Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What are the deadlines for grant proposals?
    Please begin by submitting a letter of inquiry (LOI) to the Foundation. Grant decisions are made twice during each year. LOIs must be received by June 1 for consideration in the Fall Docket and December 1 for consideration in the Spring Docket. Proposals that are selected for consideration by the Foundation are reviewed within approximately six months of initial submission. All other requests will receive a notification within six weeks
  2. Can you send me an application?
    We do not have an application form. The Righteous Persons Foundation accepts letters of inquiry, which should include a description of the project to be funded, the amount requested and pertinent information about the applicant organization. For more details, please see How To Apply.
  3. Are grant guidelines available?
    Background on the Righteous Persons Foundation’s philosophy and mission can be found at About the Foundation. To see the current funding priorities and guidelines for the Foundation, please see Grant Procedures.
  4. May we fax or email letters of inquiry or proposals?
    No. We ask that you send ONE copy of your letter of inquiry or proposal via regular or express mail.
  5. To whom should letters of inquiry be addressed?
    Rachel Levin
    Associate Director
    Righteous Persons Foundation
    2800 28th Street, Suite 105
    Santa Monica, CA 90405
  6. Can we meet with someone to discuss a possible proposal?
    Meetings are generally limited to organizations that have been invited to submit full proposals.
  7. How will I know if you received my letter of inquiry or proposal?
    We will acknowledge receipt of your letter of inquiry via U.S. mail within six weeks of receipt. If we require a full proposal based upon your letter of inquiry, we will let you know.
  8. We were declined for a submitted letter of inquiry. May we re-submit?
    Organizations are eligible to reapply by sending in a new letter of inquiry 12 months after the date of the declination.
  9. Our proposal was declined. Can you tell us why?
    Competition for grant funds is intense and a number of factors determine if a proposal is declined. Most frequently, it is because we are unable to fund every request we receive. Even if a project fits within our guidelines, it will not necessarily be funded.
  10. I do not have 501(c)3 status for my project. May I still apply?
    We are only able to accept proposals from organizations that have 501(c)3 status. You may, however have another organization serve as a fiscal sponsor for your request and submit a letter on your behalf. Please note that for such applications, in addition to the general information submitted, we require a letter noting that the sponsor has agreed to serve as such, and financial information (current year's budget, last year's budget, most recent financial audit, if available) from both the fiscal sponsor and the project).
  11. Do you give grants to individuals?
    No.
  12. Do you fund general operating expenses?
    The Foundation funds both general operating expenses and expenses related to a specific program.
  13. What types of grants do you NOT fund?
    Beyond programs which do not fall within our Priorities, funding is not provided for the following:
    • Direct aid to individuals;
    • Individual synagogues or day schools;
    • Conferences, seminars, and workshops;
    • Capital or building campaigns;
    • Scholarships and university programs;
    • Programs servicing individuals and communities outside the United States;
    • Fundraising events, dinners and mass mailings;
    • Federated fundraising appeals;
    • Support of candidates for political office;
    • Endowment Funds;
    • Support to cover an existing deficit.
  14. Can I apply for funding while my organization has an active grant?
    No, the Foundation will only consider a new grant at the end of the current grant period.
  15. Can I apply for a renewal of support?
    Yes, you can reapply at the end of the active grant period, although no guarantee is made as to a continuation of support.
  16. What is the range of grant awards?
    In the past, grants awarded by the Righteous Persons Foundation have ranged in amounts from $5,000 to $150,000 per year. The majority of grants, however, have been between $25,000 to $50,000.
  17. Does the Foundation award multi-year funding?
    Occasionally.
  18. Where can we find a list of representative grants the Foundation has recently made?
    Click here for a list of grants.
  19. If we are invited to submit a full proposal, what kinds of supporting documentation will we be asked to submit?
    Click here for an outline of a full grant proposal.
  20. I have a script/story idea I want to pass on to Steven Spielberg. Can I send it to you?
    The Foundation does not accept any materials related to Mr. Spielberg's work as a director and producer, even for topics that may be related to the Righteous Persons Foundation's grantmaking. Please contact DreamWorks at (818) 733-7000 for more information and note that they do not accept unsolicited scripts.
  21. What is the difference between the Righteous Persons Foundation and the Shoah Foundation?
    While both were established around the same time by Mr. Spielberg, the Shoah Foundation Institute is an independent organization dedicated to documenting and disseminating survivor testimony, while the Righteous Persons Foundation is a grant-making foundation that supports efforts that build a diverse and vibrant Jewish community in the United States.
  22. I have a question that is not answered in these FAQs.
    If you have another question, please submit it in writing to grants@righteouspersons.org.