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Common Good Funds Orientation Session What is a community foundation? Community foundations build and strengthen communities by making it possible for a wide range of donors to participate in creating permanent (and often named) funds to meet present and future needs.
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Common Good Funds Orientation Session
What is a community foundation? • Community foundations build and strengthen communities by making it possible for a wide range of donors to participate in creating permanent (and often named) funds to meet present and future needs. • The four roles of community foundations are: • Donor services provider • Grantmaker • Convener • Caretaker of resources
Mission The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta strengthens our region by providing quality services to donors and innovative leadership on community issues.
Connecting passion with purpose • 2008 estimates indicate the Foundation made grants close to $90 million • Types of funds at the Foundation: • Donor Advised • Designated • Common Good Funds • Community Initiatives • Local Funds • Scholarships • Supporting Organizations
Accessing the Foundation’s donors Donors are requesting information on nonprofits from staff with greater frequency Foundation is providing more communications about issues and nonprofits Foundation staff does not recommend organizations to donors unless requested Foundation will be posting information on grantees on our website to encourage
Philanthropic Framework Our Philanthropic Framework explains how we intend to have a greater impact on communities in our region. By connecting donors, nonprofits, community leaders and others, we will continue to address community needs through philanthropy.
Guiding Principles • We are a regional institution; therefore we understand and actively support communities throughout the 23 counties. • We value working with others; therefore we partner with people and institutions to strengthen our communities. • We value learning; therefore we dedicate time to research, discuss, study and reflect upon the most proven and promising practices and reports in our field. • We believe in the power of individuals to build community will; therefore we nurture and support effective leadership.
Guiding Principles • We value a strong nonprofit sector; therefore we support nonprofits to do innovative, impactful work. • We value quality service; therefore we openly listen and respond to our constituents with a readiness to adjust our approach. • We are an organization that values shared contributions; therefore we support an environment that encourages diversity of thought, teamwork, ethical conduct, transparency and trust.
Philanthropic Framework Goals
Engage our Community As philanthropists, people invest resources—financial, human and intellectual—individually and collectively to improve the well-being of our region. Philanthropists are knowledgeable and passionate about the issues affecting our community and the institutions addressing those issues.
Strengthen the Region’s Nonprofits A strong nonprofit region is a collaborative one made up of organizations that effectively manage operations and high-performing programs based on community need. This requires knowledgeable and capable staff, strong leadership, value for innovation, a clear vision and a plan.
Advance Public Will Individuals and institutions in the Atlanta region understand that the well-being of each community member is connected to that of every other. Community members address critical issues through accessible and collaborative debate, discussion, informed decision-making and targeted advocacy focused on public policy.
Practice Organizational Excellence The Community Foundation must build internal strength to have external community impact. This includes a financial focus on growing an endowment for the region as well as a staff and Board focus on supporting a diverse work environment that encourages learning, leadership and transparency.
How are the Common Good Funds changing? • During the coming years the Foundation will place emphasis on: • General Operating Support for Organizations • Nonprofit Effectiveness • Advancing Public Will • Innovation
What is the emphasis for 2009? General Operating Support – unrestricted dollars to support the day to day activities of nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit Effectiveness – providing resources for grantees’ professional and organizational development
Why focus on operating support? Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF)
Three grant cycles with Letter of Intent to Apply for Grant Funding deadlines on March 16, June 15 and September 14 An average of 12 grants per cycle Grants ranging $10,000 to $75,000 (no more than 10% of an organization’s annual operating budget) Grants spanning 12 or 24 months Changed eligibility criteria and activities not eligible for funding Shorter timeline and different review process What to expect from the Common Good Funds in 2009
Be located and providing services within the Foundation’s 23-county service area; all funds from Common Good Funds grants must be spent within the 23-county service area; Be classified by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under Section 501(c)(3) of the I.R.S. code as a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, donations to which are deductible as charitable contributions under Section 170 (c)(2) and the I.R.S. determination must be current; Be registered with the Georgia Secretary of State as a nonprofit; Eligibility Requirements To apply for a grant, you must…
Have a minimum two-year operating history after receiving its 501(c)(3) classification; Have an annual operating budget more than $100,000 and less than $15 million as reflected in the most recently filed I.R.S. Form 990; Have at least one full-time paid employee (paid minimum wage or more, working 2,080 hours or more) for at least 12 months prior to submitting a Letter of Intent (please note that contractors or consultants do not count toward this requirement); Eligibility Requirements To apply for a grant, you must…
Have a written strategic or business plan for the whole organization that includes measureable goals and methods to assess effectiveness; Have received funding from at least three different types of sources such as individuals, foundations, businesses, churches and government but excluding The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta; Have audited financial statements for the past two completed fiscal years for organizations with annual budgets over $250,000; must have financial statements reviewed by an independent, certified public accountant for the past two completed fiscal years for organizations with annual budgets between $100,000 and $249,999; Eligibility Requirements To apply for a grant, you must…
Have filed their final reports as specified in the grant contract if a former Common Good Funds grant recipient; Have a Board of Directors where all members donate cash or financially measureable in-kind contributions each fiscal year; Have a Board of Directors with representation from the community served and committee structure that ensures the necessary mix of skills to succeed Eligibility Requirements To apply for a grant, you must…
Operating expenses for private and publicly funded schools (K-12) and institutions of higher learning. This does not include nonprofit charter schools. Nonprofit organizations with annual budgets of less than $100,000 and greater than $15,000,000 Grants to individuals Organizations that have not filed end of grant reports for previous Common Good Funds grant Not eligible for funding
Fundraising and marketing events Religious services and education Endowment funds Capital Campaign contributions (for building construction or renovation) or use of funds to cover capital campaign feasibility studies or campaign implementation expenses. This does not include regular maintenance and capital improvements. Not eligible for funding
What is the new process? Organizations submit Letters of Intent to Apply for Grant Funding using the form on our website Foundation staff reviews all Letters of Intent and invites approximately 20-30 organizations to submit a Final Application Invited organizations submit Final Applications Foundation staff reviews all Final Applications and selects organizations to receive site visits Foundation staff members conduct site visits Funding recommendations are made to the Foundation’s Board of Directors and grants are awarded
Letter Of Intent (LOI) Drop-down menu
Letter Of Intent (LOI) Drop-down menus for the top three counties served
Date on which applicant’s fiscal year ENDS: ___ Letter Of Intent (LOI)
Describe the mission & summarize the history of the organization (1,000 characters) Letter Of Intent (LOI) Polite Society Association’s mission is to increase the level of cordiality among the members of our communities. Begun in 1991 by a group of local leaders in Somewherenice, GA the initial project was to decrease the level of impolite behavior among elderly members of local faith organizations. Incorporated as a nonprofit in 1992, PSA has worked tirelessly to reduce the rash of senior cliques promoting rudeness, to decrease the number of violent verbal outbursts during on-site congregate meals and to introduce new noncompetitive activities during community functions such as fairs, festivals and regularly held programming.
How did you arrive at the total amount requested? (500 characters) Letter Of Intent (LOI) PSA wants to expand its reach and in order to do so we need to increase our budget. To help us with fundraising, PSA will hire its first development director in 2009. The full cost of this position is $50,000 annually. We have raised $25,000 for two years and are requesting $25,000 per year for two years to help us establish this new position within our organization.
How will this funding strengthen the organization as a whole and its ability to address external community concerns? (1,000 characters) Letter Of Intent (LOI) Currently, our funding sources are not as diversified as we would like them to be. Given the state of the economy, we know it is in our best interest to connect with more individual donors. Your funding will help us increase the diversity of our sources of revenue and raise more dollars, which will in turn allow us to offer more programs to the community. Hiring a development director will also give our executive director more time to focus on the strategic direction of our organization.
Specify how the organization knows it is effective and why the Foundation should invest in it. (1,000 characters) Letter Of Intent (LOI) Follow up with congregations shows a 50% reduction in insulting language and impatient behaviors among congregants ages 70-80 after participating in PSA’s workshops. This last year alone, five new congregations have requested our workshops for their senior groups and several youth development organizations have asked to partner with us to develop a program aimed at youth groups. The Foundation should support us because we are the only organization in the metro area doing this kind of work. We enrich the lives of those we serve and build vibrant communities within and among congregations.
Terms & Conditions for Submitting a Letter of Intent The organization and the request meet eligibility guidelines. The applicant has reviewed the Common Good Funds Guidelines and both the organization and the request meet all of the eligibility guidelines. Download the Guidelines at www.cfgreateratlanta.org for more details; The organization has filed all End of Grant Reports with the Foundation’s Grants Administrator that are due on past grants. Contact Natasha Battle-Edwards, Grants Administrator, at 404-688-5525 with any questions about reports; The amount of grant funds requested in this proposal is between $10,000 and $75,000, the range of grant awards available from the Common Good Funds;
Terms & Conditions for Submitting a Letter of Intent To be considered, applicants must email the Letter of Intent to Apply for Grant Funding to CommonGood@cfgreateratlanta.org before 5:00 p.m. on the deadline day as published in the Common Good Funds Guidelines and elsewhere on the Foundation’s website. Letters of Intent that are received after that time will be declined as late; This Letter of Intent is part of an open competition. The Community Foundation anticipates receiving up to 200 Letters of Intent based on past experience. After reviewing all Letters of Intent, the Foundation will select up to 30 applicants for more in-depth review and will invite them to submit Final Applications. The Foundation makes its decision to select a proposal for more in-depth review based on the content of the LOI alone. Do not include any attachments;
Terms & Conditions for Submitting a Letter of Intent Organizations that are funded by the Common Good Funds cannot apply for additional funds from the Common Good Funds until they file an End of Grant Report. This rule applies to all of the organizations funded under the same 501(c)(3) number; Organizations that are declined may apply again by the next deadline, if they wish. Because of the high number of requests made at each deadline, the Foundation does not view applicants that have been declined in any adverse way. If an applicant is declined several times, that organization might contact the Foundation for more detailed feedback.
How will Letters of Intent be evaluated? Foundation staff will look for organizations that: Meet all eligibility criteria including having a current written strategic plan Have a clear vision of the organization’s role in making a difference in the community Demonstrate effectiveness through the investment of time and personnel in measuring and planning for success Demonstrate an ability to communicate concepts in an clear and efficient manner Foundation staff will also seek to request Final Applications from organizations situated throughout our 23-county region
Final Application Previous Applications Geared mostly toward programmatic funding Asked for attachments only of organizations getting site visits No written questions on organizational finances or governance New Final Application General operating support Asks for attachments of all organizations completing the Final Application Covers all aspects of an organization/whole enterprise
Final Application Section 1: Organizational Overview Provides general information about the organization through questions about strategic planning, management consulting, technology, marketing and partnerships Sample question: How does the organization evaluate its effectiveness and efficiency? How is this information used for planning?
Final Application Section 2: Human Resources Provides basic information on the organization’s staff Sample question:
Final Application Section 3: Mission-Related Activities Gives applicants the opportunity to discuss mission-related activities such as programs and services and includes questions on population served Sample question: In what ways do the organization’s mission-related activities have impact on its constituents and community?
Final Application Section 4: Governance Provides a snapshot of the organization’s board of directors’ role Sample question: How do individual board members fulfill their strategic role regarding leadership, finances, etc.? Include the number and percentage of board members who contributed financially from their own funds or made financially measurable in-kind contributions in the last completed fiscal year.
Final Application Section 5: Public Will & Policy Asks basic questions regarding the organization’s involvement in public policy activities Question: How does the organization partner with stakeholders and/or organizations to promote mission-related activities that address civic issues and public policies? Does the organization have one or more persons who have responsibility for government relations or public policy? If yes, identify them and describe their role(s).
Final Application Section 6: Financial Information Asks a variety of questions related to the organization’s financial state and infrastructure Sample question: How is the organization adapting to the current economic climate?
Final Application Section 7: What Else? Limited space for applicants to clarify any information regarding a prior answer or attachment.
Final Application: Attachments Organizational chart showing titles and personnel Brief biographies of senior management staff Board Information Form (document you download from our website) Summary of current strategic plan Summary of current resource development plan Annual report (1 copy if available) Current FY operating budget Most current YTD Profit & Loss statement Most current Balance Sheet Most recent financial report as presented to the board Two most recent audited or reviewed financial statements as dictated by budget size List of nongovernmental sources of revenue of $25,000 or more for the organization’s current FY
