When is Infrastructure Pitch Day?

Monday, December 10th.

 
For scheduling purposes, please hold from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM. Time slots will be confirmed after an LOI is submitted and approved.

Where is Infrastructure Pitch Day?

Pitch Day will be held at Lyda Hill’s offices at 2001 Ross Avenue, Suite 4600, Dallas, TX 75201.

What qualifies as an infrastructure expense?

Capital expenses or physical assets (and related services for installation or implementation) that fix an immediate burden and/or improve your organization’s ability to deliver on mission. Preference is given to critical infrastructure that helps solve an immediate need for either staff or constituents served.

 
Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
 
• Technology upgrades (hardware or software)
• Facility upgrades (repairing or replacing aging roof, HVAC systems, appliances, security system, fixing a deteriorating façade)
• Program or office supplies (printer, transportation, curriculum)

 
Note: Personnel salaries do NOT qualify.
Note: If requesting an infrastructure investment such as a kitchen renovation that includes procurement of many items and services, a project bid/estimate is required to accompany the project budget of your LOI.

 
If you have specific questions on whether an expense meets the above definition, please ask.

How much funding should I request? Can I ask for more than one item?

We are looking to help you solve your biggest infrastructure need(s) under $100,000.  You are encouraged to request funding for multiple projects/expenses as long as each line item in the LOI project budget qualifies as an infrastructure expense (defined above) and the total amount requested is no more than $100,000. Please note that gifts may be awarded for less than the requested amount.

 

Note: The result of receiving this prospective gift must be full funding of ALL requested budget line items, whether the prospective gift is covering the project/expense in its entirety or simply filling a funding gap (e.g. if your kitchen renovation costs $120,000 and you’re requesting $100,000, the remaining $20,000 must have already been received or designated.)

What is the process for involvement in Infrastructure Pitch Day?

After an applicant confirms interest in participating, applicant will be sent a link to submit an LOI via our online portal. Deadline to accept opportunity to participate is Monday, October 29.  Deadline to submit LOI is Wednesday, November 28.

 
We will then review the LOI to determine whether it aligns with our philanthropic strategy.  If selected, we will confirm your time slot and you will be allotted 10 minutes to pitch your requested needs, followed by 15 minutes of Q&A.

 
**Pitches are meant to be STRESS FREE!  No decks, no handouts, no additional work is needed after submitting the LOI.**

What is the Submission Deadline for our LOI?

LOIs should be submitted no later than 5:00 pm CST on Wednesday, November 28.

What questions are on the LOI?

Organizations will be asked to provide the following information/documentation as part of their LOI submission:

 
(1)    What problem or need is the project designed to address?  Note: If applying for an infrastructure investment and requesting funding for multiple expenses, describe each problem or need the investments will address.

(2)    How will the project/infrastructure investment address the issue(s)?

(3)    List your specific goals and objectives for this project/infrastructure investment.

(4)    If funded, how will the grant money be used?

(5)    What is the timeframe for the project?

(6)    How will success be measured?

(7)    Total Cost of Project

(8)    Amount Requested

(9)    Project Collaborators (Are you working with any other organizations on this project?)

(10)   Other Funding Sources

(11)   Date funds are required

(12)   Key Staff (Please provide name/title/email address for all key staff related to this project/request)

(13)   Signer (Name of chief executive who would be signing any potential agreements)

(14)   Total Budget for organization

(15)   Project-specific Budget Note: If applying for an infrastructure investment, please include a line-item budget and brief narrative describing each expense requested and its source.  Requested expenses require an exact vendor price, including an attached bid/estimate where applicable.

(16)   501(c)3 Certification Letter

(17)   Certificate of Good Standing / Certificate of Account Status

Who should participate in the pitch?

Participants in an applicant's pitch are at the discretion of the applicant, up to a maximum of (3) three individuals. We recommend including any staff members who will use or benefit from the infrastructure investment.

Who will be in the room for our pitch?

The number of individuals in the room will vary by pitch but could include up to (3) three members of Lyda Hill's team.

How will Infrastructure Pitch Day work?

Participants will be scheduled for a particular time on Infrastructure Pitch Day.  You will be allotted 10 minutes to pitch your project, to be followed by a 15-minute Q&A session.

 
Notification regarding award determinations will be provided at a later time.

How will our pitch be evaluated?

The Lyda Hill team manages a competitive application process and not all requests for funding will be awarded. Applications will be reviewed based on a holistic evaluation of the LOI and pitch, utilizing the following criteria as a guideline:

 
(1)    To what degree do the requested infrastructure investment(s) help solve an immediate need for the organization to better deliver its mission?

(2)    Will Lyda’s funds make each requested expense 100% funded?

(3)    Does the LOI/pitch demonstrate thoughtful pre-planning and well-conceived responses, with clearly-articulated costs, goals, timeline and benchmarks as appropriate?

  • “Do your givin’ while you’re livin’… then you’ll be knowin’ where it’s goin’.”

    — Ann Landers

  • “The best philanthropy is constantly in search of the finalities
    – a search for a cause, an attempt to cure evils at their source.”

    — John D. Rockefeller

  • “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.”

    — Robert Louis Stevenson

  • “The highest use of capital is not to make more money, but to make money do more for the betterment of life.”

    — Henry Ford

  • “The proper aim of giving is to put the recipients in a state where they no longer need our gifts.”

    — C.S. Lewis

  • “Philanthropy is the practice of applying assets of knowledge, passion and wealth to bring about constructive change.”

    — Peter Goldmark

  • “The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”

    — Nelson Henderson

  • “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”

    — William James

  • “Philanthropy is almost the only virtue which is sufficiently appreciated by mankind.”

    — Henry David Thoreau

  • “What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.”

    — Albert Pike

  • “A man’s true wealth is the good he does in this world.”

    — Mohammed

  • “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

    — Margaret Mead

  • “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

    — Anne Frank

  • “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.”

    — Winston Churchill

  • “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”

    — Walt Disney