Guidelines

Guidelines

MISSION STATEMENT: It is the mission of the Dorothea Haus Ross Foundation to support organizations that serve vulnerable children.

TYPE OF ORGANIZATION: Private Foundation

PRIMARY FUNDING PRIORITIES: The Ross Foundation provides direct aid and assistance to vulnerable children, including those who are ill, orphaned, disabled, injured, disfigured, abused and malnourished or have limited access to education. We are looking for small grassroots projects that we can fully fund or nearly fully fund with the small grants that we make. The Ross Foundation is less interested in larger projects or capital campaigns that are better left to larger foundations and organizations.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF GRANTS: United States and International

ELIGIBILITY: The Ross Foundation provides financial assistance to organizations that are qualified under the laws of the United States as a charitable organization for projects that directly benefit vulnerable children. We typically do not fund day-to-day operations, individuals, conferences, day care, or public education. Water projects are limited to schools, orphanages and medical centers where children pre-dominate. We encourage organizations applying to us from foreign countries to call (585) 473-6006 or email our office at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for further instructions.

GRANTS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2012: In 2012, the Ross Foundation made 48 grants, totaling $458,420. Most grants made by the Dorothea Haus Ross Foundation are one-time awards in the range of $1,000 to $15,000. Grants that exceed this range, as well as multi-year commitments, are rare.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES:

LETTER OF INQUIRY
The Foundation encourages potential applicants to CONTACT US or submit a letter of inquiry (via mail, fax, or email) prior to submitting a complete grant proposal. Please refer to our letter of inquiry requirements found under Grant Seekers. We attempt to respond to all inquiries within three weeks of receipt.

GRANT PROPOSAL
Please use the general proposal outline found on the website. One copy should be postal mailed or emailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Email is preferred. The narrative of your proposal should not exceed 5 pages. In addition to the narrative, please include:

1. The complete past year and current year organization budget (please refer to the last page on the general proposal outline).

2. Current IRS 501(c)(3) letter or a copy of the page listing your organization in the most current Catholic or other Religious Directory. Also include a copy of the Directory Cover that shows the publishing year. If applying outside the U.S., please read "Who Can Apply" for further explanation.

3. Annual Report, if available.

4. List of individuals who are Directors or Trustees, and their affiliations.

5. List of key personnel with qualifications.

6. If applying outside the U.S., you must include two letters of recommendation. Details are found under "Who Can Apply".

BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING DATES:
February, May, August, November (subject to change)

EXAMPLES OF RECENT GRANTS MADE BY THE ROSS FOUNDATION:

To purchase 50 behind-the-ear hearing aids for the students attending a deaf school in India.
To construct a two-classroom school that will provide a first-time education for handicapped children living in Haiti.
To purchase a generator for an orphanage for abandoned, disabled children living in the Dominican Republic.
To purchase pediatric clinical lab equipment for a hospital located in Vietnam.
To purchase medicines for a mobile medical clinic operating on the Island of Mindanao, Philippines.
To purchase and assemble 250 birthing kits and to pay the salaries of community health workers assisting pregnant women living in Tibet.
To provide loans to two schools in Democratic Republic of Congo that will allow each school to construct a classroom and to purchase furniture and supplies.
To purchase farming tools and to cultivate a plot of land to help feed children living at an orphanage located in Uganda.
To construct a greenhouse at an orphanage in Ukraine.
To equip two rooms at a prosthetics and physical therapy center for handicapped children living in Moscow, Russia.
To construct a playground to benefit children receiving physical therapy at a clinic in Ecuador.
To partially pay for one portable ultrasound machine to be used on children with congenital heart disease living in China.
To establish a computer lab for children attending a secondary school in India.
To construct pit latrines and hand washing stations at four schools located in rural villages of Nicaragua.
To construct a children's nutrition rehabilitation center at a hospital located in Ghana.
To purchase 14 bedroom windows for a children's orphanage located in Thailand.
An emergency grant to purchase a small supply of asthma medicine for the children being served by a neighborhood center in Rochester, New York.

OFFICERS/TRUSTEES: Kathryn C. Chamberlain, Trustee; Charles C. Chamberlain, Trustee; Edward C. Radin, Trustee;
Bank of America, Trustee

STAFF: Wayne S. Cook, Ph.D., Foundation Executive
Julie Byassee, Administrative Assistant