foundation gifts

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Question: How often may I submit a grant request to the Bean Foundation?
Answer: Bean Foundation Guidelines state that after receiving a grant from the Foundation, organizations are expected to wait two years before submitting another application.

Question: Do I need to send in attachments previously submitted to the Bean Foundation in prior grant applications, such as a board list, IRS letter, or financial statement?
Answer: Yes. This enables the Bean Foundation to manage applications efficiently and fairly, with certainty that we are reviewing an organization's most current information.

Question: We are a state or municipal organization. Do we need to submit all the requested attachments, including an IRS letter, financial statement, and nonprofit checklist?
Answer: No. Town offices, public schools, commissions or departments of the state are not 501(c)3 nonprofits and do not need to submit an IRS letter, financial statement, or nonprofit checklist. Municipalities need not submit the full town budget or school budget, but should be sure to submit a detailed and thorough project budget. For the requested board of directors list, a municipality or school should submit a list of the board of selectmen or school board, as well as names and contact information for any relevant advisory board for the project in question. To ensure that an application is deemed complete, included with an application should be a brief statement explaining that as a state or municipal entity it is not necessary to submit all the listed attachments.

Question: Is it helpful to submit additional attachments, such as letters of support?
Answer: Although not required, one or more letters of support from key partners may be included if they lend real strength to a proposal. Prior written reports, new articles, or other text materials should be submitted only if directly relevant to the application in question. Please be very selective, as we receive many applications.

Question: Can I submit more than one grant proposal at a time?
Answer: It is our practice to grant no more than one application per organization in each grant cycle. We thus ask that you submit only one application for each deadline.

Question: I do not understand Dropbox.com. What should I do?
Answer: Contact the Bean Foundation Director at (603) 493-7257 or email Diane@beanfoundation.org, and she will assist you.

Question: My group does not have a 501(c)3 IRS tax-exempt status. What is a fiscal agent and how do I get one? Answer: A fiscal agent is an organization with 501(c)3 status that agrees to be accountable for the grant and responsible for the fiscal management of a particular project. Approach a well-respected local nonprofit directly if you wish them to act in this capacity.

Question: Once an application is received by the Bean Foundation, what is the process and how long does it take to receive a response?
Step 1: Staff reviews applications for completeness. Incomplete applications are denied.
Step 2: Staff reviews complete applications on their merits and prepares a report for the trustees.
Step 3: The Bean Foundation trustees approve or decline grant recommendations at regularly scheduled meetings.
Step 4: Applicants are notified of decisions by mail or email. It takes about 3 months to receive a trustee decision on a grant application.

Question: What are the most common reasons why a proposal is denied?
Answer: The Bean Foundation's grant review process is competitive, grant dollars are limited, and not all applications are recommended for funding. We review applications for their relationship to our grant making priorities and the listed grant review criteria. For example, an unsuccessful proposal may fail to articulate an important community need, lack a realistic plan for sustaining the work in the future, or fall short in demonstrating the capacity of staff, board, or volunteers to complete the proposed project. If your application is declined, we welcome a telephone inquiry to discuss the reasons for our decision, and how a future proposal from your organization might be strengthened.

Question: Do I need to submit a grant final report?
Answer: Recipients of grant support from the Norwin S. and Elizabeth N. Bean Foundation are required to complete a final report upon completion of the grant funded project, which is generally by one year after the award is granted.
IMPORTANT: Grant recipients who do not submit final reports will not be eligible for future funding.

Question: What information should I include in the grant final report?
Answer: The Grant Final Report Form can be found on the Bean Foundation website at www.beanfoundation.org. We rely on your candid grant reports to assist us. Please give us your honest thoughts about both the short-term results and the longer-term potential of the project, program, or work for which funds were granted. A grantee should refer to the organization's original proposal when preparing a grant final report.

We are as interested in what did not work as what did. While we understand the wish to focus on success, we respect the candor and insight involved in also sharing hard lessons learned.

A final grant report should be based on the description and evaluation plan in the original proposal narrative. A grantee should refer to the organization's original proposal as it prepares a grant final report.

Question: How do I submit my grant final report?
Answer: Final Grant Reports should be submitted by email to Diane@beanfoundation.org by one year after an organization receives notification of the grant award. In the subject line of the email, please write "Final Grant Report."