Who Makes the Grant Decisions?
Foundation staff review proposals and conduct preliminary research, including site visits if necessary. The Foundation’s Community Programming Committee then considers requests and submits recommendations to the full Board of Governors for final approval. If your organization applies to our Letter of Intent process and the application is denied, you must wait 12 months from the date of the denial before applying to that same process again.
Who is Eligible to Receive a Grant from the Foundation?
The Foundation supports qualified nonprofit organizations primarily in the cities of Roanoke, Salem and Martinsville, and the counties of Roanoke, Botetourt, Craig, Henry, Patrick and Franklin.
What Projects and Programs Appeal to the Foundation?
The Foundation looks for projects and programs where a moderate amount of grant money can produce a significant result. We look for innovative but practical approaches to solving community problems. Grantees should show a well-planned approach to important public issues; a base of other support (financial, participatory and voluntary); efficient use of community resources; involvement of underserved constituencies; and coordination, cooperation and sharing among nonprofit organizations and elimination of project duplication.
What Does the Foundation Typically Not Support?
Foundation grants are usually awarded for the accomplishment of a definite purpose within a specified time period – normally not more than one year. The Foundation’s discretionary funds typically do not support deficit reduction, capital campaigns or endowments, fundraising events, sectarian, fraternal or religious programs, or individuals.
Does the Foundation Require Reports on Grants?
All grant recipients who received funds $15,000 and above will be required to submit a mid-year grant report. This report will share with the Foundation the progress being made on an organization’s project/program. A mid-year grant report deadline will be noted in the original award letter. Please make a note of this deadline as failure to submit by the deadline could impact future funding from the Foundation. Additionally, a site visit may be required if the Foundation should choose to conduct one.
To access the mid-year grant report, you must log into the Foundation’s online grants system here.
All grant recipients who receive funds through the Foundation’s competitive process MUST provide a final grant report. A Final Grant Report deadline will be noted in the original award letter and on the grant agreement that must be signed and returned to the Foundation. Failure to submit the grant report by the deadline could impact future funding from the Foundation.
The purpose of final grant report is:
- to help the Foundation better understand the organizations and programs we fund
- to give nonprofits an opportunity to share information and reflect upon the progress of their programs
- to ensure that the grant funds are being used for the propose as stated in the grant award letter
To access the final grant report, you must log into the Foundation’s online grants system here.
Questions?
If you have questions about mid-year or final grant reports please refer to your grant award letter for instructions. For all other questions please contact Michelle Eberly at michelle@cfwesternva.org.