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Frequently Asked Questions
Applications for all Foundation services, including grants, event rentals, fundraising, and scholarships, are available through the giving portal. Within the portal, you’ll find a brief introductory survey that will guide you to the specific service you’re interested in.
The Foundation has different application processes for each of its services. The process for grants and event rentals is the most similar, while other services like fundraising and scholarships have separate application procedures.
The giving process applies only to grants and event rentals. Fundraising and scholarships follow a different application process.
The Foundation provides grants exclusively to qualified public entities or tax-exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It does not support private foundations, commercial businesses, or individuals with loans or grants.
The Foundation’s funding priorities include Evangelism/Church Planting, Holistic Ministries, Leadership Development, Children & Youth, and Local Communities. International grants are made by invitation only.
The Foundation generally does not fund competition expenses, political projects, or endowments. It does not support lobbying efforts or other private foundations and commercial businesses.
While Wayne County is a key focus, the Foundation encourages applications from organizations in all regions. International organizations may be funded by invitation only.
Yes, a letter of inquiry is required if you are unsure whether your grant request aligns with the Foundation’s priorities. This is particularly recommended for new or previous grantees seeking funding for a new program. The letter can be submitted online via the giving portal.
Due to time limitations and the large volume of applications, the Foundation discourages preliminary meetings. The process begins with reviewing the application or letter of inquiry. If the Foundation staff determines that a meeting or site visit would be helpful, they will reach out to you. Insights on grant application review can also be found in blog posts by program officers.
All applicants will receive written communication regarding the status of their application. Grant requests are typically processed within three to four months after a complete, eligible application is received.
Organizations receiving grants must submit a detailed report on grant expenditures and the outcomes achieved. The specific reporting requirements will be outlined in the grant contract, including the goals to be reported on.
New organizations can submit a letter of inquiry through the online portal, providing the most current information available. After reviewing the inquiry, the Foundation staff will reach out if further details are needed.
Once a grant request is approved, the Foundation will send a grant award letter and contract, which must be signed and returned before payment is issued. Payments will not be made until the signed contract is received.
The contract will outline the payment schedule and any conditions that must be met before payment can be made. If there are specific project deadlines, they will be specified in the contract. For grants with conditions, such as matching or challenge grants, reasonable evidence that these conditions have been met must be provided before payment is issued.
While a new grant request can be submitted at any time, the board will not review a new request until at least 12 months after a previous grant request has been declined.
A new grant request may be submitted earlier, but the board will not consider it until 12 months after the approval of the previous grant request and once the final grant report for that grant has been received.
For organizations that have received a multi-year grant from the Foundation, new grant requests will only be considered after the completion of the grant term and receipt of the final grant report.
Some scholarships are renewable, meaning you can reapply in subsequent years. However, reapplying does not guarantee that you will receive the scholarship every year. Renewal applicants are considered equally alongside all other candidates.
While many scholarships consider financial need, some are merit-based or open to all applicants, regardless of financial need.
No, recommendations must be submitted by the application deadline for your application to be considered complete. It is your responsibility to remind your references to submit their recommendations on time.
Each scholarship has its own selection committee made up of volunteers chosen by the donor. Your application details are kept confidential and shared only with committee members.
Scholarship decisions are typically made by June, but some may not be finalized until July. Award notifications are sent by mail, and you can track the status of your application via the Applicant Dashboard.
If you are selected, you will receive a letter in the mail, and a check will be sent directly to your school. No further action is required from you.
Scholarship payments are generally sent to your school in late July or early August. If you are awarded a scholarship after that time, the payment will be sent as soon as possible.
If you change your college, contact [email protected] immediately. Provide your name, scholarship name, original college, new college, and your new student ID number.
No, scholarship funds cannot be used for past expenses, including student loans.
Meeting the qualifications does not guarantee you will receive a scholarship. The process is competitive, and due to a growing number of applicants, not every deserving student can be awarded a scholarship. We encourage you to reapply each year.
Renewable scholarships are not guaranteed. Despite meeting the requirements and reapplying, we receive more applications each year and have a limited amount of funds available. As a result, we cannot award scholarships to all deserving students.
All applicants for any of our services apply on the portal. The fundraising application is very simple, and a staff member will contact you via email after submission for further information.
All applicants for our services are required to submit their applications through the portal. The event centers application process is similar to the grant application process.