Grant FAQ's
We realize you may have questions about Impact100 SRQ’s grant process. Below are frequently asked questions about applying for an Impact100 SRQ grant.
We frequently communicate with our nonprofit community with important information. If you wish to join our email list please send the name of your organization and contact information to Nonprofits@Impact100SRQ.org
QUALIFICATION QUESTIONS
Yes. Grants have been awarded to small, medium, and large-sized nonprofits. Applications are evaluated on the strength of the organization, the strength of the project, the project’s sustainability, and the impact of the project on the community.
Impact100 SRQ will accept grant applications from nonprofit organizations serving Sarasota and/or Manatee counties.
Yes, Benefits of the initiative must be available to any person(s), regardless of religious beliefs or practices.
Our Eligibility Criteria state that an Initiative may be a capital project, a new program, or a clearly defined expansion of an existing program. We will not fund existing operating expenses or overhead unless they are expenses supporting one of these eligible Initiative categories.
ELIGIBILITY FORM QUESTIONS
Yes, an Eligibility Form is required so we may check the eligibility of nonprofits intending to apply for a grant, prior to the grant application process.
Each organization will confirm the organization meets all requirements by:
- Providing their EIN number from the Dept. of Treasury
- Filing the latest Annual Report with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (sunbiz.org)
- Registering with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (freshfromflorida.com)
- Confirming basic criteria required in order to gain access to apply
Complete the online form on our website. To access the form, click here.
The Eligibility Form will be accessible from mid-February to mid-April every year.
The deadline for the Eligibility Form is April 14th 2021 at 12:00 noon.
The Dept. of Treasury letter that your nonprofit received when it obtained its status will verify that your organization was granted the 501(c)(3) designation as an individual or group charity. This is how we check for current certification. This is NOT the same certificate as your tax exempt letter.
You may submit your Eligibility Form with an explanation that you’ve applied for it (and the date applied). You may apply, but we MUST have a copy of the 501(c)(3) letter by the time the grant application is submitted.
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
The deadline for the online grant application is April 28, 2021 12PM EST.
No. We MUST have the online Eligibility Form by April 14, 2021 if you intend to submit a grant application. Submitting an Eligibility Form does not obligate you to apply. We strongly recommend submitting an Eligibility Form even if you are unsure if you will apply.
Applications are submitted online. We use Submittable, an online platform.
No, each organization may submit only one grant application per year.
Not necessarily. Each grant is a minimum of $100,000. The total grant amount will fluctuate each year based on our membership numbers.
We believe you are the best judge of where your grant application, once written, will best fit. An initiative may meet the criteria for several focus areas, so we believe the decision is best left to the organization.
Impact100 SRQ encourages all types of applications and if your initiative will change lives, we encourage you to submit it for consideration. Our focus area committees have full control over who they choose as their finalist.
No. These items are not considered in the review of the grant application. You may share brochures, annual reports, and videos at the site visit, but please keep in mind that the site visit lasts a set period of time and the team is primarily interested in learning more about your initiative.
More than one application submitted from an organization.
Organization is not a 501(c)(3) public charity or cannot prove their 501(c)(3) status.
Grant initiative does not primarily benefit residents of Sarasota and/or Manatee Counties.
Organization requested less or more than the full grant amount.
Financial information is missing.
Grant initiative funds debt reduction for any purpose.
Grant funds are used for general operating expenses of the organization not associated with project described in the grant application.
Organization does not demonstrate sustainability, or the project does not include a sustainability plan.
Grant is for interim or bridge funding.
Grant is for an individual.
Grant is for endowment funding.
Grant is for partisan, legislative or political activity.
Grant project requires capital improvements or renovations to property that the organization does not own or have a lease of at least five years.
Grant project requires participation in activities of a particular faith, denomination, or religion in order to benefit from the project or program.
Organization is not a 501(c)(3) public charity or cannot prove their 501(c)(3) status.
Grant initiative does not primarily benefit residents of Sarasota and/or Manatee Counties.
Organization requested less or more than the full grant amount.
Financial information is missing.
Grant initiative funds debt reduction for any purpose.
Grant funds are used for general operating expenses of the organization not associated with project described in the grant application.
Organization does not demonstrate sustainability, or the project does not include a sustainability plan.
Grant is for interim or bridge funding.
Grant is for an individual.
Grant is for endowment funding.
Grant is for partisan, legislative or political activity.
Grant project requires capital improvements or renovations to property that the organization does not own or have a lease of at least five years.
Grant project requires participation in activities of a particular faith, denomination, or religion in order to benefit from the project or program.
Submit a copy of the IRS form 990-N (E Post Card) if Form 990 is not required.
Then you will need to wait until you have two complete years in order to be eligible to apply.
Yes. Impact100 SRQ is interested in your initiative budget and even though it is not officially approved, it must still be a realistic budget. Please note that the process asks you to confirm that the nonprofit Executive Director and/or Board President are aware of the application. Grant recipients are responsible to spend all funds in the manner with which they applied for the grant.
Not necessarily. Our members are advised to look at the impact of the request. That includes both breadth and depth. What resonates with one committee may not resonate with another. We ask you to speak from the heart (and back it up with data) what the true impact will be to those you serve.
This is a transformational grant opportunity. An organization must decide if they have a need or a program that meets the criteria for the full grant.
Yes. However, you must identify the expenses that will be covered by our grant amount and the additional funding sources for your proposal on the Budget Form.
FOCUS AREA COMMITTEE QUESTIONS
The Focus Area Committees are comprised of Impact100 SRQ members who volunteer and have no conflict of interest to serve (e.g. not staff or board member of a nonprofit which has submitted a grant application in that focus area). All discussions during committee meetings are kept private (even from Impact100 SRQ members not on that committee). The FAC’s have weekly meetings from mid-June to mid-September, not every week, and are led by a chair. After site visits are completed, the entire committee votes and chooses the finalists.
Each Focus Area Committee will select one finalist.
Yes, we encourage your organization to reapply next year.
We do not provide specific feedback to any applicant. The reason for this is that the committee members that review your grant will change each year. If we were to provide feedback from this year’s site visit team, next year’s site visit team might have a totally different perspective. If you were to make changes based on the opinions of these ladies alone, it might have no relevance whatsoever to a different group of ladies reading and evaluating your grant next year.
We do provide aggregate feedback at our Nonprofit Workshops. There, we present general feedback regarding what makes a good grant and the evaluation criteria the ladies use in assessing each grant. Nonprofit organizations attending these events have found it to be helpful in getting their questions answered.
Individual organizations that receive the $100,000 Impact100 SRQ grant cannot apply for the following 2 years. Organizations that apply but are not selected as finalists or are finalists who do not receive the Impact100 SRQ grant, may reapply the following year.
IMPACT 100 disburses funds on an as expended basis. Grantees must submit quarterly reports upon implementation and progress of the project. Prior to the release of grant funds, each recipient must complete the Impact100 SRQ grant agreement form.
The grant recipient must expend the grant funds within two years, following award of the grant. For example, a 2021 grant recipient must expend the funds by the date of our IMPACT100 SRQ Annual Meeting held in November 2023.
Yes! You can even participate on a Focus Area Committee, but not one that reviews your organization’s application.
Yes! You can even participate on a Focus Area Committee, but not one that reviews your organization’s application.
Contact the IMPACT100 Grants Committee at grants@impact100srq.org.
SITE VISIT QUESTIONS
This is the time for your organization to shine and for you to be able to tell your story, your vision, and your dream in person. You will have the opportunity to explain what the application cannot always convey: the passion, the difference this grant would make, and the impact on the organization and the community. You should plan to have the following people attend the site visit: your board chair, your treasurer or someone who can answer financial questions, and perhaps one or two key employees.
There will be an average of 3 to 4 members from the focus area committee.
Any amplifying information, such as brochures or reports are appropriate. Refreshments, CDs/DVDs, mementos, promotional items, or gifts are highly discouraged.
Finalists will be notified by phone. All other applicants will be notified by email prior to the Meet The Finalists press conference in September.
AFTER THE GRANTS ARE AWARDED QUESTIONS
Yes, we encourage your organization to reapply next year.
We do not provide specific feedback to any applicant. The reason for this is that the committee members that review your grant will change each year. If we were to provide feedback from this year’s site visit team, next year’s site visit team might have a totally different perspective. If you were to make changes based on the opinions of these ladies alone, it might have no relevance whatsoever to a different group of ladies reading and evaluating your grant next year.
We do provide aggregate feedback at our Nonprofit Workshops. There, we present general feedback regarding what makes a good grant and the evaluation criteria the ladies use in assessing each grant. Nonprofit organizations attending these events have found it to be helpful in getting their questions answered.
Individual organizations that receive the $100,000 Impact100 SRQ grant cannot apply for the following 2 years. Organizations that apply but are not selected as finalists or are finalists who do not receive the Impact100 SRQ grant, may reapply the following year.
IMPACT 100 disburses funds on an as expended basis. Grantees must submit quarterly reports upon implementation and progress of the project. Prior to the release of grant funds, each recipient must complete the Impact100 SRQ grant agreement form.
The grant recipient must expend the grant funds within two years, following award of the grant. For example, a 2021 grant recipient must expend the funds by the date of our IMPACT 100 Annual Meeting held in November 2023.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST QUESTIONS
Yes! You can even participate on a Focus Area Committee, but not one that reviews your organization’s application.
Yes! You can even participate on a Focus Area Committee, but not one that reviews your organization’s application.
CONTACT US
Contact the IMPACT100 SRQ Grants Director at grants@impact100srq.org.