Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have a deadline?
The Foundation does not have deadlines. However, grants received after November 1 may not be reviewed until after January 1st.
May we meet to discuss our prospective proposal?
While we would like to meet with all new prospective grantees, we have just two part-time Co-Executive Directors, and thus our time is limited for in-person / virtual meetings and phone calls. You are welcome to send in a letter of inquiry with as much information as you feel necessary to describe your organization, its mission and goals, and the projects for which you would like funding.
What is the typical grant for first-time grantees?
First-time applicants should request between $10,000 - $25,000. Please consider your organization's total budget and typical grant size when making a request (for example, it would be very unusual for us to give a grant of $100,000 to an organization with a $300,000 budget). We reserve our larger grants for organizations which we have funded for a number of years and which have larger budgets.
If I don't receive funding, can I ask why I wasn't funded?
We understand how disappointing it is to be declined funding, but we ask that you please not write to request the reason for the Board's decision. Most often it is because of our limited resources, the project does not fit within our guidelines, or that we have overly committed funding in a certain area.
Organizations frequently ask if we can recommend other foundations that might serve as possible funders. Unfortunately, while we try to keep up with foundations that fund in our same areas of interest, the landscape is frequently changing and we do not have all the necessary contact details to offer suggestions.
Do you have any geographic restrictions?
We tend not to fund hyper-local projects unless they are in the DC area. Otherwise we do not have restrictions.
Do you want a summary as well as a proposal?
Yes, the Foundation would like a one- or two-page summary in addition to the proposal.
Do you accept e-mailed or faxed documents?
No, please send a hard copy of all materials aside from the audited financials or 990, in which case feel free to send us a link or direct us to an online version.
When will we receive a response?
Typically, a response will be received within 60 days after the receipt of a complete proposal.
May the year-end report be submitted with a new proposal?
No. The year-end report should be submitted separately and clearly entitled as the year-end report. Faxed or e-mailed reports will not be accepted.
May the year-end report be submitted before the due date?
If the funds provided by the Farvue Foundation are expended earlier than the due date for the year-end report, the report may be submitted prior to the due date. However, typically the Foundation limits funding to one disbursement per year per grantee.
When may I send in a new proposal?
New proposals will be accepted no earlier than ten months after the award date of the prior grant
Why do you ask for other sources of funding?
-
We like to ensure that there is a diverse funding base and not just one or two large grants as these often cannot be counted on to sustain an organization
-
We think it is important for organizations to have outside sources of funders who are confident in the organization's mission and not just rely on board members' donations
-
We appreciate mission-aligned sources of support