Our Process is Different From Most Grantmakers
Here Is What You Need To Know:
1) Collins uses a five-step Partnership Alignment Process to determine whether the foundation is the right grantmaking partner for your organization.
2) The first three steps help us identify which organizations are most aligned with our values, meet the eligibility requirements, and compliance criteria BEFORE asking for detailed information from a potential grantee.
3) Because we are not relying on an application portal, our process is reliant on EMAIL, so the first decision you’ll want to make is: WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMUNICATING WITH THE COLLINS FOUNDATION?
4) After completing each process step, you will receive an email from Collins. This email will either provide instructions for moving to the next step or inform you that your organization is not continueing in the process. If you have not heard from us within the time frames outlined below, reach out to grants@collinsfoundation.org.
Before you start, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with our values.
Here is what you can expect at each step
of the Partnership Alignment Process.
Step One: Take our Partnership Alignment Screener
This brief screening tool asks you to rate your organization on various topics related to culture, leadership, and policies. The screener consists of six statement questions with multiple-choice answers.
Respond to the questions using the organization’s current state, not where you hope to be in the future.
If your organization meets our threshold, you will be invited to complete step two: the Eligibility Questionnaire.
If the threshold is not met, your organization will not be invited to proceed. Organizations are encouraged to review The Collins Foundation's Resources webpage (Add Link).
Organizations not moving forward are welcome to complete the Partnership Alignment Screener the next time it's open.
Please expect a one-week turnaround for a response.
Step Two: Eligibility Questionnaire
The second step involves completing another form that assesses your eligibility against the foundation’s criteria.
This step requires you to follow the instructions from your follow-up email carefully. Entering the incorrect account holder email, organization name, or Grant ID will result in your form being submitted incorrectly and failing to link to your organization’s record.
Answer 8 Yes or No questions.
If your organization meets the eligibility requirements, you will be invited to proceed to step three, which involves completing your organization's legal information.
If your organization does not meet the eligibility requirements, it is not invited to proceed with the process.
Please expect a one-week turnaround for a response.
Step Three: Provide Legal Information
The next step is to provide your legal information. We'll use this information to do our own homework and learn more about you.
Provide the following information. Again this step requires you to carefully follow instructions to ensure that your form is submitted correctly.
Legal name of organization.
EIN.
CEO name and contact information.
Physical address of organization.
Please expect about a one-month turnaround time to hear back.
Step Four: Organization Exploration with a Community Resource Strategist
This step is a collaborative, relationship-driven, and values-aligned approach to grantmaking that includes these activities:
Informal conversations to understand your mission, community impact, and challenges.
Site visits or attending community events (if applicable) to observe the work firsthand.
Open dialogue about shared values, goals, and how Collins can support your organization beyond dollars.
You’ll work with your CRS to identify the trustee meeting date where your grant will be reviewed.
Note: Collins will not ask organizations to prepare any written materials as part of the organizational exploration, but will ask organizations to provide most recent year-end financial statements and an annual budget.
Trustees Review
Trustees review funding recommendations submitted by the Community Resource Strategist.
Trustees approve or decline a funding recommendation.
The trustees meet five times a year to make grant decisions in February, April, June, August, and October.
Step Five: Funding Decision
Once the trustees have made a funding decision, an organization will receive an approval or decline email.
For an approved grant, an organization will be asked to complete a Payment Record Grantee Form.
After the Payment Record Grantee Form is processed, the organization will be asked to sign and return The Collins Foundation Terms and Conditions (T&C) document.
When the Terms and Conditions (T&C) are signed and returned, the Collins Finance Team will contact the organization to provide banking information for receiving payment.
An organization that is not approved for a grant will receive an email stating that its application has been declined.
The Collins Foundation Partnership Alignment Screener
The Partnership Alignment Screener for our GO Grants will open on November 20, 2025, and close on December 11, 2025
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