The John Templeton Foundation Grants: The Foundation is interested in your ideas for projects related to our Core Funding Areas. The first step in our application process is creating an Online Funding Inquiry. If the Foundation approves your Online Funding Inquiry, we will ask for a more detailed Full Proposal. Please note that Full Proposals are by invitation only.

All grant applications must be completed and submitted electronically through the Templeton Portal. No applications will be accepted by mail or e-mail.

To learn about the details of each step in our grantmaking process, click the boxes above or the headings listed in the lefthand column throughout this section.

Online funding enquiry

The Online Funding Inquiry (OFI) is a brief form that asks for basic information about your proposed project. It is the required first stage of the Foundation's application process. If you are interested in receiving funding, or if you are trying to determine whether the Foundation would consider supporting your project, please complete and submit an OFI.

If our program staff determines that the project described in your OFI represents a realistic, strategic, and potentially successful opportunity to advance the philanthropic vision of Sir John Templeton, you will be invited to submit a Full Proposal. All other Online Funding Inquiries will be declined via e-mail.

Full Proposal: The Full Proposal is the required second stage of requesting funding from the Foundation. Full Proposals are by invitation only, after a request has passed through the Online Funding Inquiry stage. An invitation to submit a Full Proposal will be sent to the applicant via email by the date specified in the Grantmaking Calendar. The Full Proposal itself will appear when the applicant next signs into the Templeton Portal.

The Full Proposal is an applicant’s opportunity to describe their project in greater detail. It asks the applicant to provide more specific information about the activities of the proposed project and its anticipated results. The Templeton Portal will offer applicants practical assistance to complete the Full Proposal. In addition, applicants will have the opportunity to e-mail the Foundation's program staff with any questions about how to complete the Full Proposal.

Grantmaking Calendar

The Foundation invites you to submit your project ideas for consideration by completing an Online Funding Inquiry (OFI). OFIs are reviewed during specific times of the year. In some years, OFI deadlines are tied to the size of the financial request.

 Small Grants

Small Grants are defined as requests for $217,400 (USD) or less. The threshold for small grants was established by the Foundation’s Charter and is adjusted periodically for inflation. The final small OFI deadline for 2016 is November 30 with decisions communicated by December 30. The small OFI deadline for 2017 is August 31 with decisions communicated no later than the end of September. Please note that while the Foundation is committed to providing a decision by the specified dates, we may review and decision an OFI early depending upon staff workload.

The Full Proposal stage for small grants is not governed by any specific calendar. Instead, staff will invite Full Proposals with customized due dates that are influenced by the project’s anticipated start date, the internal workload of staff, and budget considerations.

Small Grants Calendar:

2017 Cycle

OFI Deadline August 31, 2017

OFI Decision September 29, 2017

Large Grants :Large Grants are defined as requests for more than $217,400 (USD). The threshold for large grants was established by the Foundation’s Charter and is adjusted periodically for inflation. The large OFI deadline for 2017 is August 31 with decisions communicated no later than the end of September.  

The Full Proposal for all large grants will be due by January of the following year. All funding decisions for large grants will be communicated by early June.

Large Grants Calendar:

 2017 Cycle

OFI Deadline August 31, 2017

OFI Decision September 29, 2017

FP Deadline January 31, 2018

Funding Decision June 8, 2018

https://www.templeton.org/what-we-fund/our-grantmaking-process