Application Questions
This page sets out the questions in our online grant application for your convenience. Please note, however, that we only accept applications submitted through our online application form. Click here to begin an application.
Contact Information
Legal Name
According to IRS Publication 78, this is the legal name associated with the tax ID number you submitted.
Organization Name
Change this to the name under which you are most commonly known as, if different from IRS records.
Address
City
State
Zip
Code
County
Phone Number
Please do not use dashes xxxxxxxxxx
Website
Executive Director Contact Information
This should be the Executive Director, CEO, President, etc. For very large institutions, such as universities or hospitals, a senior department head may be listed.
Prefix
First Name
Last Name
Title
Daytime Phone Number
Please list the direct dial phone number.
Extension
E-mail
Website
Primary Request Contact Information
Whom should we contact if we need additional information on this grant request?
Prefix
First Name
Last Name
Title
Daytime Phone Number
Please list the direct dial phone number.
Extension
E-mail
Grant Request
Request Date
Please use today's date.
Request Amount
Request Title
Please list a title, not a description of the project. (Examples: Seniors Health Program or 2009 General Operating Support)
Request Summary
Please provide a brief (2-5 sentences) summary of your request.
WORD LIMIT: 50 words
Year Founded
What year was the organization founded?
Organization Background
Please provide the mission and a brief history of the organization, the community and the individuals you serve, and how the organization has evolved since its founding.
WORD LIMIT: 1,000 words
Programs and Services
Without repeating what you included in the Organization Background field, please describe the program for which you are requesting support. If you are requesting general operating support, describe the major programs and services provided by your organization. Please include:
- the need(s) you are meeting;
- the issue(s) you are addressing and its relationship to the organization's mission;
- detailed description of the program for which you are seeking support or the major programs and services provided by your organization if you are seeking general operating support;
- description of the population you serve. What are their needs? What obstacles does this population face?
WORD LIMIT: 1,500 words
Geographical Area Served
Use the drop down list to find the closest match to the main area served by this request. You may choose up to three areas.
People served by the Organization
How many people are directly served annually by your organization? Please enter a whole number, not a range. Estimates are fine.
People served by the Program
If you are seeking program support, how many people are directly served annually by that program? Please enter a whole number, not a range. Estimates are fine. If seeking general support, you may leave this field blank.
Goals
What are the program goals for this fiscal year? Is there a benchmark (national, city, agency, etc.) by which you set these goals? How will you determine if the program has satisfied these goals? What were the program goals for last fiscal year? Did you meet your goals?
Recent Accomplishments
What have been some of your recent accomplishments?
Recent/Anticipated Challenges
What challenges have you experienced or do you foresee in the upcoming year?
Salary Information
Please provide the titles and salaries for the agency's five highest-paid employees and the number of years at the current position. If any of these five positions have been filled for less than a year, please list the previous salary and the number of years in the position.
Challenge Grants / Board Support
Challenge Grants
COSF believes, largely learned from prior COSF grant recipients, that challenge grants can be a powerful tool for organizations to leverage additional financial support. Accordingly, the Foundation awards the vast majority of grants in the form of challenges. To clarify, in a challenge grant, the amount that the Foundation ultimately awards to the recipient organization will depend on subsequent fundraising by the organization. (This is also known as a matching grant.)
In most cases, our challenge grants are based on new funds pledged and collected by the organization after receiving notice of the challenge grant. New funds include funds pledged and collected either from a new donor to the organization or from a prior donor, but only to the extent of the increase in that donor’s gift to the organization over that donor’s gift in the prior year.
Our primary goal with challenge grants is to give grant recipients another tool in their fundraising toolboxes. Organizations are encouraged to create a request with a challenge component. We are happy to work with organizations to design challenge grants to achieve the greatest impact for the applicant. In turn, we expect recipients of challenge grants to use the grants to achieve the greatest possible leverage with further fundraising.
If you are awarded a challenge grant by COSF, what would you intend the challenge grant to accomplish for your organization's fundraising results and fundraising capacity?
What would your strategy be and what specific steps would you take to achieve those objectives?
Board Support
How many people currently serve on your board of directors?
BOARD GIVING
What was the total amount personally contributed by members of the board of directors for the most recently completed fiscal year?
Contributions through board member personal trusts, family foundations, or donor advised funds may be included only if the individual board member personally contributed the funds held by the trust, foundation, or donor advised fund.
How many of the board members gave a personal cash gift in the most recently completed fiscal year?
What was the range of personal giving from the board?
Please list the lowest amount and the highest amount - no names are needed.
BOARD FUNDRAISING
What was the total amount raised by the board members for the most recently completed fiscal year?
Please exclude all personal board member contributions and the value of in-kind goods or services.
How many of the board members raised funds in the most recently completed fiscal year?
Please exclude all personal board member contributions and the value of in-kind goods or services.
What was the range of amounts raised by board members?
Please show the lowest amount and the highest amount.
What is the minimum "give or get" obligation for each board member, if applicable?
If this is not required, please respond "0".
Please feel free to share comments on board giving and fundraising.
Financial Information - Organization
Please use your organization's audit, financial statements, the current year's budget, and next year's budget to answer the questions on this page. We use the following definitions:
- Last Year: The most recently completed fiscal year
- Current Year: The current fiscal year
- Next Year: The next fiscal year
*** PLEASE NOTE: If you are requesting funds for the current year, you may leave the "next year" questions blank.
Revenue
TOTAL REVENUE
Total organization revenue from all sources for last year.
Total organization revenue from all sources anticipated for the current year.
If applicable, total organization revenue from all sources anticipated for next year.***
You may leave this question (and all other questions pertaining to "next year") blank if you are requesting funds for the current year.
PRIVATE REVENUE
This includes individuals, corporations & foundations. Do not include the value of in-kind goods or services.
Total organization revenue from private sources for last year.
Total organization revenue from private sources anticipated for the current year.
If applicable, total organization revenue from private sources anticipated for next year.***
GOVERNMENT REVENUE
This includes local, state and federal grants. Do not include reimbursement for services rendered, such as Medicare reimbursements.
Total organization revenue from government sources for last year.
Total organization revenue from government sources anticipated for the current year.
If applicable, total organization revenue from government sources anticipated for next year.***
FEE-FOR-SERVICE REVENUE
This includes insurance reimbursements, third-party payments, and government reimbursement for services rendered.
Total organization fee-for-service revenue for last year.
Total organization fee-for-service revenue for the current year.
If applicable, total organization fee-for-service revenue anticipated for next year. ***
OTHER REVENUE
Please describe the revenue from other sources in any given year in more detail if it is more than 3% of total revenue for that fiscal year.
MAJOR SUPPORTERS
Please list your ten largest private organization supporters during the last 12 months.
For multi-year support, indicate the total amount of support on an annual basis. (EXAMPLE: XYZ Foundation $20,000/yr for 3 years ($60,000 total, 2007-2009) ) Also note whether the support is project specific or for general operations. Please exclude in-kind donations.
Expenses
TOTAL EXPENSES
Total organization expenses for last year.
Total organization expenses anticipated for the current year.
If applicable, total organization expenses anticipated for next year. ***
PROGRAM EXPENSES
Total organization program expenses for last year.
Total organization program expenses anticipated for the current year.
If applicable, total organization program expenses anticipated for next year. ***
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
Total organization administrative expenses for last year.
Total organization administrative expenses anticipated for the current year.
If applicable, total organization administrative expenses anticipated for next year. ***
FUNDRAISING EXPENSES
Total organization fundraising expenses for last year.
Total organization fundraising expenses anticipated for the current year.
If applicable total organization fundraising expenses anticipated for next year. ***
Surplus / Deficit
Total organization surplus (deficit) for last year.
Total organization surplus (deficit) anticipated for the current year.
If applicable, total organization surplus (deficit) anticipated for next year. ***
Deficit information
If the organization has recently experienced or is currently anticipating a deficit, please explain what has contributed to the situation and how the deficit will be reduced/eliminated.
NET ASSETS
Total organization net assets as of the end of last year.
Total organization net assets anticipated as of the end of the current year.
If applicable, total organization net assets anticipated as of the end of next year. ***
RESERVE FUNDS
Total organization reserve fund balance as of the end of last year.
Total organization reserve fund balance anticipated as of the end of the current year.
If applicable, total organization reserve fund balance anticipated as of the end of next year. ***
Financial Information - Program
PLEASE NOTE: The following questions are specifically for the program for which you are seeking funding. This page is not required if you are seeking general operating support; in this case, you may proceed to page 6.
Please use your program's financial statements from last year, budget for the current year, and the request year budget to answer the questions on this page. We use the following definitions:
- Last Year: The most recently completed fiscal year
- Current Year: The current fiscal year
- Next Year: The next fiscal year
*** PLEASE NOTE: If you are requesting funds for the current year, you may leave the "next year" questions blank.
Program Revenue
TOTAL PROGRAM REVENUE
Total program revenue from all sources for last year.
Total program revenue from all sources anticipated for the current year.
If applicable, total program revenue from all sources anticipated for the request year.***
PRIVATE PROGRAM REVENUE
This includes individuals, corporations & foundations. Do not include the value of in-kind goods or services.
Total annual program revenue from private sources for last year.
Total annual program revenue from private sources anticipated for the current year.
Total annual program revenue from private sources anticipated for next year.
GOVERNMENT PROGRAM REVENUE
This includes local, state and federal grants. Do not include reimbursement for services rendered, such as Medicare reimbursements.
Total program revenue from government sources for last year.
Total program revenue from government sources anticipated for the current year.
Total program revenue from government sources anticipated for next year.
PROGRAM FEE-FOR-SERVICE REVENUE
This includes insurance reimbursements, third-party payments, and government reimbursement for services rendered.
Total program fee-for-service revenue for last year.
Total program fee-for-service revenue anticipated for the current year.
If applicable, total program fee-for-service revenue anticipated for next year. ***
OTHER PROGRAM REVENUE
Please describe the revenue from other sources in more detail if it is more than 3% of its perspective fiscal year total revenue.
MAJOR PROGRAM SUPPORTERS
Please list your ten largest private program supporters during the last 12 months.
For multi-year support, indicate the total amount of support on an annual basis. (EXAMPLE: XYZ Foundation $20,000/yr for 3 years ($60,000 total, 2007-2009) ) Also note whether the support is project specific or for general operations. Please exclude in-kind donations.
Program Expenses
Total program expenses for last year.
Total program expenses anticipated for the current year.
If applicable, total program expenses anticipated for next year. ***
PROGRAM EXPENSES
Total program expenses allocated as program costs for last year.
Total program expenses you anticipate allocating as program costs for the current year.
If applicable, total program expenses you anticipate allocating as program costs for next year. ***
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
Total program expenses allocated as administrative costs for last year.
Total program expenses you anticipate allocating as administrative costs for the current year.
If applicable, total program expenses you anticipate allocating as administrative costs
for next year. ***
FUNDRAISING EXPENSES
Total program expenses allocated as fundraising costs for last year.
Total program expenses you anticipate allocating as fundraising costs for the current year.
If applicable, total program expenses you anticipate allocating as fundraising costs for next year. ***
Surplus / Deficit
Total program surplus (deficit) for last year.
Total program surplus (deficit) anticipated for the current year.
If applicable, total program surplus (deficit) anticipated for next year. ***
Deficit information
If the program has recently experienced or is currently anticipating a deficit, please explain what has contributed to the situation and how the deficit will be reduced/eliminated.
Documents to attach:
- Board of Directors List
Please show any other corporate and/or organizational affiliations and terms of service. If you also have an advisory board, junior board, etc. please include that list as well.
- Financial Statements
Please provide your financial statements for the most recently completed fiscal year. If the audit of those statements is not complete, please provide both the unaudited financial statements for the most recently completed fiscal year and the most recently audited financial statements. If your audited financial statements are not available electronically, please mail or fax a copy.
- Organization Budget
Please provide the current fiscal year budget for your entire organization. Please include both budgeted amounts as well as year to date actual revenue and expenditures. We have a template here that you can use, or you can use your own format as long as all of our required information is included.
- Program Budget
If you are seeking funding for a particular program, please provide the current fiscal year budget for that program. Please include both budgeted amounts as well as year to date actual revenue and expenditures. Again, we have a template here that you can use, or you can use your own format as long as all of our required information is included. This not required if you are seeking general operating support.
- Other Documents
If you have other supporting documents that you would like us to consider, you may attach them with the drop-down title "Other" on the next page.
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