Apply for a Grant

Below is all of the information anyone would need to understand how to apply for a grant from Thunderbirds Charities. Please make sure you read all of the grant guidelines as well as explore the frequently asked questions before you start your grant application process to make sure your application meets all of the requirements for consideration. Your time and resources are valuable and we want to make sure your application is eligible for funding.
Apply for a Grant

Thunderbirds Charities 2025 Spring Funding Cycle is now Closed. Please check back late July 2025 for updates. Thank you!

Before you get started, please review Grant Requirements below and Frequently Asked Questions. Thunderbirds Charities only accepts grant proposals submitted through its website. To submit a proposal, you will need an email address and your organization’s IRS Tax ID number. You also must be able to attach all required materials. This means that you must have the documents stored electronically and accessible to upload. If you are new to our application process, we strongly encourage you to read the entire page of requirements before opening your initial online grant application form.

GRANT REQUIREMENTS: The items below are required for all requests.

Narratives required in the proposal include (but not limited to):

Please include:

  • Brief description of current projects/programs and your contributions to our community.
  • The demographic of target population, the number of individuals served, and geographic area served

Maximum Word Count: 225

Please provide three sentences or less that are a summary of the specific request.

Maximum Word Count: 150

Please provide in a narrative format the description of the project/program for which you are seeking funding:

  • What problem or need will your project/program address in our community?
  • What is your proposed solution to this problem or need, and how do you plan to implement it?
  • Why is this work important?
  • The population and geographic area you plan to serve, and how they will benefit from the project/program, including the number of individuals that will be served.
  • The program/project’s timetable, how success or failure will be measured, and how the project/program will be sustained going forward.

Maximum Word Count: 500

This tutorial video may help further explain Thunderbirds Charities grant requirements.

Supplemental Materials required in the proposal include (but not limited to):

The organization’s IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt determination letter.

NOTE: Using a “second party” 501(c)(3) status is not permitted.

The organization’s IRS Form 990/990-EZ for the most recently completed fiscal year*.

Note: IRS Form 990/990-EZ returns older than 15 months from the date of application will be rejected.

See the charts below regarding dates of 990/990-EZ submission, as it relates to 15 months:

2025 Fall Funding Grant Cycle
Based on application due date of September 1, 2025

CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION’S
FISCAL YEAR END		MOST RECENTLY COMPLETED
FISCAL YEAR
March 31stMarch 2025
June 30thJune 2024
September 30thSeptember 2024
December 31stDecember 2024

2026 Spring Funding Grant Cycle
Based on application due date of March 1, 2026

CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION’S
FISCAL YEAR END		MOST RECENTLY COMPLETED
FISCAL YEAR
March 31stMarch 2025
June 30thJune 2025
September 30thSeptember 2025
December 31stDecember 2024

*A fiscal year covers a 12-month period over which a business does its accounting, for tax filing, and for other accounting purposes.

Financial Statements for the TWO most recently completed fiscal years.

The financials may be audited, reviewed, compiled, or internally generated financial statements for the most recently completed fiscal year and the fiscal year immediately prior.

Note: Financial statements covering periods older than 15 months and 27 months, respectively, from the application date will be rejected.

Each financial statement must include:

  • statement of financial position (or equivalent),
  • statement of activities (or equivalent),
  • cash flow statement,
  • appropriate footnotes, and
  • accountant’s reports, if applicable.

2025 Fall Funding Grant Cycle
Based on application due date of September 1, 2025

CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION’S
FISCAL YEAR END		MOST RECENTLY COMPLETED
FISCAL YEAR		FISCAL YEAR IMMEDIATELY PRIOR
March 31stMarch 31, 2025March 31, 2024
June 30thJune 30, 2024June 30, 2023
September 30thSeptember 30, 2024September 30, 2023
December 31stDecember 31, 2024December 31, 2023

2026 Spring Funding Grant Cycle
Based on application due date of March 1, 2026

CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION’S
FISCAL YEAR END		MOST RECENTLY COMPLETED
FISCAL YEAR		FISCAL YEAR IMMEDIATELY PRIOR
March 31stMarch 31, 2025March 31, 2025
June 30thJune 30, 2025June 30, 2024
September 30thSeptember 30, 2025September 30, 2024
December 31stDecember 31, 2024December 31, 2023

Annual operating budget for the current or projected fiscal year with comparable columns for the most recent completed previous year’s budget versus the actual.

For an example organizational budget format, please CLICK HERE.

Projected budget for the specific project/program for which you are requesting funding for, with a column designating where requested funding would be applied, as well as the organization’s corresponding fiscal year budget.

For an example project budget format, please CLICK HERE.

A list of any funds raised to date and from whom, for the program/project for which you are requesting funding ($5,000 and above). Please be sure to include the dollar amount per donor. 

Please try to keep to one page.

A complete list of corporations and foundations that have given to the organization in the previous fiscal year and how much each has given ($5,000 and above). Please be sure to include the dollar amount per donor. 

Please try to keep to one page.

A list of the Board of Directors of the organization.

Please include the primary business or professional affiliation of each.

Please try to keep to one page.

THUNDERBIRDS CHARITIES FUNDING CYCLE DATES

Thunderbirds Charities accepts proposals on or before the due date,
and appreciates those organizations that submit prior to the deadline.

SPRING FUNDING CYCLE

APPLICATION PROCESS OPENS:
February 1

APPLICATION SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
March 1

APPLICANT NOTIFIED OF FUNDING DECISIONS:
Early June

FALL FUNDING CYCLE

APPLICATION PROCESS OPENS:
August 1

APPLICATION SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
September 1

APPLICANT NOTIFIED OF FUNDING DECISIONS:
Early December

All materials must be received via the Thunderbirds Charities online portal no later than 5:00 p.m. MST on the day of the deadline.


Please note, Thunderbirds Charities fiscal year is June 1 thru May 31 and a charity may apply once within our fiscal year.

Thunderbirds Charities 2025 Spring Funding Cycle is now Closed. Please check back late July 2025 for updates. Thank you!