Growth Exchange
Understanding the SKC 990 Questionnaire
Cultivation – The Pre-Application Phase
1) Do your research
2) Contact the Funder
– Email
– Phone
– Mail
– LOI (Letter of Interest)
3) LISTEN to the Funder
4) Follow up quickly with the next steps suggested by the funder and send a thank you email to the funder
The LOI
Site Visits
– Research the visitor
– Create an agenda
– Prepare the areas they will see
– Have appropriate staff/clients present
– Provide materials
– Review your application
– Anticipate questions
What are you working on now that
you’re really excited about
or proud of?
What is a success story can you share about this program or
your organization?
If we were to give a grant to your organization, what do you
think the best use of our dollars would be?
Tell us about your budget: How does it reflect your
organization’s model, mission, and priorities?
What to do when your application is approved
Provide immediate and appropriate thanks and recognition to the foundation.
Also send a thank you acknowledgement to any specific individuals who helped initiate contact or otherwise played a part in your receiving the grant.
What to Do When Your Application is Denied
- Do not take it personally
- Send a brief response thanking the foundation for considering your request.
- Be polite
- Ask for feedback
- Look at the denial as an opportunity for growth
- Three strikes rule
– Do not take it personally
– Send a brief response thanking the foundation for considering your request.
– Be polite
– Ask for feedback
– Look at the denial as an opportunity for growth
– Three strikes rule
Keeping Funders Updated
- Follow funder reporting deadlines
- Informal reporting:
at 6 months
at 12 months
ALWAYS before a new ask
-Submit a report even if the project isn’t
proceeding as planned and adjust goals
if needed
- Newsletters and annual reports, send the funder
links to any publicity for your organization
- Connect on social media
- Keep up with personal contacts
What to Include in an Informal Report
– Express Gratitude
(include photos or links to videos)
– Grant Activities
– Outcomes and Impact
– Any Changes
– Challenges and Lessons Learned
– Future Plans/Sustainability
Thanking Funders
- Follow their guidelines
- Handwritten notes
- Personal phone calls
- Press/Media Release
- Social Media
- Donor Recognition Boards
- Tickets to your events
- Collaboration Opportunities
Additional Thoughts
Mission Statement Include the “WHY”
Google Alerts
https://www.google.com/alerts
Bad Words for Good – Tony Proscio
https://www.issuelab.org/resources/8343/8343.pdf
RESOURCES
SKC Growth Exchange Presentation on Finding Potential Grant Funders: https://youtu.be/WulFg_zK9pc
Achieving Excellence in Fundraising , Editors Eugene R. Tempel, Timothy L. Seiler, and Dwight F. Burlingame (2016)
The Only Grant-Writing Book You’ll Ever Need by Ellen Karsh and Arlen Sue Fox (2019)
Winning Grants Step by Step by Tori O’Neal-McElrath (2013)
FDO Free Course: Introduction to Proposal Writing
https://learning.candid.org/training/courses/introduction-to-proposal-writing
https://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/how-to-write-a-nonprofit-press-release
https://elevatedeffect.com/cultivation/thanking-institutional-donors/
https://givewp.com/9-impactful-ways-to-say-thank-you-to-nonprofit-donors/
https://grantsedge.com/thanking-your-funders/
https://upstream.consulting/grant-management/how-to-write-a-grant-report/
Schedule A and B – Donor Advised Funds (DAF)
• Report total for each DAF
– Example:
• GKCCF Smith Family Foundation $1,000
• GKCCF Curfman Family Foundation $4,000
• Schedule A and B Reports – GKCCF $5,000
• Donors from multiple sources reported separately
– Example:
• Lindsey Curfman $5,000
• GKCCF Curfman Family Foundation $5,000
• Schedule A and B Reports – GKCCF $5,000 and Lindsey Curfman
$5,000
Schedule A
• Schedule A – Public Charity Status and Public Support
– Are you supported by the public?
– Database or consistent method for tracking donors
– Contributions: monetary or in-kind goods
• FMV not included
Schedule A
• Schedule A – Public Charity Status and Public Support
– Part II:
• 5 year rolling total for largest contributors
• DAF’s and public charities and government agencies are excluded
Schedule A
• Schedule A – Public Charity Status and Public Support
– Part III –
• Major donors from inception
• Substantial Contributors
– Once a substantial contributor always disqualified
– Gave more than 2% of total cont ributions to the organizations
• Disqualified persons – Any person who is in a position to exercise substantial influence over organization and supporting organization.
– Examples: Board members, CEO, CFO, DAF
– Includes, family of disqualified persons or entities controlled by disqualified persons
– Only excluded for as long as they server or have control over the organization.
– No threshold for donations
Schedule B
• Schedule B – Schedule of Contributors
– Listing of largest donors
– Donors over $5,000 or 2% of tot al contributions for the year (which ever is larger)
– Contributions: monetary or in-kind goods
• FMV not included
– Address of donors
Tips for Filling Out Questionnaire
• Review last years questionnaire and 990 as you are filling it out.
• Are you consistent between years?
• Use the help or reach out to 990 preparer if you don’t know what the question is asking.
List of items SKC needs
• Completed 990 questionnaire
• Program services accomplishments
• Listing of board members and hours per week devoted to their position
• Donors over $5,000 with addresses
• Listing of all donations disqualified persons (no threshold) – Schedule A Part III
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