Submit Inquiry Form
The Charles Hayden Foundation begins the funding process by learning more about prospective applicants through a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). If your organization has never received funding from the Foundation, or if it has not received funding from the Foundation in the last three years, you must submit an LOI through our Grant Portal. The LOI helps the Foundation understand your organization, the proposed project, and its alignment with the Foundation’s mission and funding priorities.
If you are a current grantee or have been invited to submit a full proposal, please contact your Program Manager to receive the appropriate application link.
LOI Form Requirements
The Letter of Inquiry (LOI) requests basic information about your organization and the proposed project. Applicants will be asked to provide:
- Organization history and mission (maximum 250 words)
- Current fiscal year organizational operating budget
- Proposed project budget
- Description of the proposed project, including the key activities to be undertaken and the intended outcomes (maximum 500 words)
- Estimated number of youth to be served annually through the proposed project (unduplicated count)
Our Focus Areas
The Foundation primarily supports organizations serving young people ages 5 to 18 in New York City and Boston. Recognizing that support often extends beyond age 18 as young people transition to post-secondary education, careers, and adulthood, the Foundation also funds programs serving participants through age 24 when those participants began the program before age 18. The Foundation does not fund programs designed to first engage young people after age 18.
Programs must align with one or more of the following priorities:
- Academic Readiness
Support for programs that build foundational academic skills—such as literacy, math, and critical thinking—to prepare students for
success at each stage of their educational journey. - College Access and Persistence
Support for programs that help students navigate the college admissions process, secure financial aid, and persist through college
to graduation. - Career Connected Learning
Support for initiatives that expose youth to career pathways through hands-on experiences, mentorship, internships, workforce skills development, and/or technical skills relevant to high-demand industries. - Social Emotional Learning
Support for programs that help young people develop self-awareness, emotional regulation, leadership skills, interpersonal skills,
and resilience—essential foundations for academic achievement, healthy relationships, and long-term success. - Organization/School Capacity Building
Support for projects that strengthen leadership, staffing, systems, and/or internal capacity to improve outcomes for youth.
Application Process
The application process begins by creating an account in the Grant Portal.
Step 1: Complete the pre-screening Eligibility Form to determine whether your organization is eligible to submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI).
Step 2: If your organization is eligible, submit your LOI through the online Grant Portal.
The Foundation accepts Letters of Inquiry on a rolling basis from August through March each fiscal year. Submitted LOIs are reviewed periodically, and organizations selected for further consideration will be contacted. Due to the high volume of inquiries and our ongoing commitments to current grantee partners, opportunities for new funding are limited. As a result, only a small number of organizations will be invited to submit a full proposal. We are unable to provide individual feedback on LOIs that are not selected for further consideration. Organizations may submit one Letter of Inquiry per fiscal year (July 1–June 30).
The Foundation is unable to accept unsolicited phone calls regarding funding opportunities, and meeting the Foundation’s eligibility requirements does not guarantee an invitation to submit a full proposal or an award. Funding decisions reflect the strength and alignment of each opportunity as well as the Foundation’s available resources and overall grantmaking portfolio.