GRANT GUIDE

Mrs. Cecile Montañez, Director

Office of Archbishop’s Appeal and Grants

Email: cecile.montanez@archsa.org Phone: 210-734-1991

ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN ANTONIO

Table of Contents Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................1

An Overview of Fundraising ...............................................................................................3

Archdiocese of San Antonio Grant Support FAQ’s.............................................................11

Grant Application Process Flowchart .................................................................................18

Foundations Websites Frequently Used in the Archdiocese of San Antonio …................. 19

Support Documents Provided Upon Request by the Archdiocese of San Antonio ............20

Appendix A- Grant Coordination Policy…........................................................................21

Appendix B -I.R.S. Tax Exemption Letter.........................................................................25

Appendix C- Foundations List...........................................................................................29

An Overview of Fundraising Donors are exacting today as they make their giving decisions. Donors look for charities

including parishes, dioceses, and Catholic organizations that operate in an accessible and

open manner, that have well thought out fundraising programs consistent with an

articulated mission, with active oversight structures, free of conflicts of interest. They will

look for groups whose activities unfold on clear timetables, where good record keeping

takes place and where grant proposals not only seem to address needs appropriately but

are commensurate with the applicant organization's infrastructure.

Catholic philanthropists are more active than ever and tend to fund those institutions that

they know personally. That is why fundraising must be looked upon as relationship

building. Good development work will seek to build excellent communications with

funders inviting them and enabling them to participate in a cooperative partnership to

achieve a worthy purpose. Grantees will find that religious donors have much more to

offer than their material generosity. Their advice, experience, network of friends and

family can also be welcomed gifts that enhance the overall program direction. Excellent

fundraising will see an initial grant as an opportunity to engage donors in ongoing

conversation and interaction.

Grant proposals therefore should reflect a clearly stated purpose and will show how the

proposal is compatible with a particular foundation's mission. Proposals will contain a

mission statement, a history of the organization and how it is governed; an articulation of

the need and communities served; the specific amount of the funds requested; relevant

information on what other donors have been approached or involved in the project; how

the project will be sustained over the long run; the expected outcomes and how they will

be available, the proposed budget for the project, and background information on the

principal staff and board members.

Grant Types

Foundations and other grant making organizations make different kinds of grants.

General Grant: Some are general support grants for the operations of the organization. ·

Project Specific Grant: The vast majority of grants are project specific. Funds awarded

for these activities are restricted for these projects only.

Emergency Grant: A few foundations make emergency grants to allow an organization to

respond to an immediate crisis as in the case of Hurricane Katrina, for example.

Seed Grant: Some foundations offer seed money to launch an initiative, and they expect

to see many other donors participating in bringing the project to life.

Capital Grant: Capital grants usually finance the construction or repair of a building or

underwrite the purchase of land.

Endowment Grant: A few foundations provide grants for endowments- usually

undertaken to provide long-range stability for the institution.

Matching Grant: Greater use is being made of challenge grants where the grantee may be

required to match specified dollar amounts with donations from others.

A number of foundations make program related investments enabling an applicant

organization to obtain low interest loans and loan guarantees especially important, for

example, for anti-poverty projects like housing and micro enterprise development.

Note: It is good to keep in mind that almost no grant makers provide funding for deficit

financing or after the particular event or activity has been completed.

The Proposal Process

Proposal writing is just one-step in the grant seeking process, and it is not the most important

step. Far more time should be spent developing the program or project and researching and

cultivating donors than on the actual preparation of a proposal

As Jane Geever, author of The Foundation Center's Guide to Proposal Writing, states,

the proposal does not stand alone. It must be part of a process of planning and of research on,

outreach to, and cultivation of potential foundation and corporate donors.

How to start:

Commit your ideas to paper.

Thoroughly describe your program.

Create a concept paper.

State the goals and objectives of your program.

Construct a timeline.

Estimate costs for staff, materials, and equipment.

Plan for an evaluation of your program.

Write job descriptions for program staff.

Components of a Proposal:

Executive Summary

Statement of Need

Project Description

Budget

Organizational Information

Conclusion

Initial Approach

An increasing number of funders prefer brief letters of inquiry concerning the suitability of a

match between your proposal and their interests before you submit a full proposal, or even

instead of one. A letter of inquiry should touch on all the elements that would eventually be part

of a proposal; it should be no more than two pages long, and should indicate what the next step

will be (for example, that you will follow up with a phone call within two weeks). The

objective of a letter of inquiry is to get the funder to invite you to submit a proposal.

A limited number of foundations and corporations supply detailed instructions on what a

proposal to them should include. If they do provide guidelines, they expect them to be

followed. Familiarize yourself with the foundation's application form.

While it is unlikely that you will send the same exact proposal to every foundation on your list,

you will need to create a "master proposal" for your project or organization that you will

customize for each prospective funder.

Ground Rules for Preparing a Master Proposal

• Keep it readable and concise. Use large, easy-to-read, dark type. Don't use fancy

bindings; use paper clips and staples instead.

• Number the pages. If the proposal is longer than ten pages (most should not be),

provide a table of contents.

• Use charts and statistics only where appropriate, since they tend to disrupt the flow

of the narrative. Put footnotes on the same page, not at the end of the document.

• Add a limited number of attachments, press releases, news clippings, resumes, etc.

Keep appendices to a minimum.

Writing Style

• Use the active rather than the passive voice.

• Do not use jargon or acronyms unless absolutely necessary, and then provide

explanations. Use keywords that match the need to the funding criterion.

• Use simple sentences; keep paragraphs short; employ headings and subheadings.

• Write your proposal from the point of view of those who will benefit from it. Talk

about their needs and how your program will help.

The Application Process

While application requirements vary from grant maker to grant maker, usually a preliminary

inquiry is made by letter by the grant seeker. Since many foundations restrict their giving to

pre-selected organizations, verifying this will save time and frustration. Checking the

foundation's Federal 990 tax form will show if indeed the foundation does entertain applications

for assistance. Once an applicant has been invited to do so, a fuller application is then made.

Some foundations have their own application form but many do not.

Basic applications often require the following elements:

• Cover Letter- describing the project and why the particular agency contacted

seems to be an appropriate match

• Detailed Project Budget- itemized needs and the intended project outcome

• Project Plan- detailed logistics with steps involved, phases, etc.

• Background- short biography on the key individuals involved

Basic information on the applicant organization includes such items as a brief history,

mission, key staff, board members and the organization's financial situation. Grant

makers may require a copy of the latest audit by an independent accountant as well as a

copy of the IRS Determination letter confirming the organization's nonprofit status as a

501 (c) (3) entity. It is always a good idea to tell the funder of other pending applications

before other donor agencies, as well as any grants received to date. Some foundations

require a letter of support from the bishop or religious superior.

Each funder establishes its own application deadlines. Deadlines are serious and should be

respected; otherwise, you might lose out on that basis alone. Most large funders have

boards that meet quarterly. Some staffed foundations may have monthly deadlines. Many

small or family foundations have boards that meet only once or twice a year. Some have no

deadlines at all. Keep in mind that after a proposal is submitted there is often at least a

period of several months before a decision is made on it. In that interim period foundation

personnel are reading and evaluating all proposals received for that funding cycle. Also

be aware that, once you are notified that you have been awarded a grant, there is usually a

delay of several weeks before a check will be issued to your organization. Consider

submitting your proposal six to nine months before your program is to be implemented.

This allows you time to apply elsewhere if you are not successful.

The same proposal should not be submitted to all funders, as many have different

interests, priorities, and guidelines. Your proposal must show how your project fits a

funder's pattern of giving. In certain circumstances, you may be sending the same

proposal to several funders but with different cover letters. In those cases, let the funders

know who else is considering your proposal.

Always address your cover letter to an individual. Never start out with "Dear Sir" or "To

Whom It May Concern." Verify the spelling of names, titles, and addresses. You can get the

information online or over the phone by calling the foundation directly.

A few funders accept proposals via fax or the Internet, but these are the exceptions. Do

not fax or e-mail your proposal without first ascertaining from the funder that this is

acceptable.

Be sure to include all attachments requested by the funder. The most commonly

requested attachments are:

• a copy of your organization's 501(c)(3) determination letter from the IRS;

• a copy of your organization's "not a private foundation" letter from the IRS;

• a list of your organization's trustees and their professional affiliations;

• a copy of your organization's budget and most recent audit;

• a brochure describing your agency.

From the foundation side you can expect that questions like these will be asked by its

trustees before making a decision:

Does the need addressed in the grant relate to its grant making history?

• Is the geographical location of the applicant within the foundation's scope of

interest?

• Does the amount of money requested fit within the grant range of the foundation?

• Is the type of support, e.g. endowment, capital- within the guidelines of the

foundation?

• Is the grant request respectful of the foundation's deadlines?

• Is the application complete?

• Is the requesting organization, e.g. a school or parish, the kind of entity that falls

within the foundation's grant history?

These and other questions necessitate that grant seekers do as much research as possible

to find the appropriate source of help.

Accountability

Good development work involves excellent communication and a sense of accountability.

Donors should be kept informed on a regular basis on the use of their grants. Many foundations

are utilizing formal grant agreements, which often require a written report of the grant

expenditures.

Philanthropy welcomes the religious grant seeker who is willing to help the Catholic

community carry out its important mission. Forming a partnership with grant makers

requires thoughtful research, care, and a strong sense of stewardship. Those who are

prepared to invest a modest amount of time in using this Guide will find that their

development task has been made considerably lighter.

Additional Resources

To put together a winning proposal and direct it to the appropriate funding agency

requires good research and careful planning. Happily, many resources are online. The

Foundation Center is a reference library that provides comprehensive information on

most U.S. based foundations. Its mission is to support and improve institutional

philanthropy by promoting public understanding of the field and providing help to grant

seekers. The Center provides online assistance and also sponsors libraries throughout the

country. The Center also offers a subscription service that enables its users to do advanced

grant research online.

Catholic Funding Guide, Sixth Edition, provides basic information on private and

corporate foundations, church-based funding agencies, fraternal organizations and

religious orders. For those attempting to navigate the perplexing world of private

philanthropy, the Catholic Funding Guide is designed to simplify the journey. This

publication also provides useful guidance in the preparation of grant proposals.

Agencies for Development Assistance by Sylvestre, Aubin, and Hennigan, Seventh

Edition, 2007, a soft cover book containing 431 pages profiling 340 agencies that give

assistance to community-based socio-economic and/or religious projects in less­

industrialized countries. This book also gives you tips on how to select agencies that are

most likely to support your project and how to prepare a request for assistance.

The National Catholic Community Foundation provides individuals, organizations, and

communities flexible opportunities to make a lasting impact for generations to come on

ministries that are important to them. This is done through a variety of services including

donor advised funds, networking information about opportunities to give, and more.

GuideStar provides information about the operation and finances of nonprofit

organizations including foundations. The federal annual tax returns, (often referred to as

990s) of the 1,128,367 charities in the U.S. are accessible through this service. GuideStar

also provides an impressive list of internet connections to websites for volunteers and

grant seekers.

The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University offers very useful research and internet

links to philanthropic organizations and nonprofit operating standards as well as

educational opportunities for those who wish to learn more about the discipline of

fundraising.

Other internet resources include the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance. Its

standards are often used by donors, foundations and businesses to judge the quality and

effectiveness of a grant seeking organization.

The Standards for Excellence Institute is a membership organization providing training

and certification in nonprofit management in accordance with carefully developed

standards based on best practices of not-for-profit organization.

Other professional fundraising associations that can keep the grant seeker in touch with

fundraising standards and that are influential in the donor community too include the

National Council of Nonprofit Associations; the Alliance for Non Profit Management;

the Association of Fundraising Professionals; the National Catholic Development

Conference and the International Catholic Stewardship Council.

The National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management aims to promote best

management practices in Catholic institutions. It has impressively assembled a number of

resources that exemplify best operational practices in the Catholic world, including its

Standards for Excellence program.

A very valuable tool that can help the religious grant seeker develop projects in an

excellent book entitled: Projects That Matter: Successful Planning and Evaluation for

Religious Organizations by Kathleen A. Cahalan (2003, The Alban Institute,

www.alban.org).

Archdiocese of San Antonio Grant Support FAQ's

My agency needs funding support and help assessing our agency's needs, but who can I

contact for support?

The Office of Archbishop's Appeal and Grants will help you assess your agency's

needs and help you to seek funding opportunities. For answers to your questions or to

schedule an appointment with Associate Director, Cecile Montañez, please contact our

office for support by calling 210-734-1604.

My agency has several funding needs; how can I select the need, which is more likely to

be funded by a grant?

The Office of Archbishop's Appeal and Grants is here to help you prioritize your

funding needs for a greater chance of receiving a grant award based on your

agency's top priority. If you need help prioritizing your program/project needs, call

our office at 210-734-1604 for support.

Can someone help me review my agency’s project and let me know the likelihood of it being

funded by a Grant Award?

Yes, the Office of Archbishop's Appeal and Grants is here to serve you and will

work with you to review your project and determine if it is a good candidate for a

Grant Request, which will be funded. Call our office at 210-734-1604 to schedule

an appointment to review your project.

How much money is out there? How likely am I at getting funding?

There are a myriad of funding sources available, but getting funding requires research,

diligence, a good Grant Application plan and hard work. If you are willing to put in

the time and effort, you could be surprised! The more often you submit applications,

the better your submissions will become, which will increase your chances of your

program/project being funded.

When do I begin my funding search?

The sooner you begin searching and applying for funding opportunities the better.

There are many application deadlines throughout the year, which makes it very

important that you begin to identify what opportunities you would like to apply for as

soon as possible.

I would like to see which Foundations have matching interests with my grant project. Where

do I get started in identifying a good match?

We at the Office of Archbishop's Appeal and Grants are excited about helping you

identify funding sources, and we hope you take advantage of the services we offer. Check

out these Foundations, which primarily assist Texas, based ministries. Some of these

Foundations assist primarily Catholic programs and/or initiatives and have an established

relationship with the Archdiocese of San Antonio.

Can I seek Non-Catholic funding resources?

Yes, you can seek and apply for Non-Catholic funding resources. However, you must

ensure the Foundation is not in conflict with the Magisterium and teachings of the Catholic

Church. You should thoroughly research the Foundation to ensure there is no potential

conflict or controversy. If you have any concerns or need help researching a Foundation,

please contact our office at 210-734-1604 for support.

Which Foundations are most frequently used in the Archdiocese of San Antonio?

The Foundations we most often work with are Kenedy Foundation, Koch Foundation,

Raskob Foundation, Our Sunday Visitor and Scanlan Foundation.

I have identified a foundation with a matching interest, how do I find out what their grant

requirements are when applying for a grant?

You will need to research the Foundation to learn what their specific grant requirements

are, which will vary from Foundation to Foundation. You will need to identify deadlines,

required support documentation, methods of application submission, etc.

My assessment and research are complete; do I need to consider anything else?

When you have the application deadline identified, create a plan for

gathering/preparing/reviewing all required support documentation allowing at least 2-3

weeks prior to the application deadline in case any of the support documents need revision,

signatures, more detail, etc. so that the deadline is not inadvertently missed because of last

minute changes, missing information, etc.

Supporting documents are required and will need to be requested from various sources, such

as financial institutions for Bank Records or third-party companies for Formal Bid Requests,

etc., please make sure to plan for enough turn-around time so that your application deadline is

not compromised.

Feel free to contact the Office of Archbishop's Appeal and Grants at 210-734-1604 if you

would like to schedule an appointment to review your grant application and supporting

documents 2-3 weeks prior to the application deadline.

What are the most common Support Documents required b y Foundations?

Most foundations require standard supporting documentation, which most frequently

includes:

• Agency/Parish Statement of Activities

• Agency/Parish Budget

• Projected /Future Budget

• Program/Project Budget

• Agency/Parish Balance Sheet

• Agency/Parish Profit/Loss Statement

• Third-Party Contractor Estimate/Bid

• Letter of Support

I am not sure how to prepare a program/project budget; can the Office of

Archbishop's Appeal and Grants help me with preparation?

Yes, the Office of Archbishop's Appeal and Grants can help you prepare a program/project

budget if you are unsure of how to create one. If you need support in this area, call 210-

734-1604 to schedule an appointment to meet with Cecile Montañez. Please make sure to

plan ahead and schedule an appointment several weeks prior to the application deadline.

What is a Letter of Support? Am I required to create this?

A Letter of Support is a letter that your agency will create which must be submitted to the

Office of Archbishop's Appeal and Grants via email at Cecile.montanez@archsa.org for

review and approval.

NOTE: When the Letter of Support is emailed to our office, it must also be accompanied

by the following attachment:

• Completed Grant Application

After the Letter of Support is reviewed by the Office of Archbishop's Appeal and Grants for

grammar and content, our office will place the Letter of Support on Letterhead from the Office

of the Archbishop and request his Review and Endorsement of your grant request. It is

important that we have the Completed Grant so Archbishop has the opportunity to review the

Grant Request and provide his endorsement.

The draft Letter of Support should include:

• Top margin at a 2.5” with the remaining sides at 1”

• The address to the Foundation in which you are submitting your application

• A greeting to your contact at the Foundation

• A statement of endorsement in the opening sentence

• A brief description of the need for the grant

• The specific amount of the grant request

• A description of your agency and mission

• A description of your constituents and the impact your program/project will have

• A thank you for consideration

• A salutation from the Archbishop

• The Completed Application for the Archbishop to review (as an attached PDF file)

A draft Letter of Support, our office will review the letter for form/style to ensure it is clear

and concise. Also, if necessary we will correct/edit any grammatical errors so that your

agency has a strong Letter of Support, which will add to the quality of your grant

application. For questions regarding, please contact the Office of Archbishop's Appeal and

Grants at 210-734-1604 at least 2-3 weeks prior to the application deadline.

When I submit a draft Letter of Support, do I need to provide any support

documentation for the Archbishop to review prior to receiving his endorsement?

Yes, a draft Letter of Support should be emailed to Cecile Montañez, Associate Director at

cecile.montanez@archsa.org and should include the following attachment:

• Completed Grant Application

This is to ensure the Archbishop has an opportunity to review and understand the

program/project he is endorsing.

Does the Office of Archbishop's Appeal and Grants provide any of the Support

Documents, which are required?

Yes, our office will provide the documents listed below if we receive a request to provide them.

To request a copy of any of the following call our office at 210-734-1604.

• Archdiocesan Audit and Financial Statement (if required)

• Most Recent I.R.S. Tax Exemption Letter

• Most Recent Official Catholic Associate Directory published by P.J. Kenedy & Sons

• Signature for Letter of Support from the Office of the Archbishop

Please make sure to contact our office 2-3 weeks prior to the application deadline when

requesting the Signed Letter of Support. The Archbishop is frequently traveling and our

office would like to ensure there is ample time for him to process your request prior to the

application deadline.

Once the Letter of Support is signed, a representative from our office will contact you to see

your preferred method of pick up/delivery. We can send it in one or a combination of any of

the following methods:

• Mail the original to your attention at your agency- confirm the mailing address

• Mail the original to the Foundation

• Send an electronic copy to you via email

•. Prepare the original to be picked up at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center

What do Foundations like to see when reviewing Grants?

Grant Committees often like to see Grant Requests where the requesting agency plans to fund

a portion of the program/project with contributions in kind (CIK- goods or professional

services which are donated to an organization rather than cash). They do not like to fund

100% of the program/project and like to see when the agency reaches out to the community to

collaboratively fund the project.

I am ready to submit my grant application; will the Office of Archbishop's

Appeal and Grants walk me through the process of postal mail submission

and/or electronic submission?

Yes, the office will support you as you work through the initial grant submission process if you

request support by calling our office at 210-734-1604.

Prior to grant application submission you should ensure you have copies of everything you

plan to submit in case it needs to be re-submitted at a later date. It is also a good idea to

keep a copy for your agency records. The critical aspect of submitting the grant application

is to ensure you submit it prior to the application deadline.

If you choose to submit the grant application via postal mail, you must ensure it is

postmarked on or prior to the deadline. It is a good idea to send the application via certified

mail to ensure you can track its arrival. Also, if you do choose to track it and see that it has

arrived, you could follow up and call the administrative office of the Foundation to ensure

it has been received in the right department.

If you choose to submit the grant application online, you must ensure it is electronically

time stamped on or prior to the deadline. If you have a contact at the Foundation, you

could follow up via phone and ensure it has been received electronically. Sometimes

there are glitches that happen and you do not want to risk missing your application

deadline because of a technology failure.

I submitted my grant application, how long do I have to wait to receive a

response to let me know if the grant was awarded to my agency?

Responses to grant requests are usually received an average of 6 months after the grant

application date.

I feel confident my Grant Request will be funded; can I begin to spend funds

for my program/project while I am waiting to hear about the Award Status?

No, you cannot assume that your Grant Request will be funded and will be responsible

for any funds expended for your program/project prior to receiving Award Notification.

What is a Grant Committee and how does the Grant Review process work?

A Grant Committee is a group of people appointed by a charitable Foundation to review

various Grant Requests following a grant application deadline. Once all the Grant

Requests are reviewed for accuracy and completion, the Grant Committee begins to review

the requests to see which applications and programs/projects best match the interests and

priorities of their Foundation. The Grant Committee will determine if a grant will be fully

or partially funded or not considered in the current cycle until the request is further

developed, etc. If a Grant Request is not considered, the agency may or may not receive

feedback, w h i c h could aid in the development of future Grant Requests.

I won a grant award; do I need to follow-up with the Office of Archbishop's

Appeal and Grants or the Foundation that granted the award?

Yes, you will need to follow up with both the Office of Archbishop's Appeal and the

Foundation that granted the award. You may be contacted directly by the Foundation in

one of the following ways, w h i c h might include an Award Notification Letter sent via

postal mail, an email, a check sent to your agency, etc. If this happens, please call 210-

734-1604 or email our office at Cecile.montanez@.archsa.org to notify us of the award

and the following funding details:

1. Full/Partial Award

2. Approximate Date of Award Check Arrival

Once the Award Check arrives, the Office of Archbishop's Appeal and Grants will

prepare a Thank You Letter for the Foundation from the Office of the Archbishop and

mail it to them on behalf of your agency.

If the Award Check is sent to the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center instead of directly to your

agency, we will deposit the funds (since the check is likely made payable to the

Archbishop) and issue an internal check request so that a check can be issued and made

payable to your agency. Once the Award Check is ready for pick up, a representative

from our office will contact you to arrange a pick up time or else the check can be mailed

via postal mail to your attention.

Some Foundations require agencies to sign a Grant Agreement prior to funds being

awarded. Typically, this Grant Agreement must be completed and signed no later than 90

days after Award Notification. If the Foundation does not receive the Grant Agreement

within 90 days after Award Notification. the agency forfeits or could lose the Grant

Award.

Some Foundations require agencies to provide periodic Grant Reports in a timely manner

to see how the program/project is progressing and to ensure it is fulfilling its intended

purpose. Several Foundations will suspend funding if the Grant Report is not submitted in a

timely manner. This includes funding for groups that are tied to a single entity when

they apply as an individual agency (i.e., the Department of Catholic Schools and an individual Catholic School). The Foundation can suspend all funding for an entire

group if an individual fails to submit the Grant Report.

How long do I have to spend the funds, which were awarded, and can I use

these funds on another project that was not included in the original Grant

Application?

The majority of the Foundations require that grant funds be expended in a one-year time

period and are only expended on what was included in the scope of the grant request. If

funds are not expended, the Foundation could ask for funds to be returned. Alternatively,

if funds are expended outside the scope of its original intended use, the Foundation could

request funds already expended be returned. This would place the Archdiocese of San

Antonio in an awkward position and should be avoided in all circumstances.

How soon can I apply to the same Foundation after receiving a Grant Award?

The typical award cycle is one-year or every other year. This allows the Foundation an

opportunity to support other agencies with interests that also match theirs.

Is there a Flowchart of the Grant Application Process for the Archdiocese of San

Antonio?

Yes, there is a Flowchart of the Grant Application Process that first time applicants may

use to familiarize themselves with an overview of the process. After applicants apply for

their first few grants, they begin to gain more experience. It is our objective to walk you

through the process and make you feel comfortable in acquiring funding for your agency.

The Office of Archbishop's Appeal and Grants is here to support you!

'

Archdiocese of San Antonio Grant Process Flowchart

Director provides information on

potential funding sources and

familiarizes applicant with deadlines

and required support documentation

for submitting a grant request

Office of Archbishop’s Appeal and

Grants provides applicant with

necessary documents such as

IRS Ruling on Tax Exemption Letter

Archdiocesan Financial Statement

Applicant completes and submits

grant application for review by Office

of Archbishops Appeal and Grants

Applicant contacts Office of

Archbishop’s Appeal and Grants for a

meeting to discuss funding needs

FIRST TIME APPLICANTS

Grant applicant e-mails to Director

Letter of Support draft and copy of grant

application Office of Archbishop’s

Appeal and Grants processes Letter of

support for Signature of Ordinary

ALL APPLICANTS

Signed Letter of Support is e-mailed back

to applicant for submission with

application or send directly to

Foundation at preference of applicant

Applicant submits application online or

by mail working with the Office of

Archbishop’s Appeal and Grants if

necessary

Applicants who are under Archdiocesan

authority will need to have any required

Grant Agreements signed by the Ordinary

One year from date of award, award

recipient will need to execute any required

Grant/Progress Reports. The Office of

Archbishop’s Appeal and Grants will secure

signature of the Ordinary if required

All award applicants will make a copy of

their Grant Agreements and

Grants/Progress Reports available to the

Office of Archbishop’s Appeal and Grants

for centralized recordkeeping

Foundations Websites Frequently Used in the

Archdiocese of San Antonio

The Foundations we most often work with are Kenedy Foundation, Koch Foundation,

Raskob Foundation, Our Sunday Visitor and Scanlan Foundation.

Kenedy Foundation

www.kenedy.org

Koch Foundation

www.thekochfoundation.org

Raskob Foundation

www.rfca.org

Our Sunday Visitor Institute

www.osv.com

Scanlan Foundation

www.scanlanfoundation.com

Support Documents Provided Upon Request by the

Archdiocese of San Antonio

The Documents provided by the Office of Archbishop's Appeal and Grants which are

required for most Grant Applications are listed below.

You can contact our office at 210-734-1604 to let us know about your request.

• Archdiocesan Audit and Financial Statement (if required)

• Most recent I.R.S. Tax Exemption Letter

• Most recent Official Catholic Associate Directory Listing:

You will be provided with the front cover page and the page in which your agency appears.

• Signed Letter of Support from the Office of the Archbishop: You must prepare a

draft letter of support and send via email to Cecile.montanez@archsa.org for

review and editing. Once the letter has been reviewed, we will prepare and send to the

Archbishop for his review and signature. Once signed, a representative from our

office will call you to make arrangements for pick up.

Appendix A-

Grant Coordination Policy

Grant Coordination Policy

Purpose

To publish the Archdiocesan policies and procedures for the preparation, submission, and

administration of grant requests originating from the offices of the Archdiocese of San Antonio

Pastoral Center, diocesan agencies, and parishes and missions of the Archdiocese of San

Antonio. It is not the intent of this policy, however, to subvert the authority of pastors to submit

grants requesting support for parish projects. This policy is designed solely to ensure that grant

requests submitted from all archdiocesan entities are properly coordinated and that reporting

requirements from granting agencies are met.

Background Grant monies can be a valuable source of the financial resources needed to assist the diocese in

fulfilling its pastoral mandate throughout South Central Texas. Grants are particularly useful for

accomplishing this mandate because the Archdiocese has identified a number of funding needs

that cannot be met by revenues and must seek other available resources. It is critical that grants

originating from all agencies within the archdiocese be coordinated. Most foundations limit the

number of grants awarded to a single entity each year. Having a single coordinator and

repository of data on all grant requests originating in the diocese will preclude conflicting grant

requests and will allow for more credibility on the part of the Archdiocese of San Antonio.

Policy

a. Grant Coordination. The Office of Archbishop's Appeal and Grants (OAAG) will coordinate all grants requesting Archbishop’s endorsement originating from agencies, offices, and parishes of

the archdiocese in accordance with the procedures outlined in paragraph #4 below.

b. Grant Signatures. Unless otherwise approved by the Archbishop, the Archbishop will

sign all grant requests originating from the diocesan offices, with all requests subject to

review and approval by the OAAG prior to any signature.

c. Originator. The originating agency, office, or parish is responsible for drafting the technical

section of each grant request. The OAAG will then review the draft for final copy, and provide

any technical assistance or resources as requested.

d. Informal Coordination. In many cases the originating agency, office, or parish can facilitate

grant requests by directly and informally coordinating with certain grant agencies before

submitting a formal grant request, (i.e., someone may have a personal relationship with a board

member or executive director of a particular foundation). However, before any informal contact is

made with a grantor, the originating office must inform the OAAG of the grantor or foundation to

be contacted, what the purpose of the grant will be, and what the amount requested will be.

e. Grant Request/Follow Up. Copies of all correspondence pertaining to grants will be

provided to the OAAG. If an originating agency, office, or parish receives notification of a

change of grant status or notice of grant approval or disapproval, the office receiving such

notification will notify the OAAG immediately and will provide a copy of the relevant

correspondence.

4. Procedures Grants originating from offices, agencies, and parishes of the Diocese will be processed and/or

coordinated as follows:

a. The OAAG will provide Technical information regarding grant submission requirements to

agencies, offices, and parishes of the diocese requesting this information.

b. The OAAG will assist and oversee the organization of information supporting the technical

description portion of each grant request.

c. All final grant requests will be reviewed for completeness and accuracy by the OAAG prior to submission to the Archbishop for signature.

d. A log containing basic information pertaining to each grant request and the current status of the request will be maintained by the OAAG.

e. The originator of the grant request will send the Grant Agreement to the OAAG for record

compliance upon receipt/execution.

f. The OAAG will coordinate with the Business Office regarding grant receipts/disbursements and

future accounting and reporting required by the grant provider.

g. The OAAG will oversee and coordinate the review of the appropriate thank you letter (original

draft to be written by the receiving agency or archdiocesan office) so it can be later signed by the

Archbishop after the grant has been awarded to the receiving agency. The thank you letter will be

sent to the grantor once funds have been received.

h. The office or agency receiving a grant will complete any reporting or other grant requirements

directed by the granting authority. The OAAG will keep a record of all grant report requirements

and deadlines to ensure that grant reports are submitted in a timely manner. The office originating

the grant request and receiving the grant is responsible for completing any reporting requirements

requested by the grantor. All such reports will be forwarded from the receiving agency to the

grantor when requested. A copy of these reports must also be sent to the OAAG for record

keeping compliance.

5. Conclusion This policy is not intended to make grant requests restrictive or difficult to prepare in any way.

Rather, the primary purpose of the policy is to ensure that the target grantor can see the utmost

of professionalism relative to all requests for grants. Additionally, this will allow for proper

coordination of each grant request, eliminate duplication, and provide for a single point of

repository. This policy should also ensure proper reporting and preclude alienating the grantor

due to too many requests within their given time frames of application.

FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE FOUNDATIONS, PARISHES, SCHOOLS, MINISTRIES

AND PROGRAMS OF THE ARCHDIOCESE ARE ALL ONE LEGAL ENTITY, namely, "THE

ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF SAN ANTONIO, AND HIS SUCCESSOR, A SOLE

CORPORATION."

Even though a certain parish or school may be applying for a grant specifically limited to that

parish or school, the targeted foundation will NOT see it that way legally. Therefore, unless the

grant request is from the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center, the applicant should be "The Roman

Catholic Archbishop of San Antonio, and His Successors, a Sole Corporation, fbo Our Lady of

Guadalupe Parish, Holy Spirit School, etc." This policy will also allow the OAAG to prevent too

many application requests to be submitted to any one given foundation at any given time. Since

at times there may in fact be multiple requests to one foundation, the "fbo" will act as a point of

reference in the event of a question for clarification from a foundation.

Please note that any agencies that are separately incorporated are an exception to this rule.

Appendix B-

I.R.S. Tax Exemption Letter

Appendix C- Foundations List