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Grantmaking Guidelines
(revised 03/12/10)

Incorporated in 1914, the Avery-Fuller-Welch Children’s Foundation provides grants that allow low-income families with children in need of educational, psychological, and/or physical therapy to have access to those professional services. Grants are limited to services provided to residents of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties. All applications are submitted by the service provider and all grants are paid directly to said provider. Applications submitted directly by a child's parent or caregiver are not accepted.

Grants are made for:

  • Remedial education;
  • Special schooling;
  • Psychotherapy; and,
  • Physical and occupational therapy and appliances.

Priorities and Eligibility

Low-income families with children 18 years or younger with a remediable disability are eligible. The selection is based upon:

  1. Evidence of a strong motivation in the child, the therapist, and the family.
  2. Favorable prognosis for achieving independent functioning or progress toward that goal.
  3. Inability to pay or obtain full support elsewhere.

General Guidelines

  1. Applications must be submitted by the professional who has primary case responsibility for the child (social worker, teacher, physician, or therapist).
  2. Applications must be submitted within the deadlines listed below; receipt of applications will be acknowledged.
  3. The foundation may request to speak with the professionals involved with the child's treatment.
  4. Awards are made for six months to one year. (Renewals may be considered under special circumstances for one additional year; re-application must provide justification and updated information. No more than two grants are given to the same individual.)
  5. Extended treatment projects are not supported.
  6. Grants are not made for groups of children, preliminary evaluations, orthodontia, eye glasses, or routine eye care.
  7. Grants are not made for annual appeals, capital requests, sectarian religious purposes, for conferences and events, or to cover deficits.
  8. Although the foundation appreciates the time and effort spent in applying, not all requests can be funded, and all decisions are made at the discretion of the foundation.
  9. A written decision will be mailed to the professional who submitted the application within four weeks after the deadline. Information on application status cannot be obtained by phone.
  10. A Grant Progress Report must be submitted at the end of the grant period.
  11. Applications and all attachments become the property of the Avery-Fuller-Welch Children’s Foundation.

Application Procedure

Submit the following documents by email or U.S. mail:

  1. Application Form;
  2. Family Income Information Form (please have parent/guardian fill out the form);
  3. Release of Information Form (please have parent/guardian fill out the form);
  4. Relevant test scores, when appropriate; and
  5. At least one letter of support from another professional (i.e., doctor, teacher, social worker, etc.) involved in the case.

Please do not include photos or video with the application.

Resubmissions for denied applications will not be accepted unless specifically invited by the foundation.

Renewal Information

On special circumstances, the foundation will consider funding renewal requests. Due to the nature of services funded and to ensure continuity, the foundation requires renewal submissions be received prior to the completion of the initial grant period. Please refer to submission deadlines and application review dates to determine the appropriate submission window. A renewal request can only be submitted once.

If applying for a grant renewal, please submit a Renewal Application Form and documents requested above numbered 2, 3, and 4 under Application Procedure.

Submission Deadlines and Application Review Dates
(updated 07/15/09)

Applications must be received in the foundation’s office by 3:00 pm on the last date of the submission period. Grant decisions are made no later than the application review dates.

Submission Dates Application Review Dates  
August 1 - 17, 2009 mid-September  
November 1 - 16, 2009 mid-December  
February 1 - 15, 2010 mid-March  
May 1 - 13, 2010 mid-June  

Applications should be sent to Hector Melendez at the Foundation’s office listed below.

Board of Directors

Ruth Wisnom, President Alice Jackson  
Nicholas Raggio, Vice-President/Treasurer Sherry Madding  
David B. Flinn, Secretary Richard L. Oken, M.D.  
J.R. Aboud, D.D.S. Benson Roe, M.D.  
Arlene Auerbach    
     

Contact Information

Hector Melendez, Executive Director, (415) 561-6540 ext. 206, hmelendez@pfs-llc.net
Jessi Misslin, Program Coordinator, (415) 561-6540 ext. 215, jmisslin@pfs-llc.net

AVERY-FULLER-WELCH CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION
1660 Bush Street, Suite 300
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 561-6540
(415) 561-6477 (FAX)
www.afwchildrensfoundation.org