Application Eligibility
The majority of grants awarded by Pew are to public charities classified as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Except upon invitation, Pew does not make grants to individuals or to for-profit organizations. Our work outside the United States is limited to a few projects and Pew does not accept applications for these projects.
Submitting Your Letter of Inquiry to Pew
If you feel your organization is a match for funding, you should submit a brief letter of inquiry, preferably less than three pages long. Pew will respond to all specific letters of inquiry but not to general solicitations for funds.
Please Note: Examples of past work, articles, reports, videos or other material should not be submitted with a letter of inquiry. Because of the large number of requests Pew receives and the time entailed to develop a proposal, applicants should not send in full proposals unless requested to do so by a representative of Pew.
The letter of inquiry should include the following information:
Who:
A description of your organization and the nature of its work, as well as a brief summary of your organization's achievements, particularly as they relate to the problem or issue to be addressed.
What and How:
A statement of the problem or need you plan to address and an explanation of how it will be addressed. Include a brief description of anticipated achievements or outcomes.
Why:
A discussion of how your proposed project fits into our priorities.
When:
The time frame for the proposed activities.
How much:
Estimated cost for the project or activity and the amount requested from Pew.
Where:
The letter of inquiry should be mailed to:
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Attention: Letter of Inquiry Processing
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, Suite 2800
Philadelphia, PA 19103-7077
When your letter of inquiry arrives at Pew, it will be reviewed by the appropriate staff. You will be notified, usually within four to six weeks, whether or not your request meets the funding criteria of the program.
Questions:
If you have additional questions about submitting a letter of inquiry, please call 215-575-4717.