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Guidelines

The Charles Hayden Foundation makes contributions only to institutions that serve youth and young adults from the City of Boston and metropolitan New York, with an emphasis on high school through post-secondary success. Priority is given to applicants from New York City and the city of Boston. Metropolitan New York is defined as New York City, and, in New Jersey, solely in the city of Newark. Grants are also made to institutions that support youth activities outside these areas when a substantial majority of the youth served comes from within the Foundation’s defined geographic catchment areas

The Foundation's Grantmaking Guidelines

Our Mission Statement details our grantmaking criteria and should be read in conjunction with these Guidelines. We concentrate support on youth development and education programs that present: (1) evidence of significant program impact on young people and (2) plans for making measurable progress toward well-defined goals in a specific time frame. The Foundation’s long-term goal is for young people to obtain quality education and rewarding careers. Funding is prioritized for organizations that support youth to gain new knowledge and access to academic and career choices. Potential grantees must show evidence that young people in their programs grow in confidence and ability to make informed choices to pursue academic and professional opportunities that build fulfilling careers.

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Long-term Impact

The Foundation works to ensure that youth obtain quality education and rewarding careers

Attributes that the Foundation Seeks in Funded Programs

For youth development programs:
  • Relationships between youth and youth agency staff that are caring, consistent, and continue throughout the course of the youth’s long-term development.
  • Engaging, enriching and safe activities during the non-school hours.
  • Activities and counseling that help youth prepare for post-secondary education.
For school programs (including (1) charter schools, (2) public district schools, and (3) independent and parochial schools that charge a maximum of $12,000/year for tuition):
  • Schools must have been in operation for the following amount of time:
    • Grades 6-8: until the entering 6th grade cohort has completed the 8th grade and there is 8th grade state test data and high school placement data.
    • Grades 9-12: until there is at a minimum one year of graduation and college matriculation data.
  • High expectations for student’s mental development, reflected in a challenging course of study that emphasizes reading, writing, mathematics and other core skill and content areas.
  • Active engagement of parents in their children’s education at home and in schools.
  • Collaboration with other organizations and programs that can contribute to student’s learning.
  • Activities and counseling that help youth prepare for post-secondary education.
  • Track record of increased student academic achievement.

Outcomes

Youth have knowledge of, and access to, academic and career choices

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Online Application Form

We require applicants to use the Foundation’s online application form. Please click the button below to access this form.

Apply Online

Program/Organization Budget

All applicants must provide a program/organization budget with their application. Please use our budget template, which can be accessed by clicking the button below. (Excel .xls file). Please note: This file is READ ONLY. First you must save it your computer. Then, when you open the file, you will be able to fill in the spreadsheet.

Get Budget Template

Applications Must Include the Following:

  1. A concise description of the proposed program and its goals.
  2. The number and ages of the youth to be served.
  3. The Program/Organization Budget referenced above.
  4. An indication of what will be done if not all of the needed funds are raised. Similarly, if the request is for partial funding of the total amount of a program, the plans for raising the balance of those costs should be indicated.
  5. A copy of the most recent audited financial report.
  6. A copy of the Internal Revenue Service letter determining tax-exempt status.
  7. The program’s expected outcomes and criteria the applicant prefers that the Foundation apply in evaluating the completed program.

Please note:

  • The Foundation evaluates grant applications on a rolling basis throughout its fiscal year (7/1-6/30). Currently, there are no deadlines.
  • Multi-year requests will not be accepted at this time.
  • Interviews or site visits, if required or requested, are not arranged until the written grant application is submitted and has undergone a preliminary review.
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Outcomes

Youth have the confidence and ability to make their own choices through self determination, critical thinking skills and persistence

The Foundation Does Not Fund

  1. Capital projects.
  2. Individuals.
  3. Endowments.
  4. Religious organizations and theological institutions, unless programs are oriented toward community youth.
  5. Institutions of higher education – except pre-collegiate programs.
  6. Hospitals, hospices, and projects that are essentially medical in nature.
  7. Arts exposure programs.