The information below should answer most of your questions. Please read before contacting us.

When do you accept grant applications? The Olive Tree Foundation begins accepting grant applications in the first quarter of each year. We are no longer accepting applications for 2023, and there is no mailing list for 2024. Please read our guidelines to see if your tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization is eligible.

How many applications does The Olive Tree Foundation accept? The increased number of applications we receive each year continually exceeds expectations. To ensure our small staff can effectively and fairly review the requests, we decreased the number we accept to 55. In 2022, we reached that number in four days. This year, we maxed out in 14 hours.

What percentage of applicants receive grants? OTF awards grants to 10 to 20 percent of applicants.

When should I apply for a grant? The Olive Tree Foundation distributes gifts in the fourth quarter (October to December) of each application year. Apply accordingly.

When will I be notified of my application status? OTF holds its annual grant committee meeting in the second or third quarter of each calendar year. Our goal is to inform applicants no later than November.

Does my organization truly have to be headquartered in the United States? Yes, The Olive Tree Foundation only makes grants to U.S.-based nonprofits.

Does it matter what geographic areas within the U.S. my organization serves? We make grants to nonprofits throughout the country. However, individual grant committee members may have an affinity to a particular community.

May I apply if my U.S.-based organization serves communities outside of the U.S.? Yes, we make grants to U.S.-based nonprofits that serve other countries in need.

How much money does the Olive Tree Foundation grant to each grantee? We generally award grantees $1,000 – $10,000. However, we rarely fund the entire cost of a program, even if it fits in that range. We expect applicants to seek funding from a variety of sources.

May I apply if my organization is operating at a deficit? Yes, but keep in mind that grants are competitive and having a deficit could put your organization at a disadvantage. Your grant application should include the reason for the shortage, what you will do to rectify the deficiency, and why the grant committee should consider your organization sustainable.

To whom should we address our cover letter? You may address your cover letter to The Olive Tree Foundation Grant Committee.

What do I do if I have technical problems while trying to submit? We do not own or operate Submittable, through which applications are submitted. Please get in touch with Submittable directly for all technical support.

Do you respond to emails through the Contact Us page? We reply as soon as we can to emails not asking questions already answered on this page. We will not respond to or accept emailed grant applications.

If my grant request is declined, will I receive information stating why? No, each year, the number of grant applicants grows exponentially. We cannot reply to each denied applicant with reasoning because of our limited staffing.

What makes a good grant application? Applicants who receive grants: 

  1. Clearly provide metrics showing the success of the program for which they are requesting funds;
  2. Detail how funds would be used;
  3. Specify how many people would be served by the funds given;
  4. Specify other grantors and the amounts they have committed to the program in question; and
  5. Previous grant recipients follow up with OTF to confirm receipt of funds, express appreciation and let us know how they used and are using the monies.

What are some other reasons OTF might reject an organization? The committee may decline a grant application if the application is incomplete, information is unclear, projects don’t meet mission requirements, organizations are ineligible, or if competing applicant projects better fit our mission.

How do I apply for a grant? Visit our How to Apply page, read the instructions carefully, and then click the “Submit” button (when available) to access the online form.