Grants
The trustees of the Marlene and Spencer Hays Foundation have developed an evaluation process designed to help the Foundation make wise decisions in selecting grant recipients. Our guiding principle is the Mission Statement of the Foundation and each grant request is measured for its compliance with our mission.
The Marlene and Spencer Hays Foundation was established to support efforts to improve peoples’ lives through the arts; research and innovations in health care; education and programs to help at-risk youth; and to promote enhanced economic achievement by encouraging discipline, ambition and commitment to goals and principles.
On-line access to complete the application is provided in this section. Follow-up visits and/or interviews may be necessary.
General Criteria and Limitations
- Only qualifying tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) organizations are eligible to apply for grants that meet the Mission Statement of the Hays Foundation.
- Grants will not be made for political purposes; or to support endowment campaigns; or to organizations which discriminate on the basis of race, ethnic origin, sexual of religious preference, age or gender; or to religious organizations for religious purposes.
Application
Prior to reading the timeline and instructions below, please note the following updates for the 2026 grant application cycle:
- The Hays Foundation as partnered with Temelio to help manage the grantmaking process.
- You will submit all grant materials (letter of intent, application, supplemental materials) through the Temelio portal that you will be prompted to create the first time you access the software.
- To more holistically assess nonprofit partner mission alignment and impact, the Hays Foundation has sunset the program grant category. We have shifted toward a trust-based philanthropy model that prioritizes unrestricted operating grants. The Foundation will also continue to make capital grants.
2026 Timeline:
- June 1: Letter of Intent (LOI) opens
- July 31: Final Day to submit LOI
- August 14: LOI updates released and application opens
- September 30: Final day to submit applications
- Mid-November: Final notifications are made and grant funds are distributed.
Letter of Intent and Application Notes
- If your organization was a Hays Foundation grantee in 2025, you are exempt from submitting the LOI.
- All potential first-time grantees and any past grantees who were not funded in 2025 are required to submit the LOI.
- The link for the LOI will be added to this page on June 1.
All 2025 grantees and approved LOI submissions will receive the application link via email on August 14.
You may direct any questions about the letter of intent or application process to Franklin Gaglione at fgaglione@haysfoundation.org or 615-438-7515.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Change in Grant Application Process
New Required Letter of Intent
Any time before and including August 1, 2025, email a Letter of Intent (LOI) as a PDF to Franklin Gaglione, Trustee, at fgaglione@haysfoundation.org.
The LOI is required of all applicants, including those that have previously received a Hays Foundation grant. The LOI should be a short request (250 words or less) on the organization’s letterhead detailing the intended grant application for 2025.
This LOI should include the following:
- Organization’s mission statement as well as an explanation detailing the organization’s mission alignment with the Hays Foundation’s mission statement.
- A short description of the anticipated grant request.
- The anticipated grant request amount.
- Whether it will be a program, capital or operating request.
The LOI must also be accompanied by a copy of the IRS 501(c)(3) designation for the organization.
Submitted LOI’s will be reviewed with a reply in two to three weeks from receipt. All LOI’s received prior August 1, 2025 will receive a response by August 15, 2025.
Please note that an approved Letter of Intent is required prior to submission of a Grant Application for the year 2025.
Organizations with approved Letters of Intent can submit the 2025 Grant Application online by September 30, 2025.