Overview
The goal in the focus areas of arts, children and youth, conservation and science, food and shelter, and population and reproductive health is to support nonprofit organizations that directly serve the residents of the five-county area of San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito.

More information about these Local Grantmaking areas

How to Apply for Funding
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation is a private foundation. We accept grant proposals only for charitable, educational, or scientific purposes, primarily from tax-exempt, charitable organizations. We do not provide funding for projects that benefit specific individuals or that serve religious purposes. Before applying, we recommend you review the Local Grantmaking FAQ for more information on our program, processes, and other frequently asked questions.

Step 1: Has Your Organization Received a Grant from the Packard Foundation within the Last Three Years?

If your organization has not received a Packard Foundation grant within the last three years, please proceed to step 2. For organizations that have received a Packard Foundation grant within the last three years, please click here.

Step 2: Submit an Online Letter of Inquiry

If your organization has not received a Packard Foundation grant within the last three years, please submit a letter of inquiry using our  Local Grantmaking online letter of inquiry form. The online form will allow you to save your work and return to it at a later time.

If you need assistance at any time during the online application process, please call Local Grantmaking at (650) 917-7234. Although our preference is for organizations to use our online letter of inquiry form, if you are unable to access the online application, you may submit your letter of inquiry by email to local@packard.org or by mail to the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Attn: Local Grantmaking, 300 Second Street, Los Altos, CA 94022. The letter should be no more than two to three pages and should include a brief description of the history of your organization, the people and constituencies served, the funding request, three key objectives and three measurable outcomes of your request.

Letters of inquiry submitted online or by email receive immediate confirmation that we have received the request. We will acknowledge receipt of letters of inquiry received by mail within three weeks.

Step 3: The Invitation To Submit a Full Proposal
If your request fits within our program guidelines and priorities, you will be asked to submit a full proposal. You will be provided with the necessary information for completing the process at that time.

Step 4: Proposal Review and the Funding Decision
Staff members review each proposal carefully, and we generally meet with the applicant prior to making a recommendation. Foundation staff members will seek to coordinate the timing of the review process with grant applicants.

The application, due diligence, and funding decision process normally takes three to six months for most applicants.

Grant Reporting Requirements
We require reports for each of our grants. The reporting helps you to communicate with us about your successes and challenges. Your award letter will indicate due dates for the reports required by your grant.

Download the Local Grantmaking reporting guidelines (PDF: 475K)