How To Apply For A Grant

The best first step in applying for a grant in Nigeria is to submit a one-page summary and a two- to three-page letter of inquiry. There are no deadlines for submitting letters of inquiry.  Please do not send the letter of inquiry by fax. Send it by mail to the office in Abuja or by e-mail to info-ng@macfound.org.

One-Page Summary

This summary page should provide:

• Information regarding who will carry out the work
• Name of your organization (and acronym if commonly used)
• Name of parent organization, if any
• Name of chief executive officer or person holding similar position
• Organization's address (and courier address if different)
• Organization's phone number, fax number, and e-mail address, if any
• Name and title of the principal contact person, if different from the above
• Address (and courier address if different), phone number, fax number, and e-mail address, if any, of principal contact
• Web address, if any

Letter of Inquiry

There is no set format, but letters of inquiry generally include the following:

• Name or topic of the proposed project or work to be done
• A brief statement (two or three sentences) of the purpose and nature of the proposed work
• The significance of the issue addressed by the project and how it relates to a stated MacArthur program strategy
• How the work will address the issue
• How the issue relates to your organization, and why your organization is qualified to undertake the project
• Geographic area or country where the work will take place
• Time period for which funding is requested
• Information about those who will be helped by and interested in the work and how you will communicate with them
• Amount of funding requested from MacArthur and total cost (estimates are acceptable) 
• You are welcome to enclose attachments that you feel would help the Foundation understand your project.

The Foundation's Response

We will send you an acknowledgment that your letter of inquiry was received, and we will direct it to the appropriate staff members for review. If as a result of that review the Foundation concludes that there is no prospect of Foundation funding, we will notify you promptly.

If the Foundation decides that your project might qualify for a grant, we will contact you to discuss next steps and what further information is required.

All material submitted becomes the property of the MacArthur Foundation. The Foundation sometimes submits inquiries or proposals to confidential outside review.

As is now the case with most charities in the United States who make grants to organizations based outside the United States, the Foundation checks the names of foreign based grantees, and the principal officers and directors of such grantees, against one or more lists maintained by the U.S. government, the European Union, and the United Nations, which contain the names determined by such entities to be terrorist organizations or individual terrorists.  This process is a result of legislation passed by the U.S. Congress, Executive Orders issued by the U.S. President, and suggested guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The Foundation has developed a set of principles to guide the Foundation's response to these regulatory initiatives, which are available by contacting the Foundation at: 4answers@macfound.org.

Deadlines

With the exception of the Fund for Leadership Development, for which deadlines are advertised yearly, there are no fixed deadlines. Deadlines for the Fund for Leadership Development will be announced on this website and in the local media in Nigeria. In all other areas, the Foundation makes grants throughout the year.

What the Foundation Does Not Support

Please note that the Foundation does not support political activities or attempts to influence action on specific legislation. We do not provide scholarships or tuition assistance for undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate studies; nor do we support annual fundraising drives, institutional benefits, honorary functions, or similar projects.

Fund For Leadership Development (FLD)

Grants for the FLD are no longer made directly by the Foundation.  The program is now administered by an intermediary organization.  Interested applicants should visit Pathfinder International for more information.