Apply for a Grant: Portland, Oregon
- Some Words About Our Grant Review Process
- Grant Request Guidelines
- Grant Application Checklist
- Online Application
Welcome to the Employees Community Fund grant application process.
The Employees Community Fund (ECF) is an employee-owned and managed charitable organization. Its Board of Directors makes grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations to support health and human services in the communities where Boeing Portland employees live and work.
Please carefully review the Grant Request Guidelines to be sure that your needs fit with the types of projects and programs we are able to fund. In brief, the Employees Community Fund of Boeing Portland, Inc. makes grants to non-profit health and human service organizations for new program seed money, for capital improvements, and for special emergency situations within the geographical areas in which our employees live. To qualify for consideration, your agency is required to meet the following criteria:
- Maintain a non-profit status as defined under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code.
- Provide direct client services that efficiently contribute to the community's health and/or human welfare.
- Be open to all members of the community, regardless of race, religion, political affiliation, ability to pay or other criteria.
- Have the oversight of a formal Board of Directors that is actively involved in the operation of the agency.
Questions may be directed to the ECF Administrative Office at (503) 676-1455.
Some Words About Our Grant Review Process
In answer to questions received about our grant review process, the following information has been provided.
How Applications are Evaluated:
Evaluation of proposals begins directly after the April 30th cut-off date. ECF verifies eligibility of the agency and reviews each grant request to make sure all of the information required has been included.
Grant applications-often numbering between 80 and 100-are divided among ECF's eight board members to review and investigate. Once this step has been completed, all applications then receive an in-depth review by the entire board for determination of full or partial funding, or denial of the request.
It is important to understand that elected ECF board members are regular employees with primary responsibility to his or her Boeing job. Boeing provides a limited amount of time to devote to ECF tasks.
How ECF Money is Generated:
ECF funds are generated from member employee payroll deductions throughout the calendar year. This means, ECF money can flow out in the form of operating funds, emergency funding and grants, only as fast as it is received from those payroll deductions. So, even if a grant application is approved by the Board in June or July, funding may not be allocated until August or September. The Board attempts to have all approved grants funded no later than November of each year.
For this reason, it is important for grant applicants to indicate whether or not a request is "time-sensitive." The board tries its best to address these requests first. An example of a bona fide time-sensitive request might be funds for a summer camp or if matching funds have a cut-off date requirement.
When Agencies Can Anticipate Notification of Approval and Denial:
The Board of Directors attempts to determine an agency's eligibility as quickly as possible. Certainly those requests that do not match ECF's mission statement or that are received after the cut-off date are notified just as quickly as possible. The remaining requests usually receive approval notification within two months with actual funding taking up to six months.
In any case, we are sensitive to agencies wishing to know just as soon as possible about their grant requests.
Grant Request Guidelines
ECF considers applications for support in three areas: capital, seed money for new programs, and emergency needs. In general, the Board of Directors looks to see if the agency will make efficient and effective use of the funds requested. The Board of Directors also looks for collaboration in the grant, both in terms of providing services and in terms of seeking other financial support.
Capital
When evaluating grant applications for capital, the Board of Directors looks for direct client benefit of the grant. Although requests for capital to support purely administrative overhead are acknowledged to be important, they are considered to have small direct client benefit and are not viewed favorably in the grant evaluation process.
Sample capital grants may include:
- Purchase or construction of new buildings
- Remodels and/or additions (agency must own building or carry a long-term lease)
- Equipment (office, kitchen, industrial, furniture, etc.)
- Vehicles used to support clients
- Telephone systems
- Computers (emphasis will be placed on demonstration of direct client benefit)
Seed Money
The purpose of the seed money grant is to promote innovation in the delivery of health and human services. It is not intended to support expansion of existing programs. When reviewing applications for seed money, ECF considers funding requests for salaries and other operating expenses in addition to capital requests in support of the program being initiated. Seed money is granted for only the first 12 months of operation of the program. If an agency submits its application after the program has been started, ECF will consider funding for the remainder of the first year.
Emergency Funding
Emergency funding is targeted to meet critical and/or emergency community needs. These funds are intended to address sudden and unexpected costs which endanger an agency's normal operation, and may also support a sudden and unanticipated increase in demand for agency services.
Emergency funding is intended to meet those special situations where there are no other immediate sources of funding available. Emergency funding should not be used when the normal ECF grant process is appropriate. Emergency funding is not applicable to those situations where an agency experiences an anticipated decrease in operating revenues.
Compliance Rules
- The grant money must be expended for stated purposes only, and at the stated location.
- The agency must agree to furnish audits and other financial information if requested. Financial information will be kept confidential.
- ECF must be notified within 30 days of unexpended funds in excess of $100. At that time ECF may approve the unexpended funds for alternative use.
- No deviation or modification of the compliance rules listed above are allowed without advance written approval by the ECF Board of Directors.
- Completion of an ECF grant application and signatures thereon signify agreement of compliance with the requirements of this notice and application.
Application Process
Our open period for accepting grant applications is from January 1st through April 30th. At the bottom of this notice you will see "Make an Application" link. To start the process, click on this link.
Evaluation of applications begins after April 30th. Traditionally, ECF receives many, many requests for funds, and because the board is comprised of elected Boeing ECF member employees, the process may take some months. If your request is time sensitive or seasonal, e.g., summer camp, etc., it is important that you clearly identify the need date on the grant application form.
Once the application has been received and reviewed, a site visit may be scheduled with the agency. The information from this visit will help the board in their decision-making process. The Board of Directors will decide to fully fund, partially fund, or deny funding the grant. The agency will be notified, in writing, of the board's final decision.
Grant Application Checklist
Upload the following information to complete your application:
- Summary of your agency's mission and major programs, which includes:
- an accurate percentage of administrative overhead costs (salary, benefits, general overhead, etc.) vs. agency funds actually distributed.
- If your request is for capital expenditures such as equipment, vehicles, renovations, and/or other capital improvements, include three comparable bids and a bid summary. Requests for contributions toward capital building projects must also include specifics on the campaign, timelines, contractors' estimate, and other sources of funds.
- If your request is for seed money to start a new program, upload the project budget, including specific details on budgeted items for which funds are being requested. Include any job descriptions related to the new program.
- Latest financial audit, performed by an independent accounting source. If a management letter was included, you should include it in this application.
- IRS 990 from the last fiscal year, including Schedule A.
- Latest balance sheets, listing assets and liabilities.
- Income and Expense Statement for last fiscal year.
- Agency budget for current year, including all income sources.
- Agency budget projections for future year or years.
- For renovations/remodeling, and if the facility is leased, a copy of lease agreement.
- Names, business addresses, and occupation of all board members.
- Typed driving instructions to the location where the funds are being requested.
- Copy of IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter.
In conclusion, if you have any questions about the process or problems with the actual completion of the form, please do not hesitate to call the Administrative office at (503) 676-1455.
Thank You.