FAQ
How do I know if my organization or project is eligible to receive a grant from The Robert W. Deutsch Foundation?
The Robert W. Deutsch Foundation funds innovative people, projects, and ideas based in Baltimore. We frequently offer seed funding for emerging projects and start-ups concerned with social justice, the arts, technology, digital equity, youth development, and independent media. We rarely fund institutions or well established organizations. We do not fund projects outside of the Baltimore region.
Do you make grants to individuals?
We cannot fund individuals except for those working through a qualified fiscal sponsor. If you are an individual artist, you can apply for a Rubys Project Grant.
What is the best way to share my ideas and proposals with the Deutsch Foundation?
The best way to reach out is by filling out our interest form. If you are a good fit, our team will research your organization and your project before reaching out for additional information or setting up a meeting.
What are things you will not fund?
We do not fund the following: Endowments and Scholarships; Religious programs or purposes; Political organizations or action groups; Individual public schools, PTAs, and K-12 in-school programming; Private schools, Medical or scientific research, Nonprofit hospitals, and specific disabilities or diseases; Sports booster clubs, summer camps, or travel-related events; Membership dues, sponsorships, and fundraising events; and projects that do not benefit or not in serve of Baltimore residents.
What is your grant-making process?
To begin, submit an interest form and allow up to 6-8 weeks for a response. During this time, our grants committee will review your proposal. If needed, we may reach out for additional information. In some cases, for first-time grantees or larger requests, you might be invited to submit a full proposal, where you will provide more in-depth details about your project or organization. Once we've gathered all the necessary information, we'll finalize the review and make a decision.
Can one organization receive multiple grants?
Yes. We tend to work with our grantees in a personal and hands-on manner, frequently offering multi-stage grant funding as well as technical support, networking opportunities, and individually tailored strategies to help them grow to the next level. Our practice is to stay engaged with the people and projects we fund with the goal of helping them attract funding from other sources in the future. In general, we do not provide year-over-year funding to already established programs and organizations.
Please note that before submitting a new interest form to reapply, you must complete a final report. If the final report form is not available publicly on Submittable, please contact our Grants Administrator at cesia@rwdfoundation.org to request the link.
What are your reporting requirements?
The Foundation typically requires an informal midpoint check-in and a written final report at the end of the grant period. Grantees should consult their grant agreements for specific reporting requirements. Please reach out to your point of contact or our Grants Administrator to provide the reporting link.
Whom should I contact if I have any questions?
For questions regarding grants, please email cesia@rwdfoundation.org.