The funding opportunity offered by this foundation requires interested applicants to begin the process by submitting a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). This initial step is crucial as it allows the foundation to understand the applicant's work and assess alignment with its mission and priorities. The LOI serves as a basis for further discussion and potential invitation to submit a full proposal. The foundation reviews LOIs twice a year, and applicants are advised to adhere strictly to the guidelines provided on the foundation’s website.

The foundation has a structured timeline for its grant application process. For the year 2025, the Summer Grants Round accepts LOIs from February 11 to March 10, with the proposal deadline set for May 1. Funding decisions for this round are communicated by July 31. The Winter Grants Round accepts LOIs from July 14 to August 8, with proposals due by October 20. Decisions for the winter round are announced by January 31, 2026. Applicants are encouraged to check the foundation’s website at the beginning of 2026 for updated deadlines.

Eligibility for funding requires that applicants first submit an LOI and receive an invitation from the foundation’s staff to proceed with a full proposal. The foundation emphasizes that it has limited staff capacity and cannot respond to inquiries outside its stated funding priorities and geographic focus. Therefore, applicants should ensure their proposals align with the foundation’s mission before submitting an LOI.

The submission process for the LOI involves logging onto the foundation’s online system. First-time visitors must create a new account to register their organization. Once registered, applicants can access the LOI form. The foundation advises applicants to prepare their narrative responses in a word processing application, such as Microsoft Word, to facilitate easy transfer into the online form. Responses should be concise, adhering to the character limits specified for each question.

For inquiries, applicants are directed to contact the foundation via email at info@nebf.org. The foundation’s trustees meet twice a year, typically in August and December, to review proposals, and applicants are informed of funding decisions shortly thereafter. If a proposal is denied, applicants must wait one year from the date of the original application before submitting a new request.