Applying for a Grant
The best way to approach The Hershey Foundation for a grant is to submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) as directed below. All forms are accepted exclusively online.
Deadlines:
The Hershey Foundation meets twice a year to approve grants:
Please note updated schedule as of March 4, 2024
The Hershey Foundation will be taking the remainder of the year off from new grant making in 2024 as all funding has been allocated. We will not be accepting LOIs for new grant funding in the second half of 2024. The LOI deadline July 15, 2024 is now closed.
| LOI Due | Notification | Full Proposal Due | Notification |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 15 | January 22 | February 15 | April |
| July 15 | July 22 | August 15 | October |
To begin:
1. Submit a Letter of Inquiry:
Create an account on the grant portal using the button at the bottom of this page.
New Applicants:
Once in the portal, please click “Create New Account” to begin the registration process.Returning Applicants:
Please enter your login credentials and click “Log On“.
Submit a Letter of Inquiry through the online form provided.
Upon review, we will determine if your request is a good match with our funding priorities.
You will receive notice by email.
If there is an interest in funding your request, a link to submit a full proposal will be included in the email with the guidelines listed below.
2. Submit a Full Proposal:
The following steps can be completed once you receive the above notification email with an invitation to submit a Full Proposal.
Log in to your grant portal account to work on and submit your proposal.
Be prepared to provide the following:
an explanation of the program to be funded including objectives and goals, time frame, budget, and other sources of funding
organizational overview including mission, history, and services provided
most recent annual report and financial statement
current list of officers, directors, or trustees
copy of the IRS letter designating nonprofit charitable status
approval of the executive director and/or chairperson of the board