Application Procedures

Submission Periods & Decision Dates

• Applications must be submitted by 4:00 pm on the last day of the submission period.
• You will not be able to start a new proposal in the online portal until the submission period has opened; you may use the materials provided below to prepare your application.
• Any draft applications remaining in the system between submission periods will not be saved.
• Applicants will be notified of decisions approximately one month after the submission deadline.

How to Apply

The Foundation utilizes an online grants portal where applicants can submit requests, file reports and review their grant history online.

STEP 1:  Review the Foundation’s guidelines to determine if your request meets the eligibility criteria. If you are not sure if your request is aligned with the guidelines, please contact Aki Amai, Grants Manager, at aamai@pfs-llc.net.

STEP 2: If your request is aligned with the Foundation’s guidelines, submit an application through the online grants portal.

If you are not sure if you or your organization have an existing profile in the grants portal, please call our main line at (415) 561-6540.

STEP 3:  Once logged in to the online grants portal:

• Click the “New Proposal” icon to begin a new application.
• Be sure to save your work periodically by clicking ”Save Draft”, as the application form will not auto-save your work. You may return to a saved application that is in progress by clicking the “Current Proposals” icon on your home screen.
• Click “Submit” when complete. Submitted applications cannot be edited. You will receive an email confirming that your application has been received.
• New users be sure to complete the Organization Profile and Personal Profile under Organization and Contact Information.  Please note: If your agency does not have a IRS 501(C) 3 tax-exempt determination letter, please upload a completed W-9 form.
• Whenever exiting the portal, be sure to log out before closing the page or browser.

Step 4:  After you have submitted the application, your request will be reviewed. Foundation staff will contact you when selection decisions have been made.  To download a PDF version of your submitted application, click the “Current Proposals” icon, open the submitted application, and click the “Printable Application” button.

Application Overview

For your convenience, we have compiled the application questions in a step-by-step document, which we encourage you to download and serve as your guide throughout the application process. The Application Overview will walk you through the narrative questions you’ll be asked once you access the online application; we recommend you draft your answers in a word processing program (Microsoft Word, Google Docs, etc.) and then copy + paste them into the online application.

Required Forms & Attachments

The following forms and attachments are required to complete an application:

• Release of Information Form (please have parent/guardian fill out the form);
• Family Income and Expense Form (please have parent/guardian fill out the form);
• Relevant test results, assessment findings, and/or IEPs (if applicable); and
• At least one letter of support from another professional who is involved in the case and who is not associated with the service provider submitting the application (i.e., doctor, teacher, social worker, etc.).

Please do not include photos or video with the application.

Helpful Tips

• We recommend you review the Application Overview, collect the PDF documents you will need to upload, and write responses to the narrative questions before starting the online application form.
• Please review our Frequently Asked Questions before starting the online application form.
• We welcome your feedback as we continue to improve the application process. If you encounter any problems or have suggestions about how we can improve your experience, please call our main line at (415) 561-6540.