1)  Question: On page 6, question 6, the chart at the bottom of the page asks us to chart out our budget.  What if we cannot fit all of our individual donors and/or fundraising events in that chart?

Summarize, for example, write 123 individual local donors, 2 international donors, 4 local business owners, 5 fundraising events per year and only if you have room add a detail like "2 silent auctions per year."

2)   Question: On page 7, the last part of question 6, the question regarding what grants we have received, if we have received many grants, how can we fit them all in this space/chart? 

Summarize in one sentence your experience and then take the rest of the space to give a specific example of the most complex or important grant you have managed.

Example: We have received over 30 state grants and 20 private grants over the years, one grant we received from………., required us to write monthly reports as to what we spent and send in all of our receipts to verify where the money went.  It also had requirements to......which we complied with by…………

3)   Question: Can you make a list of the possible attachments?

Possible attachments are:
A. Your annual fiscal budget, if you have one
B. A list of the organization's Board of Directors, Advisory Board, or Leadership Group if using a fiscal sponsor.
C. An IRS Determination Letter, if you are 501(c)(3) certified.

4)   Question: How many copies do you want?

Please submit (10) ten copies of your grant application.

5)   Question: Can your grant application exceed 14 pages?  

Your grant application should not exceed 14 pages.

6)   Question: I am confused with your wording on page 2 regarding "grant types"?

Programs with annual fiscal budgets of less than $100,000 are eligible for grants of up to $5,000.  Programs with annual fiscal budgets between $100,000 and $500,000 are eligible for grants of up to $20,000.  Programs with annual fiscal budgets of over $500,000 are not eligible for grants.

7)  Question: My annual fiscal budget for fiscal year 2008 is not completed yet; may I submit fiscal year 2007?

Answer: You may submit an annual budget for 2007 (Jan to Jan) or for the fiscal year of 2008 or for the fiscal year of 2007.  We need your most recent annual budget, whatever that is.

8) Question: In question 16, it asks for a "snapshot" of members of my team, does that mean a photograph?

No photographs are requested, read the word snapshot to mean "description".

9) Question: What fiscal year can we spend this money in? I remember hearing the funds would be disbursed in October 2008 – can they be used in 2008 or 2009?  

Funds must be used by the end of March of 2009

10) Question:  Would it help or hurt us if we put together a proposal that included requests for each of the five areas of capacity building listed in the grant app?  

It will not hurt you as it shows that you are paying close attention to what the grant asks for - that is the five areas of capacity building - but a well thought out, and comprehensive written proposal that incorporates only the required two areas of capacity building will be viewed as equally competitive.

11) Question: What restrictions are there on asking for funding for a staff position? Would the committee consider a program coordinator position where this person would develop and oversee programming needs but not be involved in the direct service (classes, teaching, etc.)?  

The grant will not pay for staff, unless you can show that their salary will be temporarily paid for by Compassion Mass grant while you are fundraising/grant writing in order to make the staff's salary/position sustainable. You would have to include your specific plans to raise money to fund that staff person in the future. 

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