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Longwood Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$40.0M
Grant Range
$20K - $2.0M
Decision Time
3mo
Success Rate
40%

Longwood Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $39-40 million
  • Success Rate: ~40% (funds approximately $1 for every $2.50 requested)
  • Decision Time: Approximately 3 months (12 weeks)
  • Grant Range: $20,000 - $2,000,000 (recent averages $200,000-$400,000)
  • Geographic Focus: Delaware and Kennett Square, PA (within 4-mile radius of Longwood Gardens)
  • Total Grants Since 1937: Over $2 billion

Contact Details

Overview

The Longwood Foundation was established in 1937 by Pierre S. du Pont, former president and board chairman of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, initially to support the operations of Longwood Gardens—one thousand acres of formal gardens, greenhouses, and fountains in Pennsylvania. Over the decades, the foundation has broadened significantly to support various community projects across Delaware and the Kennett Square area.

The foundation's mission is "to be thoughtful stewards of Pierre S. Du Pont's legacy by being creative philanthropic leaders and providing support for Longwood Gardens." They aim to be "a catalyst to strengthen nonprofits in our region to better serve their communities." Since 1937, Longwood Foundation has invested over $2 billion in the region, with current annual grantmaking of approximately $39-40 million. In 2024, they made 81 grant awards totaling over $40 million. The foundation practices "responsive" philanthropy, meaning they welcome nonprofits to submit requests most important to them rather than imposing predetermined focus areas.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Standard Grantmaking Program

  • Grant Range: $20,000 - $2,000,000
  • Recent Averages: $200,000 - $400,000
  • Median Grant (2024): $250,000
  • Funding Cap: Up to half of the funding for your project
  • Grant Duration: Typically two years
  • Application: Online through grants management system
  • Deadlines: March 1 (Spring) and September 1 (Fall)

Catalysts Together Leadership Program

  • Leadership development initiative for nonprofit executive directors
  • Investment value: ~$40,000 per person (foundation subsidized)
  • Participant fee: $5,000 for initial 12 months
  • Limited scholarships available for organizations with budgets under $1 million
  • Eligibility: Executive directors with 1+ year experience, managing at least one full-time staff, from organizations with budgets ideally between $500,000 - $5,000,000

Priority Areas

The foundation is open to proposals in nearly all sectors and does not have predetermined funding priorities. They fund:

  • Education (historically most often funded)
  • Social Services (second most funded)
  • Arts (third most funded)
  • Healthcare
  • Environment
  • Housing
  • Civic causes

Types of support include:

  • Operating support
  • Program funding
  • Capital projects

What They Don't Fund

  • Religious purposes
  • Events/galas
  • Endowments
  • Individual scholarships
  • Organizations outside Delaware or the 4-mile radius of Longwood Gardens

Governance and Leadership

President

Thère du Pont - President

  • Former President and CFO at Wawa
  • Previous CFO at drugstore.com
  • Serves on boards of DuPont, WSFS, and Burris Logistics
  • Chair of Community Education Building Board
  • Member of four additional local nonprofit boards
  • Actively handles a substantial portion of grant requests personally
  • Son of former Delaware Governor Pete du Pont (R), grandnephew of founder Pierre S. du Pont

Staff Team

  • Gail Ashe - Operations Manager
  • Liz Harris - Controller
  • Tamara Brown - Senior Program Officer, Capacity Building
  • Maria Stecker - Senior Program Officer, Grantmaking
  • Wes Davis - Program Officer, Grantmaking
  • Sierra Harris - Program Officer, Grantmaking
  • Adara Scholl - Program Officer, Grantmaking
  • Mary Lowe - Grants Manager
  • Kristen English - Grants Associate

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Create/Update Candid Profile: Before submitting, review and update your Candid (formerly GuideStar) profile
  2. Attend Information Session (Recommended): Many past applicants find this helps them understand the foundation and create stronger proposals. Required for requests of $500,000+
  3. Request Pre-Meeting (Required for $500,000+): Organizations requesting $500,000 or above must have a pre-meeting prior to submitting an application
  4. Submit Online: Applications submitted through the grants management system at www.grantinterface.com
  5. Deadlines:
    • Spring Cycle: March 1
    • Fall Cycle: September 1
  6. Late applications are not accepted

Decision Timeline

  • Decision Period: Approximately 3 months from deadline
  • Process: Following proposal submission, organizations will have a meeting scheduled with Longwood Foundation staff to discuss their proposal
  • Notification: Decisions communicated after board review
  • Reporting Requirements: Minimal—a single progress report and end-of-grant meeting

Success Rates

The foundation receives approximately 70 requests per grant cycle. They can typically only fund "about $1 for every $2.50 of requests received," indicating an approximate success rate of 40%.

Statistics:

  • 2024: 81 awards, $40.5 million distributed
  • 2023: 87 awards
  • 2022: 67 awards

Reapplication Policy

Critical: Organizations that have previously applied (whether approved or declined) must wait two years before submitting another funding request. This applies regardless of the outcome of the previous application.

Application Success Factors

The foundation evaluates proposals based on three core questions they want answered:

  1. What are you looking to grow, strengthen, or improve through a Longwood grant?
  2. What will the impact be and how will you know whether you've achieved it? (i.e., what are your measures of success)
  3. How will you sustain the growth in impact and operations after the grant?

Five Key Evaluation Areas

  1. Leadership Quality - Strength and capability of organizational leadership
  2. Financial Health and Sustainability - Sound financial management and long-term viability
  3. Impact, Outcomes, and Measuring Success - Clear 2-4 measurable success metrics required
  4. Planning Quality - Strong implementation plan
  5. Sector Expertise and Community Knowledge - Deep understanding of the communities served

What They Look For

The foundation seeks "catalytic proposals—those that help a nonprofit grow, strengthen, or improve their efforts and impact." They evaluate:

  • Organization's niche
  • Measures of success
  • Implementation plan
  • Implementation capacity
  • Capacity to execute, deliver, and grow as proposed
  • Impact for the region
  • Likelihood of sustaining impact after grant funds end

Application Requirements

  • Cash Flow Projections: Monthly or quarterly forecasts for the two-year grant period
  • Outcomes: 2-4 measurable success metrics
  • Matching Funds: Organizations must secure the remaining funding needed (foundation funds up to half of project costs)
  • Executive Summary: Clear overview of request
  • Current Request with Proposed Outcomes/Impact: Detailed explanation of how funds will be used
  • Organization Information: Background and capabilities
  • Financial Information: Demonstrating fiscal health

Recent Grant Examples

Large Grants (2023-2024):

  • Longwood Gardens Inc - $8.0 million (Operating Support)
  • Exceptional Care for Children - $2.0 million (The Bridge Unit campus transformation)
  • Blindsight Delaware Enterprises Inc - $1.5 million (Expanding Employment in Delaware)
  • Food Bank of Delaware Inc - $1.5 million (Building Hope in Milford)
  • Wilmington University - $1.0 million
  • Delaware Shakespeare Festival, First State Ballet Theatre, Joshua M. Freeman Foundation - $87,500 to $1.75 million range
  • Technical.ly - $250,000

Historically Funded Organizations Include:

  • Hagley Museum and Library
  • Delaware College Scholars
  • Delaware Senior Olympics
  • AIDS Delaware
  • Delaware Art Museum
  • Metro Wilmington Urban League

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Two-Year Rule is Critical: Whether approved or declined, you cannot reapply for two years—be strategic about timing your request for maximum impact

  2. Attend Information Sessions: The foundation explicitly states these help applicants understand their approach and create stronger proposals; mandatory for requests of $500,000+

  3. Focus on Sustainability: They explicitly ask how you will sustain impact after their funding ends—build this into your proposal from the start

  4. Be Catalytic, Not Incremental: They're looking for proposals that "grow, strengthen, or improve" your organization—not maintenance funding

  5. Demonstrate Implementation Capacity: They assess your ability to execute, deliver, and grow as proposed; show concrete evidence of past success

  6. Expect Competition: With only $1 funded for every $2.50 requested (~40% success rate), ensure your proposal represents the "highest and best use" of a Longwood grant

  7. Prepare for a Meeting: Staff will schedule a meeting to discuss your proposal—be prepared to articulate your vision, capacity, and impact clearly

  8. Match Funding Required: They fund up to half of project costs, so have a plan for securing the remainder

References

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