contribution to the success of your organization, even if they are not currently in a leadership role.