Application Guidelines
The Leighty Foundation is a family foundation incorporated under Iowa law. We distribute grants and contributions to tax-exempt charitable organizations only. We are committed to the wise allocation of human, financial, and natural resources. We partner with organizations which seek to deal with today's problems and opportunities in ways which meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
We are a small foundation, and since we invest time in some way with each of our grantees, we consider only grant proposals that we have solicited. Please make initial contact through Jane Justis, our Executive Director, with a one-page letter that includes:
- the mission of the organization
- the need to be addressed
- the intended outcome of the endeavor
- the size of the grant requested
If your organization is invited to apply, you will receive a notice from us. Most of our grant decisions are made during our summer board meeting. However, proposals may be considered at any time during the year.
Grants are usually made for one year or one project. Grants proceed from a formal proposal and range between $3,000 - $10,000. A written evaluation of the project is required from each grantee. Contributions are made each year. The majority of contributions are $500 to $1,000.
We generally do not consider funding for capital projects. However, when we do, we are particularly interested in building design and energy efficiency, land use, and community planning - consistent with our dedication to sustainability and to sprawl prevention. If you are planning a capital project, we suggest you download our "Investing in Capital Projects" paper (link below).
Downloads
Grantee Application Form 
PDF 
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