How to Apply

If your organization has received funding from the Schrafft Charitable Trust within the last three years, you may apply directly with a full proposal.

Before applying, look at the new 2027 application schedule to decide what focus area and deadline aligns best with your organization’s work.

What To Do

  • Log in to the grant portal with your existing account.

  • If needed, reset your password using the “Forgot Password” option.

  • Navigate to the “Find Opportunities” button and enter the access code assigned to the focus area you are applying under:

    • Education (Jan. 15)- SchrafftED

  • New Bedford (Apr. 15)- SchrafftNB

  • Arts & Culture (Aug. 15)- SchrafftAC

    Youth Development (Oct. 15)- SchrafftYD

  • Click the “Apply” button in the box that appears.

  • Save your work and return at any time before submitting.

For New Grantees

If your organization has not received funding from the Schrafft Charitable Trust in the last three years, please begin with a two-page Letter of Intent (LOI) to introduce your organization and request funding.

Your LOI should include:

  • A brief overview of your organization’s mission, history, and primary programs

  • A description of the funding request, including the amount and intended use.

  • Information about the community you serve and the outcomes you seek to achieve.

 

What To Do

  • Create a new user account in the grant portal.

  • Navigate to the “Find Opportunities” button and enter the access code assigned to the focus area you are applying under:

    • Education and New Bedford (Nov. 15)- sctloiED/NB

    • Arts & Culture and Youth Development (Jun. 15)- sctloiAC/YD

  • Save your draft and return at any time before submitting.

  • If your LOI is approved, your organization will be invited to complete a full proposal. Interviews or site visits may also be scheduled at the discretion of the Trustees.

Questions and Assistance

In alignment with the 2026 changes, the Trust will continue to use a two-step process for new applicants and for organizations that have not received a grant in the past three years. This approach streamlines review and reduces effort for applicants whose work may not align with current priorities. If your LOI is approved, you will then be asked to submit a full proposal through our grant portal. At the Trustees’ discretion, interviews or site visits may also be scheduled as part of the review.

All LOIs and applications are submitted through our grant portal, which uses the Philanthropy Massachusetts Common Proposal Form. We have adopted this format because it is widely used across the sector and helps make applying easier for grantee partners.

Choose the instructions that fit your organization:

  • Returning Grantees (funded within the last three years) may apply directly through the grant portal.

  • New grantees (not funded in the last three years or have never been funded by Schrafft) must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) through the grant portal.

Starting in 2027, the Schrafft Charitable Trust will use a new application process, designed by focus area. The Trust gives within four specific focus areas: Education, New Bedford, Arts & Culture, and Youth Development. Each focus area has a specific application deadline. As an organization, you must decide what focus area to apply for. Please find the application schedule below:

Returning Grantees:

Education- January 15

New Bedford- April 15

Arts & Culture- August 15

Youth Development- October 15

New Grantees (LOI applicants):

Education and New Bedford- November 15

Arts & Culture and Youth Development- June 15

Note-

·       If a date falls on a weekend or holiday, proposals are due the next business day.

·       You can typically expect a response within 4-6 weeks of submitting a Letter of Intent, and within

6-8 weeks of submitting a full application. Timing can vary slightly depending on review volume.

For Returning Grantees