Weinberg Foundation suspends accepting proposals

Citing the economic distress nonprofits face, the Weinberg Foundation announced in its Winter 2009 newsletter that it will not accept any letters of inquiry until April 2009.

“Because of the substantial amount of grants already approved for next year, the strong desire to evaluate the effectiveness of the Foundation's prior grant making and a desire to reassess the state of the volatile economy, the Foundation will not accept any additional Letters of Inquiry until April 2009,” the newsletter article said.

The foundation said it will continue grant making at a relatively stable level. “Last year the Weinberg Foundation distributed $99 million in grants. This year, the foundation has already approved 348 grants to nonprofits totaling close to $100 million. Next year, the foundation will distribute between $90 and $100 million in grants, most of which are already committed to nonprofits through approved capital grants and multi-year operating and program grants,” the foundation said.

Any changes to this policy will be published on the foundation web site.

“This year, our 50th, will be a difficult one,” the foundation said. “The world-wide economic devastation, resulting in increased unemployment and massive reductions in government assistance, will exacerbate the challenges poor and vulnerable populations already face every day. … The Weinberg Foundation accepts the additional obligations imposed on it by these terrible circumstances, and it will redouble its efforts to make a positive and meaningful difference as it carries forward the vision and mission of Harry and Jeanette Weinberg.”