Resources

Good afternoon, The Frey Foundation is in the process of reviewing our grant variance policies, including but not limited to no-cost extensions, changes of scope, additional/supplemental funding, or budget variances. Does anyone in the GEO community have examples of variance policies that they use within their grantmaking practice that they are willing to share? Regards,

Happy (Western Hemisphere) New Year everyone. I would love to hear from the PUBLIC Foundation community. Do you have any high-level language you include in the Terms of Reference for Board Directors that summarises their role in grantmaking decision-making or approvals? We are in the process of updating the role our Board plays in grantmaking decision-making. In parallel, we are working with an external organization to strengthen our capacity on meaningful youth engagement. The end result being a more youth inclusive grantmaking decision-making process. In the meantime (before the meaningful youth engagement piece of work is completed – not for another 7 months or so) we need to update some of our governance documents including BoD terms of reference. Hence, I am just looking for examples of generic language so as to not commit ourselves to anything too specific on grantmaking decision-making/approvals, but it is a HUGE motivator and reason why people want to support our organization and join our Board … so I need to mention something. Thanks everyone.

We are interested in revamping our application format and were interested in collecting samples. Does anyone in the GEO community have a blank application they could share as an example?  

We are reviewing our executive grant approval thresholds and would like to benchmark with other organizations. Currently our Vice President can approve grants up to $30,000; President $30,001-$250,000 and the board approves all grants beyond $250K. What do executive approval thresholds look like at your organization? Thanks, in advance, for sharing!

Hi everyone,   We are doing a little research to see if other foundations reimburse board directors for mileage to attend board meetings and other site visits, in addition to regular board compensation.

Hello Everyone! We're trying to understand how funders view fiscally sponsored projects. In particular: Do grantmakers avoid fiscally sponsored projects? If the sponsor of the project doesn't have a really snappy Guidestar listing and/or website, does this impact the grantmaker's perception of the sponsored project? If a sponsored project has been successful and is looking to grow, is it preferrable for them (in the eyes of a funder) to become a separate nonprofit? Any general recommendations for a fiscally sponsored project? Thanks so much for any shared insights!

I hope this message finds you well! My name is Maurice L. Speaks and I am the Project and Finance Coordinator for Program to Aid Citizen Enterprise (PACE). PACE is currently conducting research on grant programs that are focused on providing nonprofit organizations with funding specifically for professional development. I am reaching out to inquire if anyone is aware of any foundations or other grantmakers that run grant programs specifically focused on providing funding for professional development?

Do you offer either (a) planning grants to applicants before an intensive proposal process, and/or (b) declined applicants grants or honoraria for people/nonprofits who spent time applying to your foundation and then were declined?

I am interested in more information about the use of guided conversations to augment if not replace select reporting requirements. If you are using site visits or other informal communications to gather application or reporting information - I would greatly appreciate you sharing any specific tools you use or insights you have gained through the process

Oak is in the process of several grant-making improvement projects including developing a new grants management system, streamlining the grant-making process, and clarifying due diligence. As these projects are being developed, we would like to bring on a consultant who will help us envision and develop a harmonised and centralised resource that provides comprehensive instructions on how to make a grant. This resource should be simple, organised, easy to find information, and make good use of visuals to aid in understanding the process. Ideally, the consultant would also serve as a thought partner in developing the training of staff to launch the new resource.