KDK-Harman Foundation

Q: Who is eligible to apply for a grant?

A: Qualified public entities or nonprofit organizations that are exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code and fall within the Foundation’s guidelines and areas of interest are eligible to apply for a grant.

Q: Does KDK-Harman have a specific geographic focus?

A: KDK-Harman Foundation grants funds exclusively in seven counties of Central Texas: Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, Caldwell, Burnet, and Llano counties.

Q: What organizations or programs are generally not favored by the Foundation?

A: Due to our limited funding, KDK-Harman Foundation prefers not to fund requests that possess the following characteristics:

• Organizations with a mission that is significantly different than ours.
• Organizations with less than three years in operation.
• Programs that do not have strong evidence of success in terms of measurable outcomes.
• An amount in excess of $100,000
• Character-building and life skills programs (i.e.: leadership, self-esteem, social issues such as behavior and attendance)
• Programs that focus on social supports instead of academics to help close the achievement gap (i.e.,: pregnancy prevention programs, dating violence prevention, etc.).

Q: What types of organizations or requests are ineligible to apply for funding?

A: KDK-Harman Foundation does not support:

• Organizations that exclude participants based on race or religion
• Tax-generating entities (municipalities, school districts, etc.) for services within their normal responsibilities
• Grants or loans to individuals
• Political campaigns or purposes
• Any one program more than once per calendar year
• Scholarships at any level
• Sponsorships or purchase of tickets for galas, festivals, or raffles
• School fundraisers or events (including sports and other extracurricular activities)

Q: What is the Foundation’s policy on communicating with organizations interested in submitting a request?

A: KDK-Harman Foundation is committed to providing the best customer service possible to all prospective and current grantees. We seek to demonstrate fairness, responsiveness, and approachability with all applicants. Our executive director is available to all interested organizations via phone, email, or in person to take questions or listen to feedback. All applicant/grantee questions and concerns will be addressed in a timely, efficient manner. We also seek to clearly communicate our goals and strategies so that applicants can assess how they best fit within the Foundation's priorities. Foundation staff will make every effort to provide a consistent message and clear insight into the process through which applicants are judged, both in applying for funding and, once funded, in evaluating the success of the grant. Refer to the Contact Us for contact information.

Q: How do I apply for a grant?

A: Applicants must complete and submit a Letter of Inquiry as a first step. If you have a question about whether the program you have in mind is a good fit, please feel free to contact our executive director, Jennifer Esterline. Letters of Inquiry ("LOI") are to be from the executive director of the nonprofit organization and are to be sent via email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . All LOI's and grant applications are to be submitted electronically. Once submitted, you will receive an email confirmation that your LOI has been received. If you do not receive an email confirmation or if you have problems with electronic submissions please contact us.

Upon review, the Foundation will send an email either inviting you to submit a grant application for further consideration or declining your request. If you are invited to complete an application, it is to be submitted electronically to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Q: What does the Foundation look for in its proposals?

A: Please refer to the Grant History database which provides insights into the types of projects and organizations that we typically support. The database can be searched by year, geographic region, or initiative.

The Foundation prefers proposals with the following characteristics:

• The organization’s primary mission is to break the cycle of poverty through education
• Project focueses on serving low-income students and closing acheivement gaps
• Demonstrated success and innovation with measurable outcomes
• Best-in-class programming
• Evidence of collaboration with other entities to maximize the impact of service
• Strong expression of need and support for this project/program from the professional community involved and/or the population to be served
• Proposed project is needed and supported by its surrounding community
• Evidence of potential and willingness of program to be replicated and brought to scale
• Encourages service and encourages a culture of giving back
• Financial support from other sources already exists to ensure that the project will be implemented and continue after the grant period
• Reasoned, efficient, and sound evaluation plan, which includes measurable outcomes of proposed project. Click on Evaluation to learn more.

Q: Please explain KDK-Harman's Rural Central Texas Grant Initiative.

A: KDK-Harman Foundation is committed to serving communities throughout Central Texas, specifically identified as the counties of Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, Caldwell, Burnet, and Llano, in addition to Travis County. To emphasize this commitment, we have developed a new Rural Central Texas Grant Initiative to award grants of $10,000 to organizations in the rural counties of Central Texas with a need for capacity building funds. A typical applicant for our Rural Central Texas Grant Initiative will have limited infrastructure, a smaller budget than large urban non-profits, little or no professional staff (volunteer-driven), and/or may or may not have a long operating history. Applicants who qualify for this category should follow the same grant application process that the Foundation outlines on the website; however, please acknowledge that you are applying under the Rural Central Texas Grant Initiative in your Letter of Inquiry (LOI).

Q: Should we include letters of support?

A: Generally, they are not necessary. If the staff person reviewing your proposal concludes one is required, they will ask for it during the review process.

Q: Is there a deadline for grant proposals?

A: LOI's and grant applications are accepted throughout the year. However, applicants are encouraged to submit requests as early as possible. 
Letters of Inquiry are accepted any time throughout the year, and organizations can submit more than one LOI per year. However, we do have deadlines for each board meeting.  Please visit Grant Process. 

Q: What is the grant proposal process?

A: The grant proposal process is simple and straightforward:

• All applicants must complete a Letter of Inquiry as the first step. LOI’s are accepted any time throughout the year (note deadlines by board meeting above).
• Foundation staff will review submitted Letters of Inquiry (“LOI’s”) and will send an email either declining your request or inviting you to submit a grant application for further consideration.
• If you are invited to submit a Grant Application, a telephone conference and site visit will be scheduled as part of the review process. Deadlines for the application are found in our Grant Process page.
• The grants committee meets to decide if the grant should be presented to the full board.
• At the board meetings, the board considers the grant requests that have made it through the entire process. 2009 board meetings will be held in April, August, and November.
• If the board approves the grant, KDK-Harman Foundation develops the evaluation based on the goals and outcomes provides in the grant request. A draft evaluation is submitted to the nonprofit for review and edits prior to the grant contract's execution.
• The grant contract is sent for execution, with the final evaluation as an addendum to the contract.
• Funds are disbursed typically 30-45 days after board approval, depending upon how quickly the evaluation is completed and how quickly the grant contract is executed and returned.

Q: If my Letter of Inquiry is accepted, does that mean that our organization is likely to be funded?

A: Not necessarily. If you are invited to submit a grant application on the basis of the Letter of Inquiry that does not mean the request has been approved. It means the Foundation is willing to give the proposed program further consideration.

Q: If my Letter of Inquiry or grant application is declined, will you explain why it was rejected or critique the proposal?

A: Most often, the reason for a grant denial is simply that the Foundation is only able to fund a small percentage of qualified applicants. This means that excellent projects, even ones that fall within our areas of interest and are in alignment with our mission, may not be funded. That being said, because the KDK-Harman Foundation is committed to transparency in its grantmaking process, Foundation staff will do their best to provide specific feedback as to the reasons for a grant denial at the time that an LOI or application is declined. If further explanation or clarification is needed, applicants are encouraged to contact their program officer with additional questions.

Q: If my grant application is declined, when can we reapply for funding?

A: You can reapply twelve months after your grant application is denied. The process begins again. The first step of the process is a Letter of Inquiry. If it is approved, the second step is the grant application.

Q: If my grant application is presented to the board at the board meeting, does that mean that our organization is likely to be funded?

A: Not necessarily. If you are invited to submit a grant application that does not mean the request has been approved. It means the board will consider it at the board meeting. All grants are approved by the board, not the staff.

Q: Does KDK-Harman fund newly established nonprofits?

A: The Foundation strongly prefers to fund organizations that have been established for at least three years and have demonstrated organizational strength and success. However, KDK-Harman is also interested in funding outstanding programs that have been established and proven to be successful in other parts of the country, yet new to Central Texas.

Q: Does KDK-Harman have a minimum grant size?

A: Due to our small staff and our desire to make a significant financial impact with our grants, KDK-Harman prefers to make grants of at least $25,000.

Q: Does KDK-Harman have a maximum grant size?

A: Due to our limited grants budget, KDK-Harman will not consider a request for a grant in excess of $100,000.

Q: Does KDK-Harman fund multi-year grants?

A: The Foundation prefers to make grants for the current year only.

Q: Does KDK-Harman require grant evaluations?

A: KDK-Harman Foundation considers evaluation to be an essential part of its grantmaking. The evaluation process allows us to assess the impact of our grantmaking partnerships to ensure that our grant dollars have maximum effect in helping our grantees achieve success in breaking the cycle of poverty through education. Evaluation reports are a required condition of the grant.

Q: When are grant evaluations due?

A: An evaluation report is required of each grantee every six months until the project funded by the KDK-Harman Foundation has been completed. For example, if the project lasts one year, two evaluation reports are to be submitted (i.e., an interim and final).

Q: What information will the evaluation report request?

A: Please review the Common Evaluation Report. The goals outlined in the evaluation report are specific to each grantee and will be those same goals stated in the original grant application. It is recommended that the evaluation report be reviewed in conjunction with the completion of the Grant Application. For more information regarding evaluation reporting, view Evaluation.

Q: If we become grantees of the KDK-Harman Foundation, what should we expect in the area of communication, beyond the written interim and final evaluation reports?

A: We love to meet and talk with our nonprofit partners throughout the year. Foundation staff are always eager to answer questions or receive feedback. Please e-mail us updates regarding your organization or a specific program we are funding. We also enjoy learning about the success stories of individual participants or students, so please send us a quick e-mail when you have an opportunity and tout the successes you are having changing the lives of Central Texas families. Regarding the evaluations, we typically will have a meeting over coffee to review the interim and final evaluations. In short, we want an open dialogue and relationship with our nonprofit partners.