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Frequently Asked Questions Do you have a general question about the Francis Family Foundation? This area is meant to provide responses to some commonly asked questions about the foundation and its programs. This list will continue to be updated as additional questions arise, so please check back. Q – Are there changes to the 2008 application forms and required attachments compared to last year? Q – Are there changes to the 2008 application forms and required attachments compared to last year?A – Yes. The order of questions has changed to focus on planned results first, followed by implementation plans and past customers served. Applicants with an up-to-date DonorEdgeSM profile through the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation may skip the Background Information Attachment form. Rather than requesting an IRS letter of determination and Form 990 as attachments, the Foundation staff will check DonorEdge, GuideStar, or the IRS database on the Internet. A budget attachment is required for Arts & Culture and Lifelong Learning applications. An up-to-date DonorEdge profile should reflect the following by the time the application is submitted:
If the organization is not listed on DonorEdge or profile is not current, download, complete and save the Background Information Attachment Form (available in the online application) and electronically attach it before submittal. Q – Is there anything special I have to do to apply online?A – Yes.
Q – Do I have to "sign-up" for an online grant application account when prompted?A – Yes. Once an account has been established, leave the grant application in a partially finished state and return to it later. An automatic e-mail will be sent (see note above about spam-blocking software) with a link to the unfinished application. The link is: https://www.grantrequest.com/SID_531. The application may be edited at any time before final submission. A paper form may be printed. Q – The application seems longer; does the Foundation want more narrative information? And, do you have any advice on completing the application?A – Concise information is needed to answer the questions. Applicants should review any summarized data the organization has collected about people served in the past and evaluation results. In addition, planned benchmarks of success from the strategic plan and program work plans would also be good resources. Use numbers, percentages and specific time frames, where requested, rather than flowery, non-specific language. If possible, cite comparisons to national and regional information for the specific sector. Q – Can we change or delete our application after we submit it?A – The application may be edited as much as necessary while it is still in the pending stage. The information entered in the pending application is password-protected and held private until submitted. Establish an account and submit the application no more than a month before the due date. Once the application is completed and submitted, no changes may be made. After this point, only Foundation staff has access to the application. If the application was submitted in error, please e-mail or call. It can be removed from the system. Q – Is our information private? Will you share or sell your data to anyone?A – The information entered in the pending application is password-protected and held private until submitted. The Foundation does not share or sell data. The Foundation complies with IRS disclosure rules concerning grant awards as reported on the annual 990-PF. Q – What kind of support does the Foundation provide?A – The Foundation supports qualifying nonprofit organizations through grants for:
Q – Does the Foundation make “lead gifts” to campaigns for capital projects?A – Not usually. The Foundation prefers to be involved once half or more of the fundraising goal is committed. Q – Can we submit more than one application at a time?A – The Foundation will typically only consider one application from an organization in a grant cycle. Q – If our organization received a grant in the past, when can we apply for another?A – The Foundation will consider a new request each calendar year. The new application will only be considered if the organization is up-to-date on scheduled reports or other requirements from any previous grant(s). Q – Are there parameters for how much money I should request?A – There is no dollar limits for requests, but typically, grant awards range from $2,000 to $50,000 (not including capital campaigns). The Board looks favorably on organizations that demonstrate broad community support and sound fiscal management. General operating support requests should be in line with contributions from other foundations. Program requests typically should have a mix of funding sources to support the program budget (i.e., the request to the Foundation should be a reasonable percentage of the total annual program budget). The need for administrative overhead is recognized and it is appropriate to include a percentage of administrative overhead costs in the total program budget. An annual program budget form is now available. Applicants are encouraged to have requests out to other funding sources at the same time. Q – If my organization is awarded a grant will we need to submit reports and when will payment be made?A – Annual grant reports are required (approximately eight months after payment), and interim reports are sometimes requested. The grant reports show actual measurable results compared to the proposed information in the original application. In general, grant payments are made at the time of award. Q – Is there someone I can talk to at the Foundation to see if our organization or program would qualify or if I have questions?A – Yes. Program Officer Lyn Knox will be happy to answer any questions. Your time is valuable and a phone call is appropriate before beginning an application. Lyn is available by phone throughout the application process at 816-531-0077.
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