The Bob Woodruff Foundation Asks Too Much of Potential Grantees

To the Editor:

The Bob Woodruff Foundation’s expertise on veteran’s issues is a significant benefit for philanthropy. But I wonder if the wealthy philanthropists who rely on the foundation are aware of the onerous process it demands of prospective grantees. Sara Herschander’s article, “Where Billionaires, Celebrities, and the NFL Go to Support Vets” (March 13), omitted this critical information.

The foundation asks applicants at least 20 narrative questions, several with character limits above 5,000. One question even has a 24,000-character-limit, or about 3,400 to 6,000 words. That’s not a typo. Because the foundation states on its website that it may take six months to review submissions, and assuming grants last one year, which is typical, the time between application and project completion can be more than 18 months. That means its request for a detailed timeline and budget may span multiple fiscal years. And it asks five essentially identical questions about activities, outcomes, measurements, and evidence. Is that really necessary?

It’s true that the character limits are maximums, and nonprofits don’t need to reach them. But applicants will view them as guidelines for appropriate responses and may feel like they’re shooting themselves in the foot if they don’t fill the available space.

One 5,000-character question asks for financial details about how the nonprofit has used funds for restricted, program-specific grants. That information should be clear from the audited financial reports that are also required in the grant application.

The proposal is so long that applicants are asked to provide bibliographic information for any citations they use. It’s a grant application, not a dissertation.

The Bob Woodruff Foundation is also the only non-event grant maker I’ve seen that asks about an applicant’s insurance coverage and whether the nonprofit agrees to add the foundation to its general liability insurance for the grant period if it’s awarded funding. What on earth does that accomplish other than making an organization feel it might be denied funding for sensibly answering “no”?

Near the end of its seemingly endless application, the foundation warns that it “may request board minutes before proceeding with a grant.” Is it a supportive grant maker of veteran causes or a self-promoting watchdog?

The foundation does ask eight excellent, fill-in-the-blank questions that quantify impact for veterans. But they’re contrary to the rest of the excessive information requested. Gathering, writing, and editing an answer in the Woodruff way simply demands too many hours.

The Bob Woodruff Foundation’s agonizing process does not result in better applications, just longer ones. Maybe some of the billionaires and celebrities who rely on the foundation’s services should give it a try themselves.

Melanie Hamburger
Writer, Funder Follies Newsletter
Founder, Community Grantwriters

Editor’s Note: The information cited in this letter was compiled by the author from a January 2024 grant application previously available on the Bob Woodruff Foundation’s online grants portal and submitted on the behalf of the author’s client. The Chronicle of Philanthropy reached out to a representative of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, who confirmed its grant application hasn’t changed since January 2024.