OVERVIEW: The Longwood Foundation supports education, healthcare, environment, housing, arts, social services and civic causes in Delaware and Pennsylvania.
IP TAKE: This accessible funder has broad topics of interest but a narrow geographic region of focus. For organizations operating in Delaware and the towns around Longwood Gardens, however, this is an accessible funder that runs information sessions on how to successfully apply for funding. It accepts applications for two annual grantmaking cycles each year.
PROFILE: Established in 1937, the Longwood Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Pierre S. du Pont created this foundation initially to support operations of the Longwood Gardens, but the foundation has broadened to support various community projects as well. The funder aims to “make grants that will accelerate an organization towards its own success and in the process, help solve a community challenge in our geographic boundaries.” Longwood funds local efforts for education, healthcare, environment, housing, arts, social services and civic causes.
The Longwood Foundation works to empower individuals, be responsible and accountable, act with integrity, and take a long-term view. It receives about 70 requests for funding in each grant cycle and can typically only fund about $1 for every $2.50 of requests it receives, according to its website. Longwood provides grants for programs, operating support and capital projects. The foundation staff evaluates many factors when looking at grant proposals, such as an organization’s niche, measures of success, implementation plan, and implementation capacity. Historically, the most often funded program area is education, followed by social services and then the arts.
The Longwood Foundation made about $19 million in grants to organizations in addition to its support for Longwood Gardens. Grants range between about $5,000 and $500,000. Learn more about this funder’s local giving in its recent grants page. Grantmaking focuses on the state of Delaware and the four-mile radius of Longwood Gardens located in southern Chester County of Pennsylvania. Past local grantees include Hagley Museum and Library, Delaware College Scholars, Delaware Senior Olympics, and AIDS Delaware.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits through its online application system. The funder hosts grant information sessions prior to deadlines for interested applicants. The grant application deadlines are March 1 and September 1. The foundation board typically makes funding decisions within about three months. Direct general questions to the staff at 302-683-8200 or via online form.
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