Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy Grant Application

In 2008, Lauran & Justin Tuck founded Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy to encourage children to Read, Understand, Succeed, and Hope. Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy has been committed to donating books and reading materials to support children in the New York, New Jersey and Central Alabama communities, as well as providing local organizations with grants to further serve youth. By supporting the communities that have supported them, the Tucks hope to encourage children to embrace literacy and have the opportunity to learn and grow.

Organizations that meetall the screening criteria are eligible to apply for a grant. If you have questions regarding eligibility, or the application, please email Lindsey Smith: .

Please submit grants with all materials as one PDF document, emailed to .

Eligibility Screening Criteria

  1. Status: You must have had your 501(c)(3) status for a minimum of five years and must currently be in good standing with the IRS.
  2. Target Population: Your organization must serve youth from 4th- 8th grade and a minimum of 75% of the youth you serve must be classified as low-income (ex. qualify for free- or reduced-price lunch).
  3. Geography:Preference will be given to organizations(or the applying chapter/regional office) located in the five boroughs of New York City, in Essex County, New Jersey, or in Coosa County, Alabama.
  4. Mission: Your organization (or the project you are requesting funding for) must be education focused and promote literacy or financial literacy.

Please complete the following screening questions

  1. When did you obtain your 501(c)(3) status? Please attach your 501(c)(3) determination letter.
  2. What percent of the youth you serve are classified as low-income?
  3. Where is your organization (or chapter/regional office) located?
  4. What age youth does the organization (or the program/project) serve?
  5. What is the primary programmatic focus of your organization?
  6. If the project’s focus differs from the overall organization focus; what is the primary programmatic focus of your project?

Timeline & Reapplication

Grants of up to $15,000 are disbursed in quarterly cycles. Applications are accepted in the first two months of every quarter, with funding decisions made by the end of the first month of the following quarter (ex. in the 4th quarter, Oct-Dec, applications are accepted in Oct and Nov, and funds disbursed in January).

Applicants will receive an email acknowledgement upon submission of their application, and will be advised of their status no later than the end of the first month in the following quarter.

Applicants denied funding may not reapply for a full calendar year.

Grant Application

Contact Information

Organization name
Organization mailing address
Organization EIN number
Application contact person
Title
Email address
Phone number
Preferred method of contact
Amount Requested (up to $15,000) / $

Basic Organizational Information

  1. Describe your organization’s mission.
  2. What social problem does your organization address (ex. increase in high school dropouts)?
  3. How does your organization solve the problem? (ex. by providing after-school mentoring)?
  4. What are your goals for solving it (ex. improve all participants’ grades by a full point)?
  5. What are your results? Provide results from the most recent full fiscal year.
  6. How many youth do you serve annually?
  7. How many youth complete your program annually (program completion defined as meeting your internal benchmarks for success)?
  8. Describe your target constituent (ex. low-income, urban, middle school girls).

Grant Request Information

  1. Please indicate if this grant will be used for:
  2. A specific project/program
  3. General operating support 
  4. If the grant will be used for a specific project or program:
  5. Please describe, in 250 words or less, how the funds will be used.
  6. Please define, in 250 words or less, the project goals and how those goals will be measured.

Financial Information

  1. Please attach a copy of your most recent audit or financial review.
  2. Please attach your budget (income and expenses) for the current fiscal year and the next fiscal year.
  3. If applying for project funding, include project budget within your organizational budget for the current fiscal year.

Governance Information

  1. Please list your current staff and their job titles. If any of your staff (working 20+ hours/week) are unpaid volunteers, please indicate so.
  2. Please list your current Board of Directors.

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