Requirement to Submit Grant Applications
Before your project is eligible to submit an LOI (letter of intent), application, or proposal for foundation support through Fractured Atlas, you must meet our grant eligibility requirement. We require all sponsored projects to raise at least $1,000 from individual sources or outside grants before seeking grant funding. Contributions from yourself or immediate family members and earned revenue do not count towards this requirement. Additionally, in-kind donations do not count toward the grant eligibility requirement.
This policy is implemented to protect the integrity of the fiscal sponsorship program and to maximize your chances of being funded in the competitive granting field.
We ask this of our projects for two main reasons:
- Best practices suggest waiting to approach institutional funders until after having established a base of individual support.
- Funders specifically requested our sponsored projects have a committed donor base when submitting applications for their granting opportunities.
Ultimately, by meeting the $1,000 eligibility requirement, you are improving your chances of being funded. Having committed funds on your project budget shows that you are experienced with handling funds and that your project is already on its way to being successfully funded.
It is your responsibility to investigate the guidelines and eligibility requirements for each grant source before contacting Fractured Atlas. If not explicitly listed in their guidelines, we recommend that you contact the funder to inquire if they accept applications using a fiscal sponsor. If they do, you should ask what application documents should pertain to the sponsor and which should relate to your project specifically. Many foundations will require supporting documentation from us, such as financial statements, a board list, our tax documents, etc. If you cannot get an answer from the foundation, our staff will review the guidelines and make a determination.
Waiving the Grant Eligibility Requirement
If you have been awarded a grant or received donations within the last two (2) years before becoming sponsored for the same project, you may be exempt from this requirement.
Examples of proof include:
- Award letters from the funder
- Signed letter(s) from the donor(s) stating the amount given and confirming that no goods or services were received
- Links to a previous crowdfunding campaign(s)
See "Waiving Fractured Atlas' Grant Eligibility Requirement" for further instructions.
Case-by-Case Exceptions to the Grant Eligibility Requirement
Fractured Atlas staff members can occasionally make exceptions to the Eligibility Requirement for specific applications. Examples of situations that may garner an exception include those where:
- The funder directly and specifically requested an application from the project (the project was directly invited to apply)
- The project has spoken to the funder directly and confirmed their eligibility
- The funder only gives to local projects and the sponsored project is within the funder’s community (some large or big-city funders will not meet this requirement)
- The grant program is focused on “seed funds” and start-up projects
- The grant program is focused on emergency/crisis funding
- Our staff has determined that the project’s work matches the focus of the funder to an extremely high degree
Comments
0 comments
Article is closed for comments.