Grantmaking With The Norman Raab Foundation
Eligibility & Alignment
In addition to alignment with our programmatic criteria and geographic focus areas, the Norman Raab Foundation also seeks grantees who:
- Identify important issues or problems in our communities
- Employ clear strategies to achieve goals
- Balance short-term and long-term objectives
- Demonstrate innovative thinking
- Manage resources effectively and efficiently
- Demonstrate diversified funding strategies
- Engage their community via partnerships and collaborations
The Foundation does not accept grant requests for the following:
- Organizations that are not tax-exempt charitable organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code
- Political campaigns and lobbying efforts
- Direct donations to individuals
- Organizations based outside the U.S.
- Endowment Funds
GRANT TYPES AND AWARD AMOUNTS
The majority of our grants are project specific. Our typical grant size is around $20,000 and is conducted as a one-year grant. Occasionally multi-year grants are awarded at the discretion of our Board. Applicants may determine the request amount, though if approved, the grant amount may differ from the request amount.
The Norman Raab Foundation encourages our grantees to secure funding from diverse sources. Applicants should be aware that our Foundation has a policy that limits grant sizes to no more than 10% of an organization’s fundraising revenue, based on data from the most recently completed fiscal year.
We award a limited number of grants through our Legacy Grant Program, which has a streamlined application process. This grant program is by invitation only and has a distinct process. If your organization has been invited to apply for a Legacy Grant please look for the specific deadlines on our Grantmaking Calendar.
REPEAT APPLICANTS
Prior year grantees may be invited to reapply if their grant is in good standing and the work of the organization continues to fit within the granting priorities of the Foundation. Repeat applicants are required to complete a comprehensive application similar to that for new applicants. In the 2024 Grant Cycle, the LOI step will be waived for applicants who are current grantees.
While we value the long-term relationships we have with many of our grantees, we deliberately make room in our budget for new grantees each year. We also continue to refine our funding focus areas. This means that receipt of a grant one year does not guarantee future funding or an invitation to reapply.
Application Process
Invitation to Apply
Grant awards by the Norman Raab Foundation are made through an invitation only application process. Prospective applicants will be contacted by the Foundation via email.
Invited applicants are asked to review the What we Fund and Eligibility & Alignment pages of our website before beginning the online application. Allow plenty of time to complete the application as we may not be available to respond to questions immediately prior to a deadline.
If you represent an organization that may be a good match with our funding priorities and geographic focus areas, please complete an Introduction Form to introduce your organization.
Step 1. Letter of Inquiry - New Applicants Only
The first step of the application process is to complete a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) form using our online grant management system. The LOI is meant to provide a concise summary of the proposed project to the Foundation. Returning grantees invited to apply to the Standard or Legacy Grant Programs will complete an application form only, and are not required to complete an LOI.
The majority of our awarded grants are project specific. Applicants who would like feedback on project selection as they develop their grant request may email us at info@raabfoundation.org at least four weeks before the submittal deadline. This may be helpful in cases where the organization may have multiple programs that fit our focus areas. Each organization may submit one LOI per grant cycle. Organizations with active multiyear grants are not eligible to apply for repeat funding until their current grant period is complete.
Applicants will be contacted by the date shown in the Grantmaking Calendar with a Board decision regarding their LOI. Depending on the decision, the applicant will either be invited to submit a full application, will be asked for additional information, or will be declined.
Step 2. Grant Application
Organizations that are invited to move forward in the application process will have approximately four weeks after LOI decision notification to submit a full application, as shown on the Grantmaking Calendar. The Grant Application allows applicants to provide more detail and supporting documentation in order for our Board of Trustees to make a granting decision.
Applicants will be contacted by email with a Board decision by the date on the Grantmaking Calendar.
Successful applicants will receive a digital award letter and Grant Agreement to be completed and signed by the grantee. The Grant Agreement defines the mutual responsibilities of the grantor and grantee including required Grant Report(s) and must be returned to the Foundation before the grant check is awarded.
Unsuccessful applicants will receive a digital decision letter with some feedback about why their application was not approved.
Step 3. Reporting
Successful applicants are required to complete at least one grant report during the standard one year grant cycle. This report allows the Foundation to understand the impact and effectiveness of its grantmaking. For one year grants, a Final Report is due near the conclusion of the grant period. Grantees must be current on their required grant reports in order to be considered for the following year’s grant cycle. The report forms are accessible through the Grant Management System and available approximately four weeks before the due date.
Grant recipients who are invited to reapply the following year may be asked for a status update on their current grant in their Application form or in a separate Interim Report form.
Multiyear grantees are required to submit an Annual Report one year from the award date and an additional Annual Report for each subsequent year of the grant. A Final Report is due one year after receipt of the final grant installment.
Grantees should consult their Grant Agreement for the specific reporting requirements of their grant.
Review the detailed Application Instructions before applying.
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Grantmaking Calendar
The Norman Raab Foundation operates one annual grantmaking cycle per fiscal year. Our Standard Grant Application Program opens in December each year and concludes with grant funds issued the following summer.
The table below highlights important dates associated with our 2024 Grant Application Cycle. The majority of our grants are made through the Standard Grant Program.
Applicants should be aware that cutoff dates that fall on a non-business day will be extended to the next business day. For purposes of meeting the cutoff deadline, all forms must be submitted in the grant management system by 4:00 PM Pacific Time. Submittals received up to two weeks before each deadline are welcome but do not receive priority review.
2024 Grant Cycle |
Standard Grant Program |
Legacy Grant Program |
||
| Letter of Inquiry (LOI) Due Date (New Applicants Only) |
February 1, 2024 | not applicable | ||
| LOI Decision Notifications (New Applicants Only) |
by April 1, 2024 | not applicable | ||
| Grant Application Due Date | April 26, 2024 | February 1, 2024 | ||
| Grant Decision Notifications* | by July 15, 2024 | by April 19, 2024 | ||
| Grant Distribution* | by August 1, 2024 | by May 1, 2024 |
* Grant Decision Notification and Grant Distribution Dates: Please note that the dates listed here are subject to change. The Grant Distribution Date is dependent on the Foundation’s receipt of the signed Grant Agreement. Most grants will be distributed within two weeks of the date listed here.
Current grantees should refer to their Grant Agreement for specific reporting requirements.
Application Instructions
Grant requests to the Norman Raab Foundation are by invitation only. Once you have logged into the grant management system, use the access code provided by the Foundation to access the required forms.
The Norman Raab Foundation uses a secure online grant management system for grant applications and managing awarded grants. Application materials and grantee reports must be submitted using the online system.
Before applying, we ask that you review What We Fund and our entire application process described below. Because our application process is by invitation, you should have received email communication from us before initiating an LOI or application in our online grants management system. Please do not register in our system if you have not received an invitation.
If you are new to using this online system, review the following guidelines and tips:
1) Registration and Login
Welcome
New users must first register by clicking “Create New Account” on the Log In page. Before you register, review the following video tutorials about the online system: Applicant Tutorial.
Returning users log on to the system using your e-mail address and the password. Please do not create a second, new user account. There is a system prompt to assist if you need a password reminder.
The Registration Process
If this is your organization’s first time applying for a grant with us, please see the tips below. All new applicants are required to create an account. We suggest making your account well in advance of the grant deadline to avoid any last minute issues. At the time of registration, you are required to enter the following information:
- A username that is an email address of the person who will be primary contact
- Contact information for that person
- Organization’s EIN and contact information
- Organization’s Executive Director contact information
Each individual user email address can be associated with one single organization. If a user plans to submit applications for more than one organization, they will need to register separately using a different email address for each organization.
Tips for User Registration:
- Please be sure that the organization’s address listed is the mailing address.
- Your email address will be your login and you will set your own password. This email address will receive important notifications regarding the application.
- If your organization has previously applied for a grant with the Norman Raab Foundation, but you do not know your login credentials, please contact us. Please do not register a new, duplicate account. There is a system prompt to assist if you need a password reminder.
Updating Your Registration Information
To update your user information click on your name at the top right corner of the screen and select “Edit Profile” from the drop-down menu.
To update your organization’s or chief executive officer’s information contact us at info@raabfoundation.org.
To Add a New User or Contact for Your Organization please contact us at info@raabfoundation.org.
2) Apply for Funding
Learn How the System Works
Review the Apply for a Grant video tutorial for an overview of the online system.
- Apply for a grant. Depending on which application process your organization has been invited to apply to, you will begin with either a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) or an Application form. Enter the access code on the Apply Page, complete the form and submit it by the due date. You will receive email notifications after submitting forms and when decisions are made. If your LOI is approved, your grant request will become a draft application that you will edit and submit by the Application due date.
- Manage your grant application: The Applicant Dashboard houses your requests, sorted by Active and Historical status. Within each request you can view the status of forms and their due dates. You may continue to edit draft forms before they are submitted by clicking on the edit option next to the form name.
- Manage your awarded grants: The Applicant Dashboard contains information about awarded grants, including follow up forms.
- View Agreement Letters and Other Correspondence on the Dashboard. Decision letters, grant agreements, and other documents are posted with the relevant grant record and accessible from the Dashboard.
The Application Page
After you have registered you will be directed to the Apply Page. Enter your access code provided by the Foundation to view the application process you have been invited to.
You will see the first form required by the grant program you have been invited to apply to. You can preview the form, download the questions as a PDF, or click the blue ‘Apply’ button to begin completing the form.
View your Applicant Dashboard by clicking the small ‘home’ icon at the top left of the screen. Here you can view the status of your grant application as well as your organization’s grant history with the Foundation.
3) Follow Up and Reporting
Follow Up and Reporting
If your grant request is approved, you will receive an email notification with instructions to log into the online grant management system to view your decision letter and Grant Agreement form. New grantee organizations will also be asked to complete a Photo Licensing Agreement and to share images with us. These forms are referred to as ‘Follow Ups’ in the grant management system. Once your signed Agreements are received via our online grant management system, you grant check will be disbursed.
Required Grant Reports (referred to as “Follow Ups” in the grant system) will be assigned to the user affiliated with the approved grant. The Grant Report is a digital form submitted through the online grant management system. A notification email is sent approximately one month prior to the due date. Grantee organizations are responsible for notifying the Foundation with contact updates or staffing changes that affect communication about their current grant.
4) Online System Tips
Save As You Go. Please remember to regularly save your work. The system will auto save every 20 minutes. You will automatically be logged out after 90 minutes of inactivity. We recommend that you save your forms frequently to decrease the chances of lost information. Please note that the “Save” button is located at the bottom of the form. We also recommend that you save your forms every time you upload a document.
Character Counts. The character counter at the bottom of narrative questions includes spaces as well as characters. Approximately one page of text is equivalent to 3400 characters. Please do not feel compelled to use up every character allotted to each question. Concise responses are appreciated.
Prepare Your Response Outside of the System. Applicants may choose to prepare their responses in a document outside of the online system (e.g. Microsoft Word) and then copy and paste the text into the online form. If you prepare your application in this way, be sure to keep track of character limits. As noted above, character limits include spaces and characters. Text response in our online forms now include formatting tools. When pasting formatted text into the online form, you may need to adjust formatting.
Answer All Required Fields. Required fields are marked with an asterisk(*). If you do not provide an answer for one of the required questions, you will not be able to submit your form. When a question is not applicable, respond with “N/A”.
Pre-filled Responses. After the LOI stage, some questions are programmed so that the responses will populate from previously-submitted forms to save you time. Contact the Foundation with any changes or updates to the information from your previous submittal.
Guidelines for Attachments: All file uploads must be Adobe PDF and must adhere to the size limit. Only one file can be uploaded per question. Multiple documents must be combined into one file before uploading.
File sizes. If your PDF upload file exceeds the maximum file size, consider using Adobe Acrobat to reduce the file size.
Print Before Submitting Forms. To print a draft of your form prior to or after submission, click “Print Packet” at the top of the form.
Submitting Forms. When you are ready to submit a form, select “Submit Form” at the bottom of the page. After the form is submitted, you will see a “Confirmation Page” indicating that the form has been submitted. Once the form is submitted, the responses entered into the form can no longer be edited.
Download Submitted Forms. Once you submit a form, you may download a PDF of that form to your computer for your records.
System-Generated Emails. You will receive important email notifications through the grant application process, including submittal confirmations, due date reminders, and grant decisions. Please add administrator@grantinterface.com to your safe email list.
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