The Foundation encourages collaborative efforts with broad community support, as well as projects arising from the vision of one organization's strong leadership. If a collaborative project, the lead institution must be identified and all members must meet the Foundation's eligibility requirements. Eligible Institutions Organizations headquartered in Southern California, including accredited universities and colleges National organizations with an independent affiliate in Southern California, operating strictly for the benefit of the Southern California community Organizations Ineligible for Funding Those that are headquartered outside Southern California National organizations that do not have an independent affiliate in Southern California, operated strictly for the benefit of the Southern California community Those that are not recipients of a permanent, tax-exempt ruling determination from the U.S. government and (if located in California) the State of California Those that cannot provide current full, certified, audited financial statements prepared on an annual basis Private foundations as defined in IRS Section 509(a) or 170(b), or public charities that are not classified under IRS Section 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2) "Conduit" organizations, unified funds, or organizations using grant funds from donors to support other organizations or individuals Organizational Criteria Exemplary institutions and organizations with a history of achievement and effective management Institutions and organizations whose financial condition is strong, as demonstrated by their current full, certified, audited financial statements prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles Programmatic Criteria Projects for which one or more of the following applies: address significant issues and problems in the areas of arts and culture, civic and community service, early learning, health care, or precollegiate education are innovative and distinctive are transformative rather than incremental have the potential to create a significant and long-lasting impact for the target population, region and/or field focus on children who are from low-income families, have special needs and/or are in the foster care system have strong institutional support, thorough planning and excellent leadership demonstrate that other funding sources are utilized to the fullest extent possible and that private philanthropy generally, and the W.M. Keck Foundation in particular, is essential to the project's success early learning projects must have a strong educational focus and significant parental involvement and must serve children ages birth to five years living in Los Angeles County Projects Ineligible for Funding Routine institutional or general operating expenses, general endowments, deficit reduction, or general or administrative overhead expenses General and federated campaigns, including fundraising events, dinners or mass mailings Grants to individuals Conference or seminar sponsorship Book publication and film or theater productions Public policy research or activity of any kind Projects to be undertaken outside Southern California Projects requesting a grant of over $1 million, other than special projects initiated by the Foundation