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Click on one of the categories below to find the FAQ you're looking for...
Before Applying
Timing
Proposal Components
During the Process
Special Circumstances
Can I meet with a program officer in person before submitting a grant? If not, why not?
Due to the sheer volume of proposals it is not possible for staff to meet individually with each organization. However, program officers are available to meet with you at various times throughout the year. The Denver Foundation offers events and opportunities to meet with Program Officers during monthly office hours. Please feel free to visit The Denver Foundation’s website or call the Foundation for details.
Can I send a letter of intent or a one-page synopsis and have you tell me if I should apply?
No. All organizations that meet the guidelines and priorities of the Community Grants Program may apply. If you have a question about whether or not your organization meets proposal guidelines, please feel free to call us. The Foundation does not, however, issue opinions about prospective proposals in advance of the formal review process.
What size grants does the Foundation generally make? How much money should I request?
The average grant size is $13,000 -$16,000. The range of grants made is $5,000 to $30,000. Please keep this in mind when considering your grant request. The Foundation never makes grants for more than is requested and it is common for grant awards to be less than is requested. Many factors are considered when deciding what level of funding to award. In addition to the Foundation’s average grant size, some things for you to consider about your request size might be:
> How well does the request meet the “Key Factors We Consider” and the Foundation’s funding priorities?
> What percentage is this request of the total budget?
> Is this a first time request or does the organization have an established relationship with the Foundation?
> How does the organization rate in regard to sound fiscal management, diversified funding, and solid, well-evaluated programs?
What kinds of organizations or projects won’t The Denver Foundation fund?
We strive to be very specific about what we do not fund. There is a section devoted to this in our Community Grants Program Guidelines, titled “What We Do Not Fund.” Please read this carefully and if you have any questions, contact the Grants Manager.
Do you prefer to fund general operating or program requests?
We fund two types of requests, general operating and program/project. The vast majority of our grants are for general operating support, and the remainder are for program support. Please note: we no longer fund capital requests.
Do you give grants to organizations outside of Denver?
The Denver Foundation funds organizations that serve residents of the Denver metro area – Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson Counties. We will consider requests from organizations based outside of the Denver metro area as long as the program or project serves residents in one or several of the seven counties listed above. If your organization provides services statewide or nationally, your proposal must address how the requested funding will be limited to the seven counties listed above.
Does receiving a grant from another program of The Denver Foundation affect the likelihood that I will receive a grant from the Community Grants Program?
No. Receiving funding from one program of The Denver Foundation does not necessarily affect your chances of receiving a grant from the Community Grants Program.
What are the deadlines for grant proposals? Is it really 5:00 p.m.?
There are three deadline dates each year for grant proposals: the first business day of February, June, and October. Proposals must be received in our office by 5:00 p.m. on the deadline date. In order to be fair to all applicants, the deadline dates and times are firm and non-negotiable. Late proposals will not be accepted, regardless of the reason for the delay.
Is there a better chance of getting a grant if I apply on one deadline date versus another?
We would love to know the answer to this question! We have been tracking this for several years, and there is no way to predict the number that will be received, nor is there a “low” or “high” deadline. The number of proposals received at any one deadline ranges from 130 to over 200. There is also great variation in the categories of proposals we get – one cycle we might have a very large number of proposals in the Arts & Culture area, the next cycle it might be lower than average in Arts & Culture. If you have applied previously, you may have to wait before you can apply again, so please check with the Grants Manager if you have any questions about timing.
How often can we apply to the Foundation?
An organization may receive funding from the Community Grants Program once in a 12-month period. In other words, if you receive a grant from an application submitted for the June deadline, the earliest you can reapply is June of the following year. The Foundation also has a policy of only funding an organization for three consecutive years.
We’ve been declined in the past; it is better to wait a few years before re-applying?
Not necessarily. Proposals are declined for various reasons. We’re only able to fund about 50-60% of proposals that we receive, based on both the human and financial resources available to the Foundation. Some proposals are declined early in the process -- usually because they don’t meet the “Key Factors We Consider” and the Foundation’s funding priorities, or they are not as strong as other proposals received in the same category. At another deadline, that proposal may be more competitive. Proposals that go through the entire review process, including a site visit, are declined for specific reasons and we strive to give the organization as much feedback as possible on this type of declination. If an organization successfully addresses the issues specified in the declination, it may have a successful proposal when eligible to reapply.
How does the “3-year rule” work?
We believe nonprofits benefit from a diverse funding base and we want to provide the opportunity for new organizations to receive grants. Therefore, The Denver Foundation has a three-year rule. If an organization has been funded for three consecutive years, it must wait one full calendar year before re-applying. For example, if an organization received its third consecutive year of funding for a proposal submitted in February 2008, the organization cannot reapply until February 2010. If you have a question about your eligibility to apply in relation to the “3-year rule” please check your previous Grant Rationale or contact the Grants Manager before you complete your grant proposal.
Does getting grants from other funds of The Denver Foundation, including donor advised funds, affect the 3-year rule?
This rule only applies to grants from the Community Grants Program. Grants from any other fund(s) of The Denver Foundation are not taken into account in calculating the three-year rule.
Do you need multiple copies of the proposal; should they be bound?
We need only one copy of your proposal. Use a standard 12 point or larger font (such as Times New Roman). As we create a digital copy of all proposals submitted, please:
> Submit all materials printed single-sided on 8 ½ x 11 paper. Please reduce any oversized or legal sized pages to 8 ½ x 11 size. Be sure to double check your audit for odd-sized and double sided pages.
> Do not use three-ring binders, staples, or any binding on any materials (including audits).
> Submit all loose materials in a single large envelope.
> Do not use sticky notes to flag sections of your proposal.
> Put all attachments on separate pages, and please label them following the checklist in the grant guidelines.
Can we submit a proposal with just a few items missing and get those items to you after the deadline?
No. We require that applications be complete and submitted to us by 5:00 pm of the deadline day. We will consider a proposal that is missing one or more items incomplete and it will be withdrawn from consideration. If your organization is missing one or more of the required attachments or is unable to provide them by the grant deadline, then it would be better for you to wait until the next deadline and submit a complete proposal.
Do we need to have an anti-discrimination policy? What if we do not include every category identified by TDF in its own policy? How do you interpret/apply your non-discrimination requirement?
The Denver Foundation is strongly committed to funding organizations that are inclusive. The Foundation requires every applicant to the Community Grants Program to submit its board-approved anti-discrimination statement/policy. If these policies do not include every category identified in The Denver Foundation’s anti-discrimination policy, we will discuss this with the organization at the site visit. In addition, when one or more categories are not included, the Foundation will recommend the agency review its anti-discrimination policy to make it more inclusive.
How can we check on the status of our grant proposal?
All proposals receive a preliminary review for basic requirements. About a month after the deadline, you will receive a letter or a phone call informing you of the status of your application. We are extremely busy during this period of time and appreciate your willingness to wait until you hear from us.
How long does it take to get a grant? Why does it take so long?
It takes about 4 ½ months from the day of the deadline to receive notification. We have a very thorough review process including input from community advisors and members of our Board of Trustees.
Is it an advantage to know a trustee, and advisory committee member, or someone who works for TDF when submitting a grant?
Knowing a trustee, staff member, or advisor to The Denver Foundation does not provide any advantage in applying for a grant. We have very strict conflict of interest policies that prevent undue influence on any grant. Your best advantage is to prepare a well-crafted proposal that meets the “Key Factors We Consider” and funding priorities of The Denver Foundation. Be sure to read the Community Grants Program Guidelines and Colorado Grant Guidelines User’s Guide thoroughly and call our Grants Manager if you have any questions that are not covered in those resources.
How are the advisory committees selected?
Committee members are community volunteers who are selected through an open nomination process.
Is there a program officer responsible for handling grants in a specific area of funding? For instance, the program officer for education?
Rather than being specialists in one specific category, the program officers of The Denver Foundation are generalists. Each program officer may be assigned grants in all four areas of funding – Arts and Culture; Civic and Education; Health; and Human Services. Proposal review responsibilities are reassigned each grant cycle. If your organization has received funding previously and you want to speak with “your” program officer, it is best to speak with the program officer that you last worked with. If that person is not available or you are not sure who that person is, then please contact the Grants Manager.
If a big change occurs within our organization after we submit the proposal, should we contact you?
Absolutely – and the sooner, the better! Please notify the Grants Manager of significant changes, such as a change in the Executive Director position, IRS status, etc. as soon as possible.
Are there “special conditions” in which we need to call the Grants Manager before putting together an application?
If your organization falls in one of the categories bulleted below, you must provide information and documentation in addition to, or different from, what is normally required:
> local affiliate of a national organization and operates under the 501(c)3 determination of the national organization
> school district or university/college
> program, project, department, or individual school within a school district or university/college, or
> foundation that is a the fundraising arm for another nonprofit organization or is an organization that raises funds for another nonprofit
In these circumstances, it is very important that you get the special information that you need (from our website or the Grants Manager) before you submit your grant proposal. Failure to do so may result in an incomplete status or declination of your proposal.
We don’t have 501(c)(3) status - can we still apply?
We require all applicant organizations have a current (issued within 5 years) 501(c)(3) determination letter from the IRS. However, in rare cases it is possible for an organization who does not have 501(c)(3) status to apply using a fiscal sponsor. A fiscal sponsor is another organization that is a 501(c)(3) and is willing to take fiscal responsibility for the grant, should it be awarded. In this case, it is necessary for you to reference the special condition sheet for using a fiscal sponsor for additional materials you will need to provide in your application. Please visit our website or call the Grants Manager before applying for a grant.
We’re a new organization and don’t have all the information requested in the guidelines. Can we still apply?
We require that all proposals include all of the listed information and attachments. The only exception to this is if your organization is less than 12 months old and therefore does not have fiscal year-end financial statements. In this case, please be sure to include a page explaining this situation or the application will be deemed incomplete and automatically withdrawn from consideration.
Does the Foundation consider proposals from faith-based organizations?
The Foundation funds many faith-based organizations. However, we do not fund religious activities or programs that require religious activity as a condition of receiving services. We do not fund organizations that “further religious doctrine” – having as one of their primary goals to further a specific religious belief, for instance. Our anti-discrimination policy states the Foundation will not fund organizations that discriminate, including discrimination based on religion. For instance, the Foundation will not fund organizations that limit service to people of a particular religious faith.
We have a foundation that was set up to raise money for our organization – can we both apply for a grant?
From our perspective, both of these entities represent the same organization, and for the purposes of our Community Grants Program, we consider them one entity. Any 501(c)(3) organization that meets the Foundation’s basic requirements can apply for a grant, so assuming both meet this requirement, either the foundation or the organization for which it raises funds can apply – but not in the same 12-month period. We recommend that the same entity apply in subsequent years so that The Denver Foundation can develop a better understanding of programs and services.
How can we apply for grants from Donor Advised Funds?
With very few exceptions, Donor Advised Funds do not accept unsolicited grant proposals. The few Donor Advised Funds that do accept proposals are listed on The Denver Foundation’s website. (Typically, these are scholarship programs.) Please reference the website for any application guidelines or restrictions when inquiring about Donor Advised Funds.
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