The Foundation is currently not accepting new applications.
The Foundation follows an annual process whereby eligible nonprofits may apply for funding. All grants are awarded for one year. The Foundation does not award multi-year grants to organizations. All grants are reviewed on an annual basis and may be renewable for up to three years following staff and board review. The Foundation's process includes:
Step 1:
Online registration and submission of the Project Screening Form (PSF). The PSF is required for any project/program to be considered for funding. Foundation staff will review the PSF to assess the project's alignment with the Foundation's goals and priority quality of life indicators, and will then determine whether the project advances to Step 2. PSF due: March 2.
Step 2:
Online submission of proposal. Eligible agencies with qualified projects will be notified by the Foundation if their individual project/program has been invited to respond to the Foundation's Request for Proposal (RFP). Proposal due: April 6.
Step 3:
Due diligence. Following submission, proposals will be reviewed by Foundation staff and board. This may include site visits.
Step 4:
Grant decision. The Foundation's board of directors determines the final grant awards. Decision: June 8.
Step 5:
Online reporting of outcomes. Grant recipients are required to report on outcomes at the mid-term and end of the grant cycle.
ONLINE GRANT SYSTEM
Beginning in 2012, the Foundation will utilize a transitional online application system, part of the system used by The Chicago Community Trust. The format will be new to all Foundation applicants.
Begin
On the
logon page, you will be prompted to provide your email address, which will serve as your username. (If you used our previous online system, you cannot log in using your previous username and password.) Next, choose "Create New Account" to begin registration. All fields marked with an asterisk (*) on the registration form are required.
In Section 1, provide contact information for the individual completing the application. In Section 2, provide contact information for the head of the organization. If that is the same person, you will need to complete both sections with the same information.
Click "Proceed to Next Step." You will now create a password. Click "Save." You will be taken to your dashboard, where you can edit your contact information or begin the application process.
Preparing the Project Screening Form (PSF)
From the left menu, click "Apply" to view the Foundation's Project Screening Form (PSF). Select the PSF from a list of other available LOIs and RFPs from The Chicago Community Trust.
The "Question List PDF" at the top of the page will show you all the questions in the PSF. You may use this document to prepare the information and organize the documents you will need. Within the PSF there are demographic questions that require you to download an Excel spreadsheet. Once downloaded on to your computer, save the file, fill-in the data, save your final/completed data to your computer and follow instructions to upload the completed .xls file into the PSF.
Do not use commas in fields requesting a dollar amount or quantity.
Save you PSF data frequently, using the "Save Draft" button at the bottom of the online form. If you have saved a draft, you can log out and return to your saved application at a later time. Do not log out without saving your PSF.
Upload all required documents. Supporting documents in Microsoft Word, Excel or PDF formats can be uploaded.
We will not accept supporting documents by mail or email.
Submitting the PSF
When your form is complete, please click "Submit Form". You will not be able to submit your form until you have completed all required fields and documents.
You will not be able to review your form once it has been submitted--so make sure that it is your final version.
You will see a confirmation page with the message "The application has been submitted".
You will not receive an email confirmation. You can, however, go to your Dashboard to view the status of your application.
More Tips and Tools
- Use the "Question List PDF" at the top of the application page as your guide when preparing to apply.
- Character counts include spaces.
- Do not use commas in any field requesting a dollar amount or quantity.
- Most narrative fields are expandable: look for the grey hash mark in the lower right corner of the text field.
- Wherever numerical data is needed, a spreadsheet with a built-in formula will make sure your number add up correctly.
- Save often. Your application will auto-save every 20 minutes. Saving preserves your data and allows you to log out and return to your form.
- Use the Application Packet document at the top of the application to review the completed form.
- If your supporting documents are not Word, Excel or PDF files, choose "Fax to File" from the left menu to convert them to PDFs.
- For more step-by-step assistance, please watch this video tutorial.
