Post Foundation Grant — Board Approval Brief¶
Prepared: 2026-09-10
For: Apex STEM Education Board of Directors
Grant: John A. and Margaret Post Foundation
Ask: $10,000
Deadline: October 1, 2026
Action required: Board vote to approve application and budget
Executive Summary¶
The John A. and Margaret Post Foundation application is ready for board approval. All grant materials have been finalized and fact-checked against repository sources. No invented statistics, placeholders, or unverified claims remain.
What's complete: - ✅ Application draft with repo-grounded facts (EIN, 501(c)(3) status, outcomes, mission) - ✅ Budget narrative ($10,000 across 5 line items) - ✅ Board approval one-pager - ✅ Optional letter of interest - ✅ Money packet infrastructure operational (bank account opened Sep 2026, Zeffy live)
What board must do: 1. Vote to approve the $10,000 application and budget (or request edits) 2. Treasurer confirms W-9, determination letter, and bank documentation are ready in Drive 3. Designate one submitter to complete the Wells Fargo online portal 4. Save confirmation email/PDF to Drive after submission
Application Facts Verification¶
All facts in the application drafts are sourced from the repository:
| Fact | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Legal name: Apex STEM Education Inc. | org_facts.md | ✅ Verified |
| EIN: 42-3121570 | org_facts.md, business plan | ✅ Verified |
| 501(c)(3) effective date: 2026-06-16 | formation_progress_notes.md | ✅ Verified |
| Mission statement | org_facts.md, business plan | ✅ Verified |
| Program: Ridge Racers NJ as program of Apex | org_facts.md, narrative_blocks.md | ✅ Verified |
| Outcomes: 3rd Nationals 2026, awards | org_facts.md | ✅ Verified |
| Student count: ~8–15 grades 6–12 | business plan KPIs | ✅ Verified |
| Geographic focus: Watchung Hills / Somerset-Union | org_facts.md, business plan | ✅ Verified |
| Bank account opened Sep 2026 | README, board_approval.md notes | ✅ Verified |
| Zeffy platform live | README, board_approval.md notes | ✅ Verified |
No TBD, [edit], [N], or placeholder markers remain in any draft.
Budget Breakdown ($10,000 ask)¶
| Line Item | Amount | Justification |
|---|---|---|
| Materials, spares, fabrication supplies, tools | $3,500 | Consumables and durable tooling for design–build cycle |
| Competition fees & registration | $2,000 | Regional and/or national entry fees |
| Pit display, printing, portfolios | $1,500 | Judged presentation materials and documentation |
| Student access (fee/travel aid scholarships) | $2,500 | Need-based support; no student PII in public reports |
| Contingency (≤5%) | $500 | Unforeseen materials, shipping, or last-minute needs |
| Total | $10,000 |
Source: Derived from business plan Year 1 budget (Section 9.2) and narrative_blocks.md templates. Conservative estimates based on actual 2026 National Finals experience.
Board action required: Approve budget lines as presented, or request modifications.
What Does NOT Need Board Action¶
The following are either complete or appropriately marked for future action:
Complete and operational:¶
- ✅ 501(c)(3) status — IRS determination letter received 2026-06-16 (effective date same)
- ✅ EIN — 42-3121570 assigned and confirmed
- ✅ Nonprofit bank account — opened September 2026
- ✅ Zeffy donation platform — live and operational
- ✅ Mission, program description, outcomes — all sourced from approved organizational documents
Appropriately marked for post-approval action:¶
- W-9 and determination letter in Drive — Treasurer to confirm location and readiness before submit
- Detailed vendor quotes — Noted as living in Drive (treasurer); not required in git
- Portal submission — Designated person completes after board approval
- Confirmation save — Submitter saves confirmation email/PDF to Drive
Remaining Blanks That Cannot Be Filled Without Board/User Input¶
None. All facts in the application are repo-grounded or appropriately deferred to treasurer/submitter post-approval actions.
Original placeholders resolved: - ~~Mission statement~~ → Canonical mission from org_facts.md - ~~EIN~~ → 42-3121570 - ~~501(c)(3) status~~ → IRS determination effective 2026-06-16 - ~~Program description~~ → Competitive STEM Racing (Ridge Racers NJ as program of Apex) - ~~Student count~~ → ~8–15 grades 6–12 (from business plan KPIs) - ~~Outcomes~~ → 3rd place Nationals 2026, Sustainability Award, Team Identity Award, NJ State Champions 2025 - ~~Ask amount~~ → $10,000 (stated in tracker.csv and opportunities.json) - ~~Budget lines~~ → Five categories with conservative estimates from business plan
Geography Note (Honest Disclosure)¶
The Post Foundation prioritizes northwest NJ and northeast PA organizations. Apex STEM Education is based in Watchung Hills / Somerset–Union County (central/north NJ), which is somewhat outside the core geographic focus.
How the application addresses this: - Acknowledges geography honestly in the draft - Emphasizes statewide youth STEM benefit - Notes NJ incorporation and education mission alignment - Keeps narrative concise (funder preference)
Board consideration: This geographic mismatch is a known risk factor. The application is strong on mission fit and outcomes, but approval is not guaranteed due to location.
Timeline and Next Steps¶
| Date | Action | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| By ~Sep 20 | Board votes to approve application and budget | Board |
| By ~Sep 20 | Treasurer confirms W-9, determination letter, bank docs ready | Treasurer |
| By ~Sep 25 | Board designates submitter for Wells Fargo portal | Board |
| By Oct 1 | Submitter completes online application on Wells Fargo site | Designated submitter |
| Oct 1 | Save confirmation email/PDF to Drive Apex STEM Education/Grants/ |
Submitter |
| Oct 1 | Update tracker.csv status to submitted |
Grant lead |
Board Vote Language (Suggested)¶
Motion: Approve submission of a $10,000 grant application to the John A. and Margaret Post Foundation for 2026–27 STEM Racing program support, as drafted in the application materials dated 2026-09-10, with Treasurer confirming readiness documentation before submission.
Vote: Yes / No / Yes with edits
Date: ___
Board member signatures/approval log: (per board's standard voting process)
Files for Board Review¶
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
| board_approval.md | Start here — 1-page summary for board vote |
| draft.md | Full application narrative and budget (paste into portal) |
| loi.md | Optional short letter of interest (if needed before full app) |
| README.md | Checklist and submission instructions |
| This file | Comprehensive brief listing all facts verified and remaining actions |
Questions or Concerns?¶
Grant lead: board@apexstem.org
Treasurer: treasurer@apexstem.org
Technical questions about repository sources: See org_facts.md, narrative_blocks.md, business plan
Prepared by: Cursor Cloud Agent (automated fact-checking and draft finalization)
Version: 1.0 · 2026-09-10
Status: Ready for board approval vote