Frequently Asked Questions

Following Brian’s successful business career as the founder of the AI/data company, True Influence, he and Patty established the Brian & Patricia Giese Foundation in 2021 to give back to our community.

Since our founding in 2021, the Brian & Patricia Giese Foundation has issued dozens of grants representing millions of dollars in charitable support to nonprofits 501(c)(3) across Anne Arundel County and the surrounding Maryland areas.

The Brian & Patricia Giese Foundation is the giving name for the Brian & Patricia Giese Donor-Advised Fund, held at Vanguard Charitable. In plain terms: Vanguard Charitable is the public charity that administers the fund, and Foundation staff recommend the grants that go out from it. This structure lets the Brian & Patricia Giese Foundation operate with the discipline and stewardship of a private foundation — clear funding priorities, a defined review process, and a genuine partnership approach with grantees — while every grant is made through Vanguard Charitable’s 501(c)(3) status. For grantee organizations, this distinction rarely changes anything about how you apply, how you are reviewed, or how funds are used; it simply describes who holds legal responsibility for the fund behind the scenes.

We believe God works through people and relationships. Our partners are the organizations living that out every day — faithfully, practically, and with real impact.

Who we fund

Brian & Patricia Giese Foundation partners with established nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations serving Maryland. Our partners are:

• Registered 501(c)(3) organizations that have been in operation for at least four (4) years.
• Organizations with strong governance, financial stability, and a minimum of $1 million in total revenue.
• Nonprofits whose missions advance work in youth and young adult education pathways, healthcare (including holistic, therapeutic care not covered by insurance), and arts & creative expression.
• Leaders and organizations grounded in values that reflect integrity, service, and faith in action.

We do not fund individuals, public agencies, political activity, or causes that conflict with our Christian values and principles. Our giving is focused, intentional, and always rooted in responsible stewardship.

Not necessarily. Our funding priority is Maryland, so what matters most to us is where your work happens and who it serves — not strictly where your offices are. If a meaningful share of your programming reaches Maryland residents, we welcome a conversation, even if your organization is headquartered elsewhere in Maryland.

Timelines vary by pathway. Seed Grants are reviewed on a rolling basis, so response times are generally shorter. General Purpose Grants are reviewed twice a year, in June and October, and organizations should expect to hear back shortly after each review period closes. Final funding decisions are made by the Brian & Patricia Giese Grant Committee, guided by our four core principles — Faith First, Partner with Nonprofits, Integrity Matters, and Community Investment — and grounded in the same criteria described in “Who we fund” above.

We fund both, depending on the pathway and the organization’s needs. Seed Grants and General Purpose Grants can support a specific program, a timely opportunity, or general operating needs, so long as the request fits within our funding priorities. We are less interested in funding a single line item in isolation and more interested in understanding how a grant strengthens the organization as a whole.

Yes, through our Multi-Year General Grants pathway — but this is invitation-only rather than an open application. Multi-year partnerships are how we walk alongside an organization long enough to see lasting change take hold, and we extend these invitations directly to organizations we have come to know well, often after an initial Seed Grant or General Purpose Grant relationship.

Because we partner with organizations that carry strong governance and financial stability, we will ask to see evidence of that as part of your Letter of Inquiry or follow-up conversation — typically recent financial statements, your most recent Form 990, and information confirming your total annual revenue meets our $1 million minimum. We are not looking for perfection; we are looking for honesty, sound stewardship, and a clear picture of your organization’s financial health.

Yes. Because our giving is intentional and rooted in responsible stewardship, we ask grantees to report on how funds were used and what impact they had. Reporting expectations are set at the time of the award and are tailored to the size and term of the grant — a one-year General Purpose Grant will have a lighter reporting expectation than a Multi-Year General Grant, where ongoing updates are part of how we stay walking alongside you.

We ask grantees to acknowledge the Brian & Patricia Giese Foundation’s support in materials connected to the funded work. This is simply good stewardship, and it also helps other nonprofits and prospective partners understand the kind of work we are proud to invest in. In printed materials, annual reports, and digital communications, please include our logo or full name — sized in proportion to the share of your budget we fund — and link back to www.giesefoundation.org wherever possible. For events, workshops, and conferences connected to a funded program, include our logo or name in event materials and signage. On social media, acknowledge us as a funder of the work rather than a partner, co-creator, or sponsor. Once a grant is approved, we will share our full Acknowledgement Guidelines and downloadable logo files so your team has everything needed to get this right the first time and direct you to partner with our Marketing Director for all approval.

Yes. Once a grant is approved, we ask grantees to sign a Grant Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Brian & Patricia Giese Foundation. An MOU is a short, plain-language agreement that puts the details of your grant in writing before any funds are disbursed — the grant amount and payment schedule, what the funds are meant to support, how we would like to be recognized, and a few basic expectations around compliance, reporting, and how the partnership works day to day. It protects both organizations by making sure everyone starts from the same understanding, and it gives your team a single reference document to return to throughout the grant period. Every MOU is tailored to the size and nature of the grant, so a one-time Seed Grant will look simpler than a multi-grant sponsorship, but organizations can expect the same overall shape: purpose and amount, payment terms, recognition expectations, and a short set of shared responsibilities. We are glad to walk through a sample MOU with you once your grant is approved, so there are no surprises.

Once a grant is approved, we share our official Brand Guide and approved logo files directly with your team, and connect you with our Marketing Director as your point of contact for anything brand related. We ask that every use of the Brian & Patricia Giese Foundation’s name, logo, or likeness — in print, online, on event signage, or anywhere else — follow our Brand Guide, so our identity is represented consistently and respectfully across every partnership we are part of. Working directly with our Marketing Director also makes this easier on your end: rather than guessing at sizing, placement, or wording, you will have a direct line to get materials reviewed and approved quickly, and a real person to ask if anything is unclear.

Our work is shaped by three giving pathways — each a living expression of our four core principles: Faith First, the disciplined Partner with Nonprofits, Integrity Matters in every interaction, and an unwavering commitment to Community Investment.

Seed Grants

This is usually where we start. These are flexible, rolling grants — meaning there’s no fixed deadline, so you can apply any time — typically ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, designed for timely needs like fundraising events, pilot programs, and emerging opportunities.

Supports: youth and young adults’ education pathways, healthcare (including holistic and therapeutic care not covered by insurance), and arts & creative expression.

General Purpose Grants

This is our primary open-application pathway — the one most organizations apply through.

Supports: youth and young adults’ education pathways, healthcare (including holistic and therapeutic care not covered by insurance), and arts & creative expression.

We review applications twice a year, in June and October.

• Minimum request: $50,000
• Typical request range: $60,000–$250,000
• One-year term: funds are meant to be fully used within the grant year, rather than carried forward.
• One Letter of Inquiry per organization, per calendar year.

Multi-Year General Grants

Multi-year, invitation-only partnerships supporting youth and young adults’ education pathways, healthcare (including holistic and therapeutic care not covered by insurance), and arts & creative expression. Rather than an open application, the Brian & Patricia Giese Foundation directly identifies and invites high-potential organizations to begin this deeper, longer-term partnership.

Note: Seed Grants, General Grants, and Multi-Year General Grants may not be under review simultaneously.

“Brian & Patricia Giese Foundation invests in people with ideas that can change the world.”