“Few tasks in the foundation world prove as interesting, rewarding, and exhilarating as the site visit,” write the authors of Grantmaking Basics: A Field Guide for Funders. “Site visits can lift your spirits and enliven your day by reminding you precisely why you chose to work in the foundation world.” Make the most of your... Read More
Most funders ask grantees—prospective and current—to customize their budgets and financial information to fit the funder’s requirements. Project Streamline, a collaboration of grantmakers and grantseekers working to improve application and reporting practices, recommends a different way: Make requests for nonstandard information the exception rather than the rule. Consider the real costs to nonprofits of customizing... Read More
You can find red flags in a nonprofit’s Form 990 or in its financial statements, as well as in conversation—and many do not require technical knowledge. ShoreBank, a community development bank serving Chicago, Cleveland, and Detroit, provides the following list of red flags. Red flags in financial statements Decrease in annual revenue Decrease in net... Read More
Through funds received from individual contributors, foundations, and other sponsors, the Washington Square Community Health Foundation made a $180,000 loan at a below-market rate of interest to be repaid in full by the Lake County Council Against Sexual Assault (LaCASA). Howard Nochumson, the foundation’s executive director, also worked closely with LaCASA’s executive director and board,... Read More
A 501(c)(3) organization is recognized as tax-exempt by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Private foundations and public charities are two main types of 501(c)(3) organizations. Public charities are then divided into three distinct categories. As a private foundation, it is important to know which specific category the potential grantee falls into; knowing a grantee is... Read More
Experts and experience have shown that the most effective grantmaking in response to a disaster follow the “Four Cs”: Connect with a good source of information about the disaster. Local organizations are already at the scene, know best what is needed, and understand the complex political, social, and cultural context. You might call on: The... Read More