FAQs
The Rockefeller Brothers Fund advances social change that contributes to a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. The RBF's grantmaking is organized around three themes: Democratic Practice, Peacebuilding, and Sustainable Development, and three pivotal places: New York City, Western Balkans, and Southern China. In addition, the RBF manages The Pocantico Center as part of its agreement with the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Our FAQs answer questions concerning general information about the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, current grantees, grant applicants, and the Pocantico Center. View a few of the most commonly asked questions below, or use the menu to the right to browse through each topic.
General questions about the Rockefeller Brothers Fund
What are the Rockefeller Brothers Fund's main areas of focus?
The RBF's grantmaking is organized around three themes: Democratic Practice, Peacebuilding, and Sustainable Development. Though the Fund pursues its three program interests in a variety of geographic contexts, it has identified several specific locations on which to concentrate cross-programmatic attention. The Fund refers to these as "RBF pivotal places": subnational areas, nation-states, or cross-border regions that have special importance with regard to the Fund's substantive concerns and whose future will have disproportionate significance for the future of a surrounding region, an ecosystem, or the world. The Fund currently works in three pivotal places: New York City, Southern China, and the Western Balkans.
How many grants did the Fund award last year?
In 2010, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund approved 274 grants totaling $22,754,317. The average grant size was $83,045. The Fund paid $28,027,249 in grants during the year.
The difference between these two figures stems from the fact that a significant number of grants awarded by the Fund are for more than one year's activity; therefore, they are approved in one year, but paid out in more than one fiscal year.
Grantees
We were awarded a grant. What's next?
Congratulations! Within two weeks you should receive an award letter from the RBF that includes the terms and conditions of the grant award and reporting requirements. This should be signed by an authorized representative of your organization and returned to the RBF.
The initial payment on the grant will be sent upon receipt of the signed award letter, unless a later time frame has been agreed upon.
How do I apply for an extension on the due date for grant reporting?
You should discuss a no-cost extension or alternate date for submitting grant reporting with your program contact.
Applicants
How do I apply for funding? Should I send in a proposal?
The starting point in the RBF funding process is the grant inquiry, also known as a letter of inquiry (LOI). Applicants can access the Fund's online grant inquiry here. If you are unable to access the grant inquiry, please contact Grants Management at grantsmgmt@rbf.org. The RBF will accept inquiries by mail or fax; however, please note that it will take longer to process these requests than those submitted online.
Upon review of the grant inquiry, RBF staff may invite applicants whose work is in line with the Fund's funding priorities to submit a full proposal. Please do not submit a full proposal unless invited to do so.
How do I return to an online letter of inquiry that I started but did not complete?
To return to an online grant inquiry that you started and saved with the intention of finishing later, click here for the Account Login page. Once you log in, you will be taken to your account, where you can access the application that you started.
Pocantico Center
What is the Pocantico Center?
The Pocantico Center is managed by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. In 1991, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund leased from the National Trust for Historic Preservation the portion of the Rockefeller estate bequeathed to the Trust by Nelson Rockefeller. Subsequently, through the generosity of members of the Rockefeller family, the Fund created the Pocantico Center of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund in the estate's Coach Barn, as an extension of its grantmaking activities.
Are tours provided at Pocantico?
Yes. Public access to the property and Kykuit, the historic Rockefeller family home, is operated on behalf of the Fund by Historic Hudson Valley. Tours are conducted between early May and early November.
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"We need to protect our values. We wanted to protect the tradition of civic engagement in Serbia from inside our society, not something built from the outside."