TIDES FOUNDATION/THE ADVOCACY FUND
Po Box 29903 @ San Francisco, CA #94129-0903
Tel: 415.561.6400 @ Fax: 415.561.6401
deathpenalty@ tides.org
DEATH PENALTY MOBILIZATION FUND STATE STRATEGIES
Letters of Inquiry for Fall 2012 Funding
General Information:
The Death Penalty Mobilization Fund (DP MF) is a collaborative of Tides Foundation and The Advocacy Fund that
supports strategic collaborations of local, regional or national nonprofits [501(c)(3)'s and 501(c)(4)’s] working to
abolish the death penalty at the state and/or federal levels.
Background Information:
DPMF was initiated in 2000 by a Tides donor and is sustained through the support of individual and institutional
partners. To date, the DPMF has awarded over $5 million in grants.
Death Penalty Mobilization Fund - State Strategies Grants:
The upcoming State Strategies segment of the DPMF, in coordination with Funders for Alternatives to the Death
Penalty (FADP), will provide grants to state-based activist organizations working on death penalty abolition or reform
efforts in the US. Grants can be used for organizational and/or staff capacity, campaign development or
implementation, public education, and direct and grassroots lobbying. Priority will be given to states where a grant
will make a significant contribution towards securing a concrete victory or strategic outcome. (See note below
regarding the coordination between the DPMF State Strategies process and the FADP’s LOI process.)
DPMF State Strategies 2012 Cycle:
The 2012 cycle has an open Letter of Inquiry (LO!) process. Any organization doing state-based work to achieve the
goals of the DPMF is eligible to submit an LOI. Selected organizations will be asked to submit a full proposal. LOIs
are due by 5pm PDT on Tuesday, May 15, 2012. Proposals will be requested by mid J une and invited
organizations will have a month to complete their submission. More details will be included with the invitation email.
Funding decisions will be announced in September.
DPMF State Strategies and FADP LOI Process:
DPMF and FADP are seeking to streamline the funding process for all state-based organizations. Because of this, ALL
state-based campaigns that seek funding from FADP should submit a DPMF State Strategies LOI and NOT
an additional FADP LOI. Our hope is that this will simplify the process for the campaigns, and maximize flexibility and
coordination for participating foundations. The DPMF State Strategies LOIs and proposals will be used to determine
funding from both Tides and other FADP funding sources. Therefore, the amount requested, as well as
submitted budgets, should reflect the full amount you are requesting from Tides DPMF and FADP combined.
Please request the level of funding appropriate to your organization's current needs. Actual grant amounts will be
determined in consideration of a full spectrum of needs and opportunities within the field.
LOI Narrative:
Please submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) addressing the following questions in no more than three (3) pages:
* What policy goal is your campaign or organization trying to achieve and by when?
* For what work do you seek funding?
«Are you seeking to maintain your capacity at this time, or to expand it? If expansion, please explain.
*« Whatis the external political landscape in your state? Include both political openings that make your goal
more winnable and political roadblocks that could impede your effort.
Application Process and Deadline:
* Please send one email with all attachments to deathpenalty@ tides.org no later than 5pm PDT on
Tuesday, May 15, 2012.
*« Acomplete LOI submission will include:
(1) a completed cover sheet template,
(2) LOI narrative (see questions above),
(3) budget template and
(4) committed funding chart template.
¢ Allof the template documents can be found at http://www.tides.org/impact/fund-initiative-s potlight/dpmf
* Please name each document with your organization's name in the following manner: “orgname_date_loi.pdf”
and “orgname_date_bud.pdf” (for example, Tides_061511_loi.pdf)
* Weprefer you submit all documents, including your Financial materials in Adobe PDF format. Please use a
standard typeface no smaller than 12-point with no less than 0.5” margins.
Please note:
Faxed materials will not be accepted.
No phone calls please on the status of your submissions.
You will receive an email confirming receipt of your LOI. If you do not receive a confirmation by May 20,
2012, please email deathpenalty@ tides.org.
Those organizations being asked to submit a full proposal will be notified in mid J une and provided
with proposal guidelines at that time.
Notification regarding proposals decisions will be provided in September.
RESTRICTIONS ON GRANTMAKING
DP MF does not support the production of videos or films.
DP MF does not support the writing and publication of books and other publications but may consider
strategic distribution of publications.
DP MF does not support capital defense/legal representation (unless activities include a systemic change
component.)
DP MF does not support dissertations, postgraduate work or research
DP MF will not provide support to individuals. In particular, journalistic and academic projects are not
supported.
Questions:
Please contact Tides at deathpenalty@ tides.org with any questions regarding the LOI, proposal and submission
process. For more substantive programmatic questions, please contact Pat Clark at dpfunding@ gmail.com noting
‘Tides DPMF question” in the subject line.
