Lydia Collins deForest Charitable Trust Fund

The Lydia Collins deForest Charitable Trust was established in 2002 and supports charitable work serving the people of New Jersey. Bank of America acts as co-trustee of the Trust in conjunction with Jean Marano and Carolann Clynes, and the Trust is managed through the Bank of America Private Bank New York office. Its giving priorities focus on organizations providing services to people who are visually limited; churches and organizations affiliated with the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States and other religious organizations in union with or recognized by the Episcopal Church; and organizations serving people who are homeless, unemployed, or substance-dependent. Special consideration is given to The Lighthouse, Inc. in New York, Calvary Episcopal Church in Summit, New Jersey, and the Salvation Army in Union, New Jersey. The Trust's giving program provides grants ranging from $25,000 to $50,000 over one or multiple years for projects with the potential for significant impact. It will consider program requests designed to increase an organization's capacity, reach, or impact, as well as requests for capital improvements or technical support. The foundation-specific guidance states that grant requests for building campaigns and general operating support are not considered. Every application must identify the purpose of the grant request, provide a project budget, include a detailed outline explaining how grant funds will be spent, and state the expected outcome of the proposed work. Eligible applicants must align with the Trust's New Jersey geographic focus and its stated charitable priorities. The New York office procedures further state that grants can only be made to organizations that have received their own determination from the Internal Revenue Service as a public charity. Grants cannot be made through fiscal agents. Although religious organizations are among the Trust's expressly identified funding interests, applicants still need to satisfy the applicable public charity requirement and the Trust's programmatic and geographic parameters. The procedures indicate that start-up nonprofits or programs that are not yet off the ground are not typically funded. Applications are submitted through an online application process. Applicants should first review the foundation detail information to determine whether their organization matches the Trust's geographic and programmatic parameters and then access the online application through the foundation's application system. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on November 30. If November 30 falls on a weekend or federally recognized holiday, the deadline is not extended and the application must instead be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on the prior business day. Online applications are generally accepted around or before the proposal due date, and applicants are encouraged to begin and submit early because technical support is not provided on weekends. Following submission, a Philanthropic Administrator performs a preliminary review to determine whether an application is complete and meets the foundation's funding parameters. A Philanthropic Client Manager then leads the substantive review and may conduct site visits or request additional information. A co-trustee or Advisory Committee may also participate. After due diligence is completed, Foundation Officers and other staff discuss the merits of pending proposals and make preliminary staff recommendations. The Trust states that applicants will be notified of grant decisions before February 28 of the following year. Post-grant reporting is required. The New York office procedures state that a grant report is required within one year of the grant application date regardless of whether all awarded funds have been spent, and failure to provide the required report makes an organization ineligible for future funding. Organizations receiving multi-year awards must submit reports annually through the end of the grant term. Online grant report forms are made available through the MyAccount portal. Questions about the application process may be directed to ny.grantmaking@bofa.com. The procedures also identify Christine O'Donnell, Managing Director and Philanthropic Client Manager, at 646.855.1011 and christine.l.odonnell@bofa.com, and state that prospective applicants may call to discuss a grant request before preparing a formal proposal.

Confirm alignment with the Trust's New Jersey geographic focus and stated service priorities. Clearly specify the grant purpose, project budget, detailed use of funds, and expected outcome. Emphasize the project's potential for significant impact and, where applicable, how it increases capacity, reach, or impact. Do not request building campaign or general operating support. Begin and submit the online application early because weekend technical support is unavailable.