FORMATION AND HISTORY

The Stella and Charles Guttman Foundation, Inc., a New York not-for-profit cor­poration, was organized in 1959 by Charles Guttman, a successful New York busi­nessman with a profound social conscience. Mr. Guttman was born in modest circumstances on the Lower East Side in New York City. After amassing his wealth, he concerned himself with the support of worthwhile causes and assistance to others who were less fortunate. Upon their deaths, Charles and his wife, Stella Guttman, bequeathed substantially all their assets to the Foundation.

The Foundation contributes to a wide range of United States charitable organizations qualified under section 501(c)(3) or section 170(b)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code.

PROGRAM PRIORITIES

Because the Guttmans spent their lives in New York City, and directed the majority of their charitable contributions to local projects, it is the policy of the Foundation to direct most of its grants to organizations providing services in the New York City metropolitan area and in Israel.

The Foundation’s current grantmaking is focused on the following program areas and benefits the following populations:

Education
The Foundation funds efforts to improve the edu­cational services available to New York City children and youth, from preschool to high school. The Foundation also funds collaborative projects among public schools, non-profit educa­tion and community-based agencies, and institutions of higher education that offer children, youth and their fam­ilies additional academic and social support, in-school and after school.

Health and Social Services
The Foundation’s health and social services grants provide support for a wide range of programs that address the needs of disadvantaged com­munities, promote the health and well being of the elderly in a non-institutional commu­nity setting and the economic self-sufficiency of families. This is consistent with the Foundation’s preference to fund programs that are com­prehensive, community-based and preventive in nature.

Israel
The Foundation supports a wide range of traditional edu­cation, health and social serv­ice programs in Israel. In addi­tion, the Foundation has in recent years supported social and educational programs for Arab Israelis and efforts to promote coexistence between Jews and Arabs in Israel.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Through its special grants pro­gram, the Foundation is able to respond to project requests and address significant needs out­side of its principal program areas. The Foundation also sup­ports a number of cultural insti­tutions that contribute to the quality of life in New York City.

Most grants range in size from $5,000 to $30,000 and are made for a single year. However, the Foundation will entertain requests for renewal funding, and will consider multi-year grants and grants in larger amounts for projects the Foundation considers to be of unusual merit.

Although the Foundation prefers to fund specific proj­ects, grants are occasionally made for general operating support. Grants for endow­ment, building funds and capi­tal campaigns are rarely made.

The Foundation’s net assets are approximately fifty-three million dollars and the Foundation makes aggregate annual grants in excess of two million dollars.

As a general policy, meetings between Foundation staff and applicants are arranged only if serious consideration of a grant proposal is anticipated.

With limited resources and large numbers of grant requests, the Foundation is able to fund only a small por­tion of the worthwhile requests it receives.

The Foundation attempts to respond promptly to requests for information and to propos­als that meet its guidelines.

he Board of Directors meets at least four times a year to review proposals. There is no set schedule for meetings.

To be considered for a grant, an organization must be a qual­ified charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) or sec­tion 170(b)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation expects to receive a narrative and financial report from its grantees on the use of the Foundation’s grant and on the grantees’ operations generally.

The Foundation’s policy has been not to make contributions:

1. Directly to individuals or to organizations not qualified as charitable organizations.
2. For foreign travel or foreign study.
3. To initiate or defend public interest litigation.
4. To support anti-vivisectionist causes.
5. To religious organizations for religious observances.

Generally, the Foundation contributes to public or operating charitable organizations but not private foundations (because the Foundation prefers not to have "expenditure responsibility" under the Internal Revenue Code).

APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS

Any organization that qualifies for a grant based on the pre­ceding guidelines may send a letter of inquiry to Elizabeth Olofson, Executive Director, Stella and Charles Guttman Foundation, Inc., 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 2010, New York, New York 10168. Foundation staff will contact prospective grantees if further information is desired.

The Foundation does not encourage elaborate funding requests. Generally, one to two pages are sufficient to permit an initial evaluation of most proposals. If additional information is required, it will be requested. After review of the letter of inquiry, if there is interest, and upon request, formal funding proposals should include:

1. A statement of the need for the project and a description of the population to be served.
2. An explanation of the program that will meet the need.
3. A description of the intended results.
4. The amount of the request.
5. A budget showing how the funds will be expended.
6. Other sources of support.
7. A summary of staff and board qualifications.
8. Current financial statements and management letter.
9. The most recent IRS Form 990.
10. IRS Tax Exemption Letter.
11. A statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer or the Chairman of the Board of Directors representing that an applicant is an operating or a publicly supported charity, as the case may be, that the proposal has been personally reviewed by the signatory and that the proposal is accurate.

REQUIRED PROPOSAL FORMAT

8.5 x 11 inch paper - page num­bered with organization name and project title. 12 point font ­ 1 inch margins - single-spaced. Original and three copies of the entire proposal, including requested attachments.

In evaluating proposals for funding, the Foundation is particularly sensitive to the proportion of the applicant’s expenditures devoted to program activities, and the extent to which there is community and public support.

In those rare instances where the Foundation will be requested to assume "expenditure responsibility," the request for funds should include a statement signed by the applicant’s Chief Executive Officer or Chairman of the Board clearly specifying how the applicant proposes to assist the Foundation in the discharge of such responsibility.

To assist the Foundation’s Board of Directors and staff, proposals for funding may be submitted for confidential peer review. The substance of the review, and the identity of those participating in it, will not be communicated to the applicant whether or not the proposal is funded.