How To Apply

Early Childhood Councils

In March 2018, the Buell Foundation announced new funding priorities for early childhood councils, along with a new timeline and application. Please review the information below and feel free to call or email one of our Program Officers if you have additional questions.

Please note that all applications from early childhood councils will be due at the May 1st deadline (May 1, 2023). Use the online portal to apply; a unique link was emailed to council members on March 15, 2023.

Application Process:

  • Application is due by the May 1, 2023 deadline. Please reach out to the Buell Foundation if you did not receive the email with a unique link to the online application.
  • Future applications will continue to be due at the May 1 deadline.
  • Approved grants will have a grant period of 9/1 – 8/30 of the following year, with an interim report due at time of reapplication in May and a final report due September 30.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How much funding can we ask for?

Please call your program officer to discuss this.  Each council is different.  While we will try to be equitable in grant awards, we know that not all councils have the same level of need.  We hope to meet you where you are and work with you to draft the most compelling grant application.

Can we apply for all areas?

Yes.  Please keep in mind that we want to continue to support the work that you have been funded for in the past.  Don’t abandon any of your good work to apply for new areas, think about how additional funds would expand your efforts.

What does “systems building” mean?

We have used the legislation that created the councils to define systems building, and that is what makes up the matrix portion of your application.  The key components follow:

  • Sustainability and Internal Capacity of the Council
    • Council Governance
    • Communications
    • Evaluation/Assessment
    • Strategic Planning
    • Resource Development (THBF will not fund a grant writer)
    • Fiscal Management
  • Strategic Partnerships
  • Public Engagement
  • Policy/Advocacy

Will the Buell Foundation cover indirect costs?

While we don’t generally support indirect costs (we prefer that you allocate actual costs), we will consider your indirect costs as long as you can clearly define what is being included in that line item, you don’t duplicate those costs in other parts of your budget, and the indirect costs don’t surpass 10% of the budget.

What falls outside of the defined funding areas of this application?

The ONLY type of request that falls outside of this application is Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation.  All consultation grants are considered together during our January deadline each year.  If you have questions about this, please reach out to Stacy Howard at showard@buellfoundation.org.

All of your efforts (systems building, professional development, quality improvement, increasing access to services and any direct services) should be included in this request.

How does the Buell Foundation fund direct service work? What are some examples?

If your council has been funded for direct service efforts in the past (e.g., parenting education classes, home visiting programs, literacy totes, etc.), feel free to apply for those activities again this year.  We fund those services using benchmarks of quality and funding considerations that are common across all organizations offering similar services.  When you speak with your program officer, she/he will talk you through reasonable request amounts for direct services as well as the focus areas of the application.

Can we apply for or use funds to create a community roadmap?

If appropriate, yes.  Keep in mind that a lot of work has been completed by various organizations across the state in the past couple of years that should inform any of these efforts.  Be careful not to recreate reports that already exist.