Guidelines for Submission of Grant Requests

What kind of projects does The Socrates Foundation support?

The acorn in the Socrates Foundation logo symbolizes the Board’s vision for investing seed money in projects with growth potential, in projects showing strength/sustainability resulting from innovative, wise planning. That vision birthed the purpose of the Foundation: to fund grants primarily for seed money for capital appropriations that are used for education or humanitarian purposes.

  • Preference: One-time capital funding projects
  • Preference: Projects with matching gift programs in their plans
  • Preference: Proposals dealing with development of new intellectual skills
  • Preference: Youth projects
  • Projects in education or health
  • Projects being completed over 1-2 years (depending upon project addressed)
  • Innovative ideas that can be sustained following initial funding
  • Projects between $5,000 and $50,000
  • Projects within approximately five hundred (500) miles of Laramie, Wyoming

What are some examples of educational grants awarded by the Socrates foundation?

  • Interactive learning library exhibits
  • Purchase of hearing testing equipment for a deaf children’s program
  • Purchase of computers to upgrade library facilities for an elementary school
  • Renovation of outdoor play equipment for a school
  • Building/renovation for higher education expansion
  • Construction of wheelchair ramp, increasing accessibility to arts education
  • Construction of outdoor classroom for exploring nature in early childhood education
  • Building renovation for youth extra-curricular activities in economically depressed rural area
  • Senior Center construction
  • Homeless shelter dorm upgrade
  • See Funded Projects page for more examples

What does the Socrates foundation NOT fund?

  • Individuals
  • Donations to fundraising organizations
  • Operation costs, or salaries
  • Grants to an organization previously funded or for the same project

What is the timing for submitting a grant request?

  • Deadline: Complete grant application packets must be received by November 1. Submit requests any time during the year. (Since grants are awarded on a competitive basis, all requests in calendar year will be reviewed together at annual Socrates Board Meeting.)
  • Award Notification: Late November/early December. Award status letters will be sent shortly after the annual Socrates Board Meeting.

Steps for Submitting a Proposal

1. From the Socrates Foundation website, click on the link above, “Submit Proposal”

2. Answer the questions in the “Determine Eligibility” link.

3. If you have met initial criteria for funding, then you will have the opportunity to submit your Letter of Intent (LOI) online.

4. Once you have submitted the LOI online, you will be contacted by email within the month to let you know if the LOI was approved. If approved, you will be given the URL to which you will submit the online application.

5. In that application, you will…

  • State the need or problem to be addressed
  • Give a brief background of the proposed project
  • Include a timeline of activities
  • List the personnel involved in the project and their qualifications
  • Present your budget request and justification

7. In addition to completing the online application, you will need to provide proof of 501c status for the organization requesting funding. This can be emailed to socratesfoundationwy@gmail.com

8. The deadline for complete packet submission is November 1 annually.

Your organization will have a higher probability for receiving funding if these guidelines are closely followed.