PROGRAM FUND 2014 GUIDELINES

Purpose and Eligibility: The Program Fund supports new, innovative programs and sustains current and/or ongoing programs that impact the quality of life in Linn County, Iowa.  Multiple organizations may submit a joint application for a collaborative project. Contact a program officer to discuss.  This fund is intended to target the programmatic work of an organization and is not intended to assist with capital infrastructure projects (bricks and mortar), but may be used for historic preservation projects that aim to restore cultural and natural resources.  Awards are not intended to replace public dollars, but may be used to supplement public funding for specific initiatives.  The Community Foundation accepts applications from nonprofit organizations with a 501c3 status, governmental organizations, and non-501c3 organizations that have completed arrangements to obtain a fiscal sponsor.

Deadlines for 2014: February 14, June 16, October 15 at 4:30 p.m.

Ineligible Activities:  Fundraising events and activities  Re-granting funds to other nonprofits  Scholarships for primary and secondary education and post-secondary degree programs  Expenses that have occurred or will occur during the grant review process

Low Priority Activities:  Travel out of the region

Maximum Request Amount and Duration of Grant: $60,000 (maximum of $30,000 in any given year). Grants can be multi-year grants up to three years. The Grant Opportunity Chart outlines typical award ranges and durations which vary based on organization budget and organization age.  The Community Foundation does not generally fund more than 20% of an organization’s budget. Some exceptions are made for small organizations such as start-up situations and volunteer-driven organizations.  Multi-year funding is typically intended for on-going, successful programs.  Organizations that are testing substantially new ideas are encouraged to seek support for one year and re-apply based on results. New initiatives are typically not awarded more than $15,000.  Organizations may receive up to $50,000 in Community Foundation grant payments in one calendar year from any combination of the Program Fund, Organizational Development Fund, Endowment Challenge Fund, Linn County Fund and President’s Fund grants. For the purpose of this total, an Endowment Challenge Fund is considered a one-year, $25,000 grant.

p. 1 4.29.2014 Frequency of Application: Organizations may have no more than two active grants from the Program, Organizational Development or Endowment Challenge Funds at any given time.

How to Apply:  Request Grant Portal Access (for first-time applicants only) In order to complete the online application process, nonprofits must select one person to act as the grant administrator for the organization. The grant administrator will have access to the grant portal to submit online applications, check the status of applications, review grant histories and submit final reports. To request a grant administrator, the organization leader (president, CEO, executive director or board president) must send an email to [email protected] with the first and last name, title and email address of the appointed person. Within two business days, the Grant team will email both the grant administrator and the organizational leader with a username and password. Note: Organizations will not have access to the online application portal until they have received this username and password.  Login and Complete the Online Grant Application o To login, go to www.gcrcf.org and click User Login found in the upper right corner. o We encourage you to complete the application in this document before logging in to the grant portal. o The online application portal is open one month before the grant deadline. o If you need assistance, please feel free to contact the Grant team at 319.774.2370 or [email protected]. Please be advised to begin the application process early. The Grant team is happy to provide assistance but may have limited capacity for technical assistance on the day of the deadline. o In the grant portal: . Note: The “Organization Snapshot” should be updated as information changes and reviewed for accuracy at least once per year. . Applications must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on the day of the deadline. Please note the time stamp on the application PDF is Eastern Time, however, the deadline is calculated as Central Time.

Application Checklist: Information Online Application Required Uploads  Organization Snapshot (including Board List) X  Proposal Narrative X  Project Budget (form provided) X

 Organization Budget (Fiscal year, 2-page maximum) X (Governmental applicants should use department budget)  Financial Analysis (form provided) X (Not required from Governmental or non-501c3 applicants) Not required from Governmental or non-501c3 applicants  List of Agency Certifications or Affiliations (that may be Optional relevant to the request)  Budget Narrative (explaining unusual or uncommon Optional circumstances, 1-page maximum)  Letters of Support (3 maximum, useful for newer projects and Optional as evidence of collaborative activities)  Signed Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement For non-501c3 organizations- contact program officer for document p. 2 4.29.2014 Questions? Contact: Elizabeth Cwik, Program Officer, at [email protected] or at 319.774.2372.

p. 3 4.29.2014 PROGRAM FUND 2014 APPLICATION QUESTIONS

Please use the following worksheet to prepare your application. Verify character counts and correct spelling and grammar before inserting answers in the online application. (Note: All character counts INCLUDE spaces.) Users are encouraged to copy responses to the online portal from the worksheet below. You may not copy and paste from a PDF or from a formatted table.

Organization Snapshot: Please note: This snapshot will be available to all Community Foundation fund holders. Mission statement: (500 character limit) Brief organizational history: (900 character limit) Describe target population: (250 character limit) Briefly describe key programs: (1,500 character limit) Number of paid employees: What is the total dollar amount of the current fiscal year organizational budget? Describe volunteer support within organization: (250 character limit) What year did your organization receive your IRS 501c3 letter of determination? List Board of Director names and professional roles: (Do not copy and paste from a PDF or from a formatted table).

Pre-Qualifying Questions: Please select which grant program you are applying for: Program Grant Fund or Competitive Donor-Advisor Grant Charitable status: 501c3, governmental agency, requires fiscal sponsor Will your project/program serve Linn County, Iowa? We have read and understand the typical grant amounts and duration as it pertains to our organization and this project.

Section 1: Proposal Summary Organization (Legal) name: (This will auto-populate from snapshot. This field will only show the original legal name at this time). Proposal title: Proposal summary: (purpose of requested funds) (900 character limit) Total Project Budget inclusive of all funding: Total dollar amount requested from the Program Fund: Dollar amount requested in Year 1: Dollar amount requested in Year 2 (if applicable): p. 4 4.29.2014 Dollar amount requested in Year 3 (if applicable):

Section 2: Organization Overview All of these fields are auto-populated based on information in the Organization Snapshot. You may amend the content of the following fields for the purposes of this application. Mission statement: (500 character limit) Brief organizational history: (900 character limit) Describe target population: (250 character limit) Briefly describe key programs: (1500 character limit) Number of paid employees: What is the total dollar amount of the current fiscal year organizational budget? Describe volunteer support within organization: (250 character limit) What year did your organization receive your IRS 501c3 letter of determination? (not auto-populated) List Board of Director names and professional roles: (Information in a table format will not copy successfully into the online application).

Section 3: Proposal Details Detail the proposal. Include a description of the activities to implement the project. (2000 character limit) Outline the relevant timelines for this project: (1000 character limit) Is it possible to provide the number of unduplicated individuals this effort will impact? Please provide the number of unduplicated individuals. Please explain: (500 character limit) (An unduplicated calculation counts each individual one time regardless of the number of activities the person may have accessed.) Describe the use of staff and volunteers for this project (are these new or expanded roles?). (900 character limit)

Section 4: Project Development For existing program components: Describe how the program has changed or developed over time and what led to the changes. (1500 character limit) For new program components: Explain how this was developed, and why this will be a successful program. (1500 character limit) Please explain the assumptions and rational used. (1000 character limit) (Assumptions and rationale may include data collection, research regarding best practices or evidence from similar programs operating in other communities.) What would be the impact of a grant award that is less than your requested amount? More? (1500character limit)

Section 5: Community Landscape Summarize underlying community circumstances/opportunities. How will your work respond to or influence these circumstances? (2000 character limit) Compare this project to similar work in the community. What distinguishes the proposed effort? (1500 character limit) Describe any collaborative partnerships supporting this project, if applicable: (1500 character limit) p. 5 4.29.2014 Section 6: Objectives Provide your program/project objective(s), the action that will be taken to reach this objective, how this action will be evaluated, and how you will know if the results are successful. Please be specific and measurable. A minimum of one objective is required, and you may add others as needed to fully articulate the purposes of your project/ program. For each objective: Please click the "Add" link to add a new objective table. Objective 1: (150 character limit) Action: (300 character limit) Evaluation method: (300 character limit) Description of desired results: (300 character limit)

Section 7: Organization Contact Info This will auto populate from the Organization Contact Information in our system. Tax ID:

Name of organization primary contact: This is the Executive Director, Board Chairperson or organization President

Address information:

Website address:

Organization phone number:

Organization fax:

Additional questions include:

Primary Contact Organizational Role: This is the Executive Director, Board Chairperson or organization President

Primary contact phone and extension:

Primary contact email:

Section 8: Submission Information & Signature Who should we contact with questions regarding this specific application? Application contact’s organizational role: Application contact’s phone and extension: Application contact’s email: Submitter’s name/Electronic Submission Authorization Submitter’s organizational role:

p. 6 4.29.2014 To Complete the Application:

AFTER the online application narrative has been submitted, the application moves from Application in Process to Submitted Application Narratives.

The following documents are required to complete the application:  Project budget (form provided is required)  Organization budget  Completed financial analysis form (Community Foundation template required)

Financial Document templates are found within each funding opportunity page at gcrcf.org

To upload the documents, go to Submitted Application Narratives, find the appropriate application and choose “Details.” In the next screen, choose “Details” again to upload the appropriate document.

p. 7 4.29.2014 PROGRAM FUND 2014 SCORING CRITERIA

A strong application will show that the organization addresses the criteria below in relation to the soundness of the proposal, the readiness of the organization to undertake this activity and measurable impact given the organization's size and longevity.

Project Plan and Evaluation (50 point maximum) Consider the quality and potential impact of the proposal, an appropriate match between the project activities and the stated goals, as well as the likelihood of success. • Activities and timeline are clear and achievable • Service quality and accessibility are competitive with similar efforts • Best practices cited, local data provided • Outcomes are significant and measurable

Community Value (20 point maximum) Consider how the proposal relates to current community conditions. Does this project provide appropriate value to the right geographic area and is this the right timing for the project? • Proposed activities address current conditions and opportunities • Proposal fills a unique niche or is synergistic with other programs • Effort deepens, broadens or diversifies organization's mission, program offerings or audience (when appropriate)

Organizational Capacity (20 point maximum) Does the organization have the internal structure, staffing and skills necessary to implement and sustain the effort? • Proposal clearly communicates internal workings of the program • Initiative utilizes existing skills within the organization • Volunteers or collaborative partnerships leverage dollars, provide expertise or expand programming (when appropriate)

Budget and Ratios (10 point maximum) • Budget is calculated correctly, is adequate and realistic • Service delivery costs are reasonable • Organization is financially stable

Based on today's score and given unlimited resources, would you fund this project?

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