We strive to positively impact the areas of greatest need and effect the most good.
Mimi and Cliff devoted passion, time, and resources to support diverse causes in the greater Morris County community. The Foundation is proud to continue to share their values and vision for generations to come. We are dedicated to learning about the needs within the community so that we may offer partnership and support in the place Mimi and Cliff called home.
Areas of Interest
In alignment with our mission, we provide grants to the below areas of interest. To provide sufficient consideration to the growing number of applicants, the areas of interest have been categorized into two grant cycles. This allows each organization to apply for a grant annually, as consistent with our previous grant cycle. It also allows for MWSF to dedicate the time required to establish meaningful relationships with applicants, give fair due diligence and consideration to each application, and to continue to offer Beyond Grantmaking opportunities. If you have questions related to the Areas of Interest, please contact us.
Community Services
Environment & Animal Welfare
Human Services
The Arts & Culture
Education
Application Guidelines
January 2025 Cycle
Applicants must be incorporated as 501(c)(3) organizations.
Not classified as 501(c)(3) public charities by the Internal Revenue Service
Applicants must serve the greater Morris County, NJ area.
No active nondiscrimination policy for employees and services
Applicants must submit all required information and documentation in the online application submission, including everything listed in the Required Documentation section found below.
Individuals, loans, general fundraising benefits and events, endowment campaigns
Grants supporting specified projects and/or general operating expenses
Research unless it contains an explicit and practical application or outcome
Solicited or unsolicited grants
Candidates for political office or to lobby in support/against legislation or political action
1-year or multi-year grants
Religious organizations and activities, with the exception of grants related to the aforementioned areas of interest
Our discretionary grantmaking is informed by the following criteria in alignment with our mission:
Applicants must be incorporated as 501(c)(3) organizations.
Applicants must serve the greater Morris County, NJ area.
Applicants must submit all required information and documentation in the online application submission, including everything listed in the Required Documentation section found below.
Grant applications must fall within the below Areas of Interest:
Education—Equitable access to educational opportunities.
Community Services—Cognitive disability support; community wellness; health services; local economic development; public legal services; veterans’ affairs
We do not offer grants to:
Organizations that are not classified as 501(c)(3) public charities by the Internal Revenue Service
Organizations that cannot demonstrate an active nondiscrimination policy for employees and services
Individuals
Loans
General fundraising benefits and events
Endowment campaigns
Research unless it contains an explicit and practical application or outcome
Support candidates for political office or to lobby in support of or against legislation or any political action
Endowment campaigns
Required Documentation
- EIN Number
- Leadership contact information
- List of Board of Trustees, education, business background, and other affiliations
- Most recent Form 990
- 2 years of your most recent financial statements, preferably audited by an independent source; if your organization does not have audited financial statements, we will accept financial statements reviewed by an independent accountant.
- Operating revenue and expense budget for current fiscal year and actual revenue and expense budget for prior fiscal year; for organizations part of a national or state affiliate, provide these budgets for the local affiliate requesting support.
- Anticipated revenue and expense budget, with balance of funding required in addition to MWSF funding, for project specific requests
- List of all sources of income and amounts toward the project, actual and prospective
- Grant request narrative; feel free to share one that you’ve used to apply to another funder, if it represents your organization well, and reflects our mission and funding interests.
Application Guidelines
The Mimi Washington Starrett Foundation’s primary objective is to provide grants to facilitate opportunities for nonprofit organizations to achieve their goals.
Please submit a grant application that represents your organization well and aligns with our areas of interest. Feel free to share one that you have previously submitted to the MWS Foundation with updated information, used to apply to another funder, or the NJ and NY Common Application. Please ensure all required information specific to this grant cycle is present in the application or as an addendum.
2. Leadership contact Information
3. List of Board of Trustees, education, business background, and other affiliations
4. Most recent Form 9905.
5. 2 years of your most recent financial statements, preferably audited by an independent source; if your organization does not have audited financial statements, we will accept financial statements reviewed by an independent accountant.
6. Operating revenue and expense budget for current fiscal year and actual revenue and expense budget for prior fiscal year; for. organizations part of a national or state affiliate, provide these budgets for the local affiliate requesting support.
7. Anticipated revenue and expense budget, with balance of funding required in addition to MWSF funding, for project specific. requests
8. List of all sources of income and amounts toward the project, actual and prospective
9. Grant request narrative; feel free to share one that you’ve used to apply to another funder, if it represents your organization well, and reflects our mission and funding interests.
We do not offer grants to: We do not offer grants to:·
Organizations that are not classified as 501(c)(3) public charities by the Internal Revenue Service
Organizations that cannot demonstrate an active nondiscrimination policy for employees and services
Individuals
Loans
General fundraising benefits and events·
Endowment campaigns
Research unless it contains an explicit and practical application or outcome
Support candidates for political office or to lobby in support of or against legislation or any political action·
Religious organizations and activities, with the exception of grants related to the aforementioned areas of interest
How to Apply for a Grant
The January 2025 grant application will open on January 1 and close at 5pm on January 31. The application may be accessed by clicking below or by creating an account with submittable.com and searching for the Mimi Washington Starrett Foundation.