Submission Guidelines for Grant Applications
Eligibility Requirements
Grant requests are considered only from organizations/agencies that have established their tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are not "private foundations" as defined under section 509(a) of the Code, or that have tax exemption as a governmental or other publicly-funded entity.
Grant requests are considered only from nonprofit organizations/agencies that have current registration with the offices of the Oregon State Attorney General and the Secretary of State.
Grants are made only for projects that directly educate the public on the responsible use of credit.
Grants are not made to specific individuals.
Policy Guidelines
· The Credit Association of the Pacific Northwest (CAP) affirms its commitment to equal opportunity for all persons regardless of race, color, religious belief, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability. It is our intent to make grants to nonprofit agencies that pursue these same values in their services and organization.
· CAP will consider only one grant request from the same organization in a twelve month period for a maximum amount of $20,000.
· The Foundation normally will not consider an additional grant request from an organization receiving a multi-year grant until twelve months following the final payment of the multi-year grant.
· Grants normally are not made for development office personnel, annual fund-raising activities, endowments, operational deficits, financial emergencies, or debt retirement.
Application Procedures
Applicants must submit a letter of intent to apply for CAP funds outlining the purpose and amount requested no later than 5:00pm on October 6, 2010. Letters are reviewed by the Board of Directors and selected organizations will be invited to submit a full application. Full applications are due no later than 5:00pm on November 12, 2010. Applications for grants must be mailed to CAP, and should be as brief as appropriate to present the necessary information listed in the application checklist below. Please submit 8 copies of the proposal narrative, and attachments, and the narrative must be formatted in 12-point font on numbered, single-sided pages.
Please print, complete, and include a single copy of the following checklist with your application.
Application Checklist
I. Cover letter
□ Cover letter signed by the chief executive officer or board president, verifying the accuracy of the proposal and authorizing the request to CAP. Include the email address and phone number for the chief executive officer and primary contact person for the grant request.
II. Executive summary
□ Executive summary (half page or less on a separate page) that includes a description of the project/program, the amount of the request, the period the grant will cover, the target population to be served, and proposed outcomes.
III. Proposal narrative
□ Brief overview of the applicant organization and its mission and history.
□ Description of the project/program, including:
· amount of the request
· starting date and timeline
· need for the project/program
· target population and the number of persons to be served
· goals and proposed outcomes
· proposed activities to meet the goals
· how success will be measured
IV. Project/program budget
□ Detailed project/program budget that groups revenue by source (e.g., earned income, contracts, foundation, government, corporate, individuals, in-kind) and expenses:
· indicate whether the proposed project/program is an addition to, or included in, the agency’s operating budget
· if this is a request for one part of a larger endeavor, also include the larger project budget
· for multi-year program grants, include a pro-forma budget for each year of the grant period, plus one year beyond
V. Current and projected contributed income
□ An itemized list of major donors, corporations, foundations, public, and local sources being approached to fund the project/program. Individual donations may be grouped as one category. Please include:
· amount of each request and its current status: planned (not yet submitted); pending (submitted and under review); or committed (pledged or in-hand)
· anticipated decision dates of pending foundation requests and other key sources
· total amount raised to date, including in-kind
· amount left to raise
□ Strategies to complete the fundraising.
VI. Sustainability
□ Plans to sustain the project/program beyond the grant period, if appropriate.
VII. Board list
□ Name, place of employment and job title, and relevant community affiliations for each current member of the board.
VIII. Organization information
□ Current operating budget.
□ Year-end financial statements from the last full fiscal year, and current year to date including:
· balance sheet (statement of financial position)
· itemized revenue and expense report (profit & loss statement)
Note: If the financial statements show an operating deficit, provide an explanation.
□ Audited financial statement for the most recent year available (if any), or most recent 990 IRS filing.
□ Verification of tax-exempt status
A nonprofit organization must provide a copy of its most recent determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service stating that the applicant is exempt from federal taxation as defined by Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code, and is a public charity (and not a private foundation) as defined by Section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. Applicants with a different name from that shown in the IRS letter must provide satisfactory documentation explaining the discrepancy.
· Grant requests are considered only from nonprofit organizations/agencies that have current registration with the offices of the Oregon State Attorney General and the Secretary of State.
· Nonprofit organizations demonstrating tax exempt status under a central organization must also provide a current certificate of membership.
· Governmental and publicly funded applicants must provide appropriate documentation of their tax exempt status.
IX. Attachments
□ Optional: Letters of support from key partners; pictures; program materials.
Please send applications to:
Mary Ann Gray
2705 E Burnside, Ste. 212,
Portland, OR 97214
Application Review
The CAP Board of Directors meets four times annually; January, April, July and October to make decisions on grant requests. CAP staff acknowledges each request received and informs eligible applicants of the date anticipated for consideration by the trustees. Once a request has been funded or declined, the applicant is notified promptly. Rarely is a grant decision deferred. When this occurs, however, the applicant is provided with an explanation and further instructions.
The grant review process begins after receiving a completed application. Applications must be received 2 months prior to each Board meeting to be considered. The submission of an incomplete grant proposal may cause delays in review and consideration of the request.
During the grant review period, CAP staff may request an interview or a site visit in order to gain more information about the agency and its proposal. Additional written material may also be requested. Throughout this time, applicants are encouraged to notify CAP of any changes in the status of the project under review, including its funding.
CAP endeavors to serve people throughout Oregon. Despite this commitment, CAP is unable to support every request received. Denial of a grant should not necessarily be considered a reflection on the quality of a project or the worthiness of its sponsor.
Grant Reporting
Every organization receiving a grant from The Credit Association of the Pacific Northwest has a responsibility to report on the use of the funds granted. Reporting guidelines are provided with each of the Foundation's grant awards and are available for review on the CAP website. Unless otherwise indicated at the time disbursement is made, reports are required annually until the entire grant has been expended. Failure to report as required could influence future grant decisions by the trustees.
For questions or comments, email: info@creditnw.org
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