3 survey respondents
Location: 16251 Dallas Pkwy, Addison, 75001 TX
EIN: 75-2653742
100%
0%
12 hours
Median
67%
33%
100%
0%
2017 Deadlines:
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Geographic Focus:
For Fiscal Year
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Amount of Grants to Minnesota Nonprofits:
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Smallest Grant:
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Reviewer 9894 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2017
Mary Kay Foundation is one of few funders who specifically look to support shelter for survivors of domestic violence. They really understand the need to support women and emergency housing. This was our third grant award in 10 years, so it's not something you can count on for regular support, but it was nice to have.
Positive leader in the field
(Unknown)
Current or former grantee
Funded for amount requested
2017
Average
They are a large national foundation and could be hard to reach, but when I wrote to ask a simple question I received an answer within less than 24 hours.
Involve a Mary Kay representative in your organization. We have a representative that has been a regular volunteer with our organization and she wrote a heart-felt letter of support to go with our application. I think that was an important piece of our application. It seems that many women in the Mary Kay business understand the needs of women in difficult situations and want to support them.
They are a very competitive grantor, giving only a few grants per state each year.
The Foundation wants to end domestic violence, which is also our organization's mission. But both of us end up treating one of the symptoms of violence (emergency housing) rather than preventing it because a family in crisis needs housing first and prevention is difficult to measure. The Foundation supports shelters, which is also becoming an out dated service model and I don't know if we would have gotten funding for the use of Housing Stability Flexible Funds, which is more effective in serving larger numbers of families fleeing abuse and gives the survivors greater freedom and responsibility for deciding what they need to become safe and stable.
Focusing on just two issue of great importance to women: cancer and domestic violence. You know right away if your organization fits into their mission and funding priorities. The application is not too lengthy or difficult.
20
Reviewer 8608 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2018
The web application was very user friendly and supportive of the application. Staff were very accessible.
Positive leader in the field, Gives more than money, Culturally sensitive, Builds relationships, Responsive
Minnesota
Current or former grantee
Other
2018
Good
Excellent
Good
Grants are generous (20K).
None
They get many requests so it tends to be competitive.
Funded amount is the same for all successful grantees.
It supports domestic violence shelters and cancer related organizations - limited focus areas that particularly impact women. It allows grantees to tap local Mary Kay sales staff in support of both their grant apps and in other ways of the staff's own choosing.
7
Reviewer 576 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2017
Applying for a grant from here is like playing the lottery. As a national grant program open to a wide range of eligible applicants, it is highly competitive. The application is rather long, and the task of recruiting Mary Kay partners in your network to write letters of recommendation adds more time. However, if you find extra time to send out applications in the spring, it can really pay off (as it did for us this year!).
Culturally sensitive
Pennsylvania
Current or former grantee
Funded for amount requested
2017
Average
Instructions for applicants are clear and well developed. Since this is a foundation with such a wide focus, there is not a lot of relationship-building with individual grantees.
Good
While the application is a little too time-consuming for such a long-shot funding opportunity, the questions in the domestic violence shelter funding program are certainly thought-provoking and allow applicants to fully represent their organizational philosophies, successes, and challenges.
Acquiring letters of support from Mary Kay reps is most likely proving to be a barrier for many worthy applicants. Asking for anonymous client stories in the application would be easier and, possibly, a more valuable representation of the applicant's community impact than letters of support.
I appreciate that the application for domestic violence shelter grants inquires about program accessibility (for limited English-speakers, people with disabilities, and families with male children ages 18+).
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