Ballantine Family Fund

The Ballantine Family Fund was established in 1957 by Morley C. Ballantine and Arthur A. Ballantine Jr. to provide financial assistance to nonprofit causes that benefit the human condition in Southwest Colorado. Headquartered in Durango, Colorado, the Fund reflects the Ballantine family's longstanding involvement in the region through journalism, education, community activism, philanthropy, and support for civic institutions. Over more than six decades of activity, the Fund has supported charitable and philanthropic purposes intended to enhance quality of life in Southwest Colorado. The Fund primarily serves La Plata, Dolores, Montezuma, Archuleta, and San Juan counties, although the funder states that grants have been awarded outside this geographic area under unique circumstances. Grants are available to nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations and to projects or organizations operating under the fiscal agency of a 501(c)(3) organization. Organizations that have not secured 501(c)(3) status and are not under the fiscal agency of a nonprofit are not supported. Organizations that do not serve Southwest Colorado, specifically the five identified counties, are also generally ineligible, and individuals are expressly excluded. The source does not establish separate eligibility for governmental entities, businesses, or individuals. Organizations located outside the region may need to explain their local impact when applying, consistent with the Fund's focus on benefiting Southwest Colorado. Individual grants range from $500 to $5,000, with approximately $250,000 awarded annually. Grant size is based on the size and need of the applicant organization. Funding may support general operations as well as specific projects and programs, allowing applicants to request either flexible organizational support or support for a defined activity. Organizations may receive funding only once per calendar year. No matching or cost-share requirement is stated in the provided grant information. The source also does not state a defined grant performance period, indirect-cost limitation, or quantified number of awards. Applications must be submitted online through the Ballantine Family Fund website. The Grant Application includes Contact Information, an Executive Summary of Funding Request, Organization Mission and History, Board of Directors Information, Professional Development Information, Financial Information, and Operations Information. Required uploads include a List of Governing Board Members, Current Annual Budget and Budget vs. Actuals Year to Date, Budget vs. Actuals for the most recent closed fiscal year, and a Current Balance Sheet. The executive summary must be fewer than 250 words and include a two- to three-sentence organizational background covering such matters as founding, mission, programs, and communities served; the amount and purpose of the request; and a community impact statement describing the number of individuals, families, or organizations benefiting from services during the prior year. Applicants outside the region must discuss their local impact. The Fund uses recurring quarterly deadlines of March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31. Proposals must be submitted on or before the applicable deadline. Submissions made on or after 12:00 AM on the first day following the deadline automatically move to the next round. Organizations may apply in any round, although applications received between October 1 and December 31 are considered for the first quarter of the following year. Applicants generally receive notification six to eight weeks after the application deadline, and the Fund describes the overall turnaround time as approximately eight weeks. During this review period, the grants manager reviews applications, may contact nonprofit applicants with questions, and presents a grants report to the trustees. The Board of Directors reviews grant proposals at quarterly meetings identified as occurring in February, May, August, and November. A previous grantee must submit a Post Grant Report before becoming eligible to apply again. There is no strict deadline for the report, but completion before the next application is mandatory. The report is accessed through the organization's existing online account by selecting "Complete Post Grant Report." Organizations are instructed to maintain only one account because the account preserves grant history and post-grant reports; creating multiple accounts can delay review. Questions may be directed to the Ballantine Family Fund at grants@ballantinefamilyfund.com or 970.375.5807. Briggen Wrinkle is identified as Grants Manager, with briggen@ballantinefamilyfund.com also provided as a direct contact.

Keep the executive summary under 250 words and include a brief organizational background, requested amount and purpose, and quantified community impact. Applicants outside the region should explain local impact. Submit on or before the quarterly deadline because submissions on or after 12:00 AM on the first of the following month move to the next round. Maintain one organizational account and complete the Post Grant Report before applying again.