The Foundation's principal program interests are focused on economically disadvantaged children, youth and families, and severely learning disabled children and adults of borderline intelligence.

Within these groups, the Foundation seeks to support programs that develop individual competencies, instill values and increase opportunities to participate in society. Of particular interest are projects that advance healthy development of youth and demonstrate promising new ideas for greater program effectiveness.

The Foundation supports efforts to strengthen and expand community-based programs for children, youth and families in New York City. We prefer projects with well-defined, measurable goals that intervene before a pattern of failure has been established, and that provide continuous supports and opportunities over an extended period.

The Foundation looks for programs with capable leadership and the ability to achieve their goals and sustain their programs over time.

The Foundation also occasionally funds research, demonstration and evaluation projects in its principal program areas. While grants for direct service projects are usually limited to New York City, those with potential for national impact or replication may go beyond this geographic limitation.

The Foundation does not make grants to individuals or provide emergency assistance, nor does it support medical research or the direct provision of health care, religious education or annual giving programs. It generally does not make grants to support conferences, publications or media, or to building renovation or other capital projects, unless they are integrally related to the Foundation's program objectives or are an outgrowth of one of its grantee's programs.

Applicants should write a brief letter of inquiry, not exceeding two pages, before submitting a formal proposal or applying for a grant. The letter should describe the grantee organization, the proposed project and its goals, and include an estimated budget. It should also include a listing of other agencies being approached to support the project, and the name and qualifications of the person directing it. For other than direct service projects, the program description should also include the possibilities for practical application of the efforts and findings of the project or program.

The above information will be sufficient for the Foundation to determine whether it will consider a proposal. The Foundation's program staff will request other materials or arrange meetings as appropriate after reviewing the initial letter.

The Foundation favors programs that can make substantial progress toward their goals in a period of three years or less. It may consider renewal of selected grants beyond that period but eschews long-term annual support of organizations.

The Foundation's Board of Directors has two grantmaking meetings per year, in May and in December. Letters of inquiry are welcome throughout the year. Grants are awarded only to nonprofit public charitable organizations which are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The Foundation receives many more proposals than it is possible to fund. Preference is given to those proposals where a grant from the Foundation promises to make a difference, those that seem likely to attract the support of other funders in subsequent years, and those with the greatest promise of success in achieving their goals.