PRINCE Charitable Trusts

Prince Charitable Trusts' COVID-19 Statement

As the COVID-19 Pandemic continues to unfold, we are learning about heroic efforts underway to respond to the growing crisis in all three of the communities in which we work. We are heartened by the visionary leadership and coordination among government officials, health care providers and community leaders in their resolve to support our friends and families.

As we all know, extraordinary challenges call for extraordinary measures. We anticipate that our 2020 grant cycles will proceed as scheduled with an accelerated review and payout process and we remain steadfast in our commitment to provide level support to our grantee partners. We trust their leadership, creativity and deep knowledge of the communities they serve and want them to have maximum flexibility to determine the highest and best use of the resources.

Prince Charitable Trusts also will increase its grantmaking budget this year beyond the IRS mandated 5% payout, despite the dramatic economic downturn. We are hopeful that these steps will increase our ability to be responsive to the most urgent needs while helping “keep the lights on” for our longtime partners.

We are in conversation with community and foundation leaders about how to best support the organizations that are on the front lines of addressing the impact of this pandemic. We expect that our work will evolve as the situation changes from a crisis to the need to mobilize assistance for the long-term recovery of our most vulnerable neighbors.

Following the guidance issued by local officials, staff will be working from home. All staff are reachable via email and phone using the same contact information. Please feel free to reach out to us. We welcome your thoughts and suggestions on how we can best support our collective resilience.

Thank you for your dedication and spirit of partnership. Our strength is demonstrated by our ability to come together in challenging times.

PCT Trustees and Team

Three generations ago, Frederick H. Prince and his wife Abbie Norman Prince established a philanthropic legacy by creating the Prince Charitable Trusts. Over time, their heirs have created giving programs in cities where the Prince family has deep and long-standing ties: Chicago, Illinois; Washington, DC; and, Newport, Rhode Island.

Today, our giving remains concentrated in these geographic areas, while also reflecting a widening circle of compassion, demonstrated by our support of the arts, environment, youth, health and other areas of giving.

We are a family foundation that believes in the capacity of non-profit organizations to change lives, to improve communities and to advance ideas. In standing with the organizations we fund, we strive to add muscle to their might with operating, project, and capacity-building grants and special awards for their often unique and unheralded work.

We are the Prince Charitable Trusts. We were established in 1947, and what matters most to us has always mattered to us: compassionate, committed and responsive philanthropy. We invite you to get to know us and the organizations we support.

Photo Credit: Dave McLaughlin, Clean Ocean Access

2019 Giving

Total $5,315,825

Does not include the MacArthur Fund for the Arts at Prince which totaled $1,900,000 in 2018 or Prince-MARPAT which totaled $185,000

Places
Area of interest

Places

Area of interest

Arts and Culture, Cultural Heritage $1,028,500

Capital (Chicago) $250,000

Environment $1,942,000

Health $707,500

Other $383,825

Supporting Vulnerable Residents (Newport) $519,000

Youth (Chicago) $485,000

Photo Credit: Courtesy of After School Matters

Photo Credit: Hilary Salmon, Capital Area Food Bank

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Rhode Island Natural History Survey

What to know now

Information about our upcoming funding opportunities, deadlines and partner programming

Chicago:

An Open Letter to the Chicago Region’s Nonprofit Community | COVID-19 Read here

Environmental Program Proposal Process Changes

Important Application Information for 2020: Proposals for the 2020 Environmental grants program will only be accepted from organizations that received funding in 2019.

Current grantees: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have abbreviated our 2020 grants process. This replaces our usual proposal requirements. Please submit the following through our e-Grant online application system (accessible here):

The Prince Grant Application Sheet
The proposal narrative to consist of:
- Your original program plan – what you expected to accomplish before the COVID-19 crisis.
- A snapshot of your organization today. What parts of your work continue? How has it been adapted? How much has been cancelled or postponed? What is your financial situation? How long can you continue to pay essential staff? What are your successes? Feel free to use an existing document you have created for your board, newsletter or other funder
Your most recent audited financial statement
Your original 2020 budget (pre-COVID-19) and any updated financials

PLEASE NOTE: eGrant.net will not allow proposal submissions without completing all attachments requested on the application. To get around this, please attach a separate .pdf document with the phrase, “This attachment not required” in the appropriate boxes.

Please submit your proposal to us by 5:00pm on Monday June 1. We will reach out to schedule check-in calls in June. Please contact us with any questions.

Washington, DC:

Here are the topics under consideration for funding in the Washington, DC, program in spring of 2020.

- Arts & Culture
- Environment: Land Protection, Clean Water, Livable Communities
- Promoting Health: Parkinson’s Research and Services

The Washington DC office does not accept unsolicited proposals

Invitations
January/February – Invitations to submit proposals sent to invited organizations. If your organization is not contacted, it means that staff has determined we will be unable to fund your organization at this time.

Application Submission Period
February 14-28, 2020

Newport, RI:

Important Application Information for 2020: Proposals for the 2020 Rhode Island grants program will only be accepted from organizations that received funding in 2019.

The Prince Cover Sheet
The proposal narrative to consist of:
- Your original program plan – what you expected to accomplish before the COVID-19 crisis.
- A snapshot of your organization today. What parts of your work continue? How has it been adapted? How much has been cancelled or postponed? What is your financial situation? How long can you continue to pay essential staff? What are your successes? Feel free to use an existing document you have created for your board, newsletter or other funder
Your most recent audited financial statement
Your original 2020 budget (pre-COVID-19) and any updated financials

Please submit your proposal to us by 5:00pm on Friday May 1. We will reach out to schedule brief check-in calls in early May. Please contact us with any questions.

Key dates

No Events on The List at This Time

Meet a grantee

Chicago Youth Storage Initiative: Safe Spaces for Youth Experiencing Homelessness

After the 2014 Chicago Summit on LGBT Homelessness, where barriers to safe and secure storage was a recurring theme in discussions with young people, a group of advocates, funders, and service providers joined together to create the Chicago Youth Storage Initiative.