FAQs

Does an organization need its own 501(c)(3)?

Yes. An organization must have its own 501(c)(3) letter from the IRS.

Will Thunderbirds Charities fund recently formed 501(c)(3) new organizations?

A nonprofit organization’s 501(c)(3) status must have been in operation for a minimum of three years.

Will Thunderbirds Charities accept proposals from local chapters of national organizations?

Yes, if the funds requested are used within Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area and the entity has an independent governing body that is responsible for funding and governance in Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area and has provided programming in Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area for a minimum of two years.

Does Thunderbirds fund medical research?

No.

Will Thunderbirds Charities accept proposals from religious organizations?

Thunderbirds Charities does not support sectarian religious activities or sectarian religious facilities. However, churches and other religious organizations may submit proposals if their activities benefit the larger community and decisions to accept clients are not made on the basis of religious belief and/or affiliation.

Does Thunderbirds Charities fund foundations or organizations, which are themselves, grant-making entities distributing funds to another non-profit agency?

No.

Does Thunderbirds Charities fund endowments, fellowships or scholarships (for college purposes)?

No.

Does Thunderbirds Charities accept proposals from colleges and universities?

No.

Will Thunderbirds Charities accept proposals from individual schools or their support organizations?

No.

Does Thunderbirds Charities make multi-year grants?

No.

What geographic area does Thunderbirds Charities provide funding for?

Thunderbirds Charities only accepts requests from organizations serving Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area, unless the project/program serves primarily Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area residents. Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area is defined as Maricopa and Pinal Counties.

If two organizations are collaborating on a project, should each organization submit a separate proposal?

No. Only one organization should submit the proposal, but a letter of collaboration from the other organization should be included.

Will Thunderbirds Charities accept proposals from individual branches or clubs of larger entities, such as Boy Scouts of America, YMCA, or Boys & Girls Club?

No. Thunderbirds Charities will accept only one proposal per year from the parent organization. For these purposes, the “parent organization” generally refers to that entity to which the IRS has issued a Section 501(c)(3) determination letter.

Will Thunderbirds Charities accept capital support requests from eligible organizations?

Yes, Thunderbirds Charities will consider requests for capital support.

Will Thunderbirds Charities accept programming requests for eligible organizations?

Yes, Thunderbirds Charities will consider requests for programming.

What is the grant size range?

There is no “set” range, our grant amounts vary, depending on revenues from the WM Phoenix Open.

Will Thunderbirds Charities fund partial amounts of the full amount requested?

Yes. Because of limited funds, Thunderbirds Charities will consider offering a grant in an amount less than requested.

With only two cycles per year, how often can an organization submit a proposal?

Organizations may submit a proposal only once per Thunderbirds Charities fiscal year. Thunderbirds Charities fiscal year is June 1 through May 31.

What is Thunderbirds Charities’ fiscal year?

Thunderbirds Charities’ fiscal year is June 1 through May 31.

Our organization received a grant last year; may we apply for another one this year?

You may apply again to Thunderbirds Charities in the next fiscal year.

May I submit a hard copy proposal to Thunderbirds Charities?

No. Thunderbirds Charities only accepts proposals submitted electronically through its website.

Once an organization has submitted an application, when will they be notified as to the outcome?

Once the funding deadline has occurred, it takes approximately 4 months for notification to occur. Fall Funding Cycle deadline is September 1st with notification to occur approximately mid-December. Spring Funding Cycle deadline is March 1st with notification to occur approximately mid-June.

Click here for more details about Funding Cycle dates.

What would cause my organization to be ineligible during the grant process?

The most common factors that might cause ineligibility during grant review process are:

Organization’s IRS Form 990/ 990-EZ is older than 15 months from the date of application. (See Form 990 dates here.)
Financial statements requested are older than 15 months and 27 months, respectively. (See Financials dates here.)
Organization budget spreadsheet not submitted in comparable columns as requested. (See example of organizational budget here.)
Project/Program budget spreadsheet not submitted in comparable columns as requested. (See example of program budget here.)

Who makes the final decisions on grant requests?

Thunderbirds Charities Board of Directors. The Board is made up of 15 members: 10 are Thunderbirds, the remaining 5 are community-at-large members.

What if I have a question while developing the grant application?

Please feel free to email grantsinfo@thunderbirdscharities.org your question or phone 602-870-0163 and ask for the charity department during any stage of the grant application process for questions or clarification of the grant request guidelines.

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