The Guidelines | Application Process

They need your time, your effort, your attention, your tenacity and your abiding interest.

Application Process
All requests must be in writing. A proposal of up to three pages is usually all that is necessary and should include the following:

1. Cover Page
   1. Legal name of organization, address and name of executive director
   2. Contact Person and title
      1. Phone
      2. Fax
      3. E-mail
   3. Amount Requested
   4. Organization's mission
   5. Four sentences summarizing the proposal and its link with the New Balance Foundation mission
   6. A listing of the proposal's target population and geographic communitie
2. Proposal Narrative
   1. Briefly summarize the organization's history, goals and key achievements.
   2. Describe the community or regional needs that this effort will address.
   3. Detail the specific request, including budget, goals and objectives.
   4. Outline the specific activities and timetable for meeting your stated objectives.
   5. Outline a future plan for sustaining this effort and strategy for building your funding base.
   6. Identify organizations you collaborate with that address the issues relevant to your proposal.
   7. Explain your plans/process for evaluation:
      1. Explain how you will measure success in the short- and long-term. What tools will be used to evaluate your program?
      2. Be prepared to present results to the Foundation at the end of the funding term.
3. Attachments
   1. IRS letter confirming tax-exempt status 501©(3) and 509(a)
   2. Current board member list
   3. Financial information
      1. Board-approved budget for upcoming fiscal year
      2. Itemized project budget
      3. List of companies and foundations being approached to fund this proposal with dollar amounts indicating which sources are committed, pending or anticipated.

Submission Process
Please mail one copy of your application to:

New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc.
New Balance Foundation
20 Guest Street
Boston , MA 02135

Review Process
Proposals are accepted throughout the year and reviewed on an ongoing basis. We will contact you if we have any questions regarding your proposal. Please note that our fiscal year is December 1 through November 30. Our funding committee will review and respond to all proposals within 90 days of receipt. Notification of grant approval or denial will be sent by U.S. mail.

Note: The New Balance Foundation recognizes the great needs in our area. We take our commitment to community very seriously, and would like to fulfill all the requests we receive. Unfortunately, we receive many more appeals for support than we are able to satisfy with our available funds. Therefore, while requests for contributions may match the Foundation guidelines, appropriation should not automatically be assumed.

If you do not meet the Foundation's guidelines, feel free to refer to the company's guidelines for corporate charitable donations, product donations and event sponsorship. Those proposals are managed separately under a different set of guidelines.