Grantmaking Approach
“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
LUKE 12:48
We look for three fundamental principles in organizations. First, high leverage: accomplishing a lot with a little. Second, scalable: the propensity to impact millions of people. And third, sustainable: over time their model is not wholly reliant on private philanthropy.
LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR MEANS
We Serve Others First
We recognize that every person bears the image of God. We each have dignity and value; we each are broken and in need of God’s grace; in our shared humanity we strive to seek the flourishing of others. Serving others requires a posture of active generosity.
LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR MEANS
We Act As Stewards
God is the owner of all that we have and we are the stewards. True stewardship is a tangible expression of love in action. It means taking decisive action in a difficult world. This includes insisting on excellence, making the right call when faced with a difficult decision, ensuring accountability, taking risks, competing hard, and speaking the truth.
LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR MEANS
We Do The Right Thing
Doing the right thing means more than simply reacting with integrity in times of crisis. It means doing the right thing when the cost is high, when the test is small, and when no one is looking. It means taking proactive action on behalf of others that can benefit them in the short and long term.
If we honor our commitment to serve others first, we’re more likely to do the right thing, because often “the wrong thing” is better for us personally.
IDEAL LEADERSHIP QUALITIES
Our best partners display:
Dovetail's Commitment
We know it's hard leading a nonprofit organization and we recognize the challenges of working with a variety of funders who have competing priorities and perspectives. While not every organization is a fit for financial partnership, here’s what we promise our grantees:
• We are transparent, respectful, and responsive
• We review all inquiries with sincere attention
• We value feedback and appreciate our grantees’ advice to know where we can grow and improve
What We Don't Fund
While not a definitive list, we typically do not fund requests for the following:
• Arts
• Disaster response
• Endowments
• Events (e.g., fundraisers, conferences, workshops)
• Higher education
• Individual assistance (e.g., tuition, financial support, emergency aid, etc.)
• Scholarships
Application Guidance
Grant applications are accepted by invitation only, but you are welcome to introduce yourself by contacting us.