Frequently Asked Questions About Grants
[A]
How can my organization receive a grant from the Community
Foundation?
[B]
Are there things that the Community Foundation does
not fund?
[C]
Where do I start? Whom should I contact?
[D]
Are there specific forms I need and where do I get
them?
[E]
Is there a limit to the number of grants I can apply for in any given year?
[F]
If my organization receives a grant this year, may we apply for additional funding next year?
[G]
I am thinking about starting up a new nonprofit. Does the Community Foundation provide support for startup costs?
[H]
How does the Community Foundation determine which proposals
to fund and who decides?
[I]
How and when will I know whether or not our proposal
has been funded?
[J]
What is the Community Foundation and from where does
the grant money come?
[A]
How can my organization receive a grant from
the Community Foundation?
The Community Foundation has established grantmaking programs
that are available on a competitive basis to incorporated, charitable
501(c)(3) organizations serving Sonoma County (applicants for grants from the Healdsburg Area Affiliate do not need to be incorporated). Each grantmaking program has its
own specific criteria that are used to evaluate applications. If your
organization has an existing service or activity (or wants to start a
new service) that fits within one of our grant programs, you can apply
for a grant. Your proposal will be judged
based on our review criteria and in comparison with
other proposals we receive. Those proposals which best meet the criteria
for the grant program being applied to are selected for funding.
>back to top
[B]
Are there
things that the Community Foundation does not fund?
The Community Foundation generally does not fund competitive grant applications
involving:
• Annual fund campaigns, fundraising events or debt retirement.
• Capital campaigns.
• Conferences or one-time events.
•
Grants (or loans)
to individuals, except academic scholarships.
•
Grants to primary
and secondary schools or to their academic foundations, except through grants from the Healdsburg Area Affiliate.
•
Political purposes or religious purposes (or programs requiring religious participation).
•
Projects submitted by departments of local government or which are normally within the domain of municipal government responsibility.
•
Projects that serve primarily residents outside of Sonoma County.
•
Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin,
ancestry, citizenship, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability or any other
characteristic protected by law.
>back to top
[C] Where
do I start? Is there someone I can speak with?
The Community Foundation welcomes and strongly encourages contact by organizations
serving Sonoma County. All organizations considering applying for a grant
should contact our Vice President Programs, Robert Judd,
at 579-4073 x 15, to discuss your proposal and how it fits the criteria for the
grant cycle you are considering.
We are happy to clarify and respond to questions you have concerning polices,
guidelines or application procedures. We do not, however, offer advice
on how to write your application or assist with developing proposals or
help you select a project to apply for. The days immediately prior to
grant deadlines are always busy; please do not wait until the last minute
to call.
Before you call, we encourage you to take a few minutes to look over our grant program descriptions.
•
Can
you find a grantmaking program that seems like a good match for what you
want to do?
•
Does the timing of the grant program you’re interested in fit with
the time period for which you need funding?
•
Do your project expenditures include items the Community Foundation does
not fund (see item B above)?
•
Do you feel confident that you know how to submit an application?
After reviewing
these guidelines and thinking about how your idea fits with the Community
Foundation’s criteria, make a list of any questions you have and
call our Vice President Programs, Robert Judd,
at 579-4073 ext 15.
>back to top
[D] Are there
specific forms I need and where do I get them?
Applicant organizations must use the Community Foundation’s grant
application materials. Application materials for all grant programs may be
obtained at the Grant Application Materials
section.
>back to top
[E]
Is there a limit to the number of grants I can apply for in any given year?
You are free to apply to each grant program, so long as you meet our grant criteria. Generally, you may submit only one application per grant program per year. However, multiservice organizations (those that have distinct program departments serving different fields) may submit multiple applications if approved by the Vice President
Programs. Contact Robert Judd at 579-4073 x 15.
>back to top
[F]
If my organization receives a grant this year, may we apply for additional funding next year?
Yes. While we are not yet able to give multi-year grants, it is perfectly acceptable to reapply for additional years of support.
>back to top
[G]
I am thinking about starting up a new nonprofit. Does the Community Foundation provide support for startup costs?
The Community Foundation's mailing list of nonprofits runs between 400 and 500 separate organizations. Chances are very good that an existing organization already addresses the area you want to serve and could provide you with a capable partner to accomplish your objectives. Starting a new nonprofit is neither quick nor easy and the competition for local funds is very daunting. We encourage you to be open to working with existing nonprofits and we are happy to talk with you about potential partners.
>back to top
[H] How does
the Community Foundation determine which proposals to fund and who decides?
A number of factors are weighed in selecting grant proposals for funding. Click here to see a list of grant review criteria.
Some of the more important criteria are:
•
how well
the proposal addresses the guidelines for the grant program being applied
to;
•
the capacity
of the organization to deliver the outcomes described in their proposal;
•
the clarity
of the proposal; and
•
the significance
of the issue/population/need addressed by the proposal.
The first review of applications is done by the Vice President Programs to ensure
that proposals are complete and submitted by eligible organizations. Letters
of intent are reviewed by Community Foundation staff, with input from
the Distribution Committee. The Distribution Committee, which is composed
of community volunteers and members of the Community Foundation’s
board of directors, evaluates all applications for Ending Family Homelessness
Grants and
grants in the Arts, Education, Environment, and Health/Human Services. The
Committee makes recommendations to the foundation’s full board,
which makes funding decisions. The board has delegated decision
making responsibility for Basic Human Needs Grants
to a small staff/board group, in order to make the review process
for smaller grants more responsive.
>back to top
[I] How and
when will I know whether or not our proposal has been funded?
All Letters Of Intent and all applications are acknowledged by a letter
stating when the proposal will be reviewed and when you can expect to
hear a decision. Once decisions are made, letters of award or decline
are sent immediately.
>back to top
[J] What is
the Community Foundation and from where does the grant money come?
Founded in 1983 by a group of leading citizens who wanted to ensure a
permanent source of funds for local charitable organizations, the Community Foundation
is one of more than 600 community foundations
in the nation, and part of a national philanthropic movement that began in 1914.
The Community Foundation is a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation.
All community foundations share certain traits:
- a mission to enrich the quality of life in the community they serve;
- a focus on developing a permanent charitable endowment to benefit their community's changing needs;
- a range of philanthropic services for donors with varied charitable interests and ways of giving; and
- accountability to the public.
For
more information, please contact Robert
Judd at the Community Foundation at 707/579-4073 x 15.
|
