Frequently Asked Questions
Founded on a tradition of philanthropy, we strive to create positive, sustainable, systemic change for our community.
Grantmaking FAQs
This page features information about current and upcoming grant cycles. For more information, contact our Community Impact team.
The grant application portal is open for donor-directed, invitational and RFP grants. You can access the grants portal here.
Please read the applicant tutorial document and/or watch the tutorial videos provided by our online application vendor, Foundant Technologies. If you still have questions or need assistance, contact Kelly Costello. If you have trouble after hours, save your application and leave a message. Your call or email will be returned during business hours.
To gain access to past grant applications and other documents in your grants portal, please contact Kelly Costello who can manage your organization account and delegate access.
If you are awarded a grant, we require a final status report one month following the end of the grant period. Interim reports may also be required. All reporting requirements are outlined in the grant agreement, and can be submitted using the grants portal. We will not accept reports via e-mail, U.S. mail or in person.
To request a modification to your current grant including a budget revision or grant term extension, please contact Kelly Costello who can provide you with access to a modification form in your account in our online grants portal.
Spending Policy for Endowed Funds FAQs
Why was this change made to Rose Community Foundation’s spending policy for endowed funds? Rose Community has housed agency endowment funds on behalf of nonprofit organizations for nearly 25 years. In that time, the Foundation’s spending policies have evolved to reflect current best practices within the industry, to align with legal changes – notably the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act of 2006 (UPMIFA) – and to meet the needs of the nonprofits on behalf of whom these funds are held. Each change – in 2008 and again in 2020 – provided additional flexibility and reflected a more trust-based approach to the Foundation’s relationships with its nonprofit partners, while still prudently managing and stewarding these funds as long-term assets. This change aligns with peer foundations’ policies as well as guidance from Council on Foundations. Including a floor of 66% HDV aligns with the spending policies passed by the board of trustees in 2020 and ensures that the majority of fund principal remains intact and permanent.
What are the specific changes?
Old Policy: Prevented any distributions exceeding annual distribution amount (Section II d iii).
New Policy: This language was removed.
Rationale: Allowing special distributions required the removal of this restriction.
Old Policy: Annual distributions may begin at fund inception (Section IV b).
New Policy: Annual distributions may begin in the first quarter of the calendar year following fund inception.
Rationale: This change aligned policy language with current practice, which is that the distribution amount for each fund is calculated and made available in January each year.
Old Policy: The spending policy allowed only annual distributions.
New Policy: In addition to annual distributions, the spending policy allows special distributions in excess of the annual distribution, provided the distribution would not take the fund balance below 66% of Historic Dollar Value. Special distributions require written request and rationale as well as authorization by the agency’s Board of Directors and approval by Rose Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees (new section V).
Rationale: This change allows greater flexibility and discretion for agency fundholders, while still maintaining the majority of fund assets for perpetuity. Allowing special distributions is consistent with Council on Foundations’ recommendations and with the practices of many institutions that house and manage endowed funds.
What is Historic Dollar Value? Historic Dollar Value (HDV) is the sum of original and subsequent contributions to the fund, not including investment earnings or losses.
How does an organization request a special distribution and how long does the process take? Special distributions require written request and rationale as well as authorization by the agency’s Board of Directors and approval by Rose Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Generally, these will be reviewed at the next meeting of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, which occur quarterly.
What distribution percentage will help ensure principal growth over time? Organizations may take up to 5% annually; however, funds that are focused on principal growth may wish to set a lower distribution percentage or only take a portion of the 5% that is available.
How does this change to the spending policy for endowed funds impact an organization with its own board-approved spending policies? While this change impacts many of our nonprofit fundholders, there are some organizations whose own board-approved spending policies specifically state that these types of distributions cannot be made. If your organization is among that group, your board-approved policies supersede the Foundation’s.
Our board of directors does not want to take a distribution from our agency endowed fund until we’ve reached a certain milestone. How do we indicate that? Agency fund distributions are calculated each January, and a fund may begin taking a distribution the first January following the opening of the fund. In the fund agreement, organizations can add additional details about when they plan to begin taking distributions from the fund. Please note that the Spendable Amount will be calculated and available for distribution annually regardless of the description provided, but this description can act as guidance for the nonprofit’s board of directors to consider whether to take a distribution in a given year.
Fundholder Portal FAQs
If I have more than one fund, how do I toggle between them in the Fundholder Portal? On the Choose Fund tab, you can select the fund for which you would like to view information.
How do I view my recent grant history? The Home tab features a list of recent grants by date, as well as contributions to your fund. You will also see a list of your paid grants on the right side of the Make a Grant or Distribution page (or at the bottom of the page on a mobile device). The Grants and Distributions tab summarizes all grant history by grantee.
How do I make a grant from my donor-advised fund? Click on the Make a Grant or Distribution tab. From there you can select a previous grantee from the drop-down menu, use the search box to search for a grantee (all current and past grantees of Rose Community Foundation and its funds will appear) or manually enter information for a new grantee organization.
What is the Attachment field on the Make a Grant or Distribution tab for? Do I need to provide accompanying documentation for my grant request? The attachment field is optional and may be used if you have additional information you wish to share with Rose Community Foundation. Additional documentation is not required.
What information should I include in the Description field? You may use this field to indicate whether your grant is unrestricted or designated to a specific fund or program at the grantee organization.
What should be included in the Special Instructions field? This field may be used to state if the gift is being made in honor or in memory of a person. Other relevant notes explaining how the grant should be applied may be entered here as well.
Can I make my grant anonymous? Yes, checking the Anonymous box when completing your grant request will make both the fund name and donor name anonymous. The grant letter that accompanies the grant check will state that an anonymous donor-advised fund at Rose Community Foundation has made a grant in support of the organization. If you do not check this box, the grant letter will recognize both the fund and recommending donor advisor.
What if I want only my name or fund name to be anonymous, not both? Currently the anonymous selection will make both the donor advisor and fund name anonymous. If this functionality is updated, we will notify you.
How do I make a grant to a fund at Rose Community Foundation? You may make an interfund grant to another fund at the Foundation using the dropdown menu “Other foundation funds” on the Make a Grant or Distribution tab.
Will I receive an email confirmation when the Foundation receives my grant request? You will not receive confirmation by email, but a confirmation message will display after you click Submit Request. The grant request is immediately received.
Will I receive notification when the grant has been paid? Yes, you will receive an email notification when the grant has been paid.
How do I request a distribution from my fund? Download the Distribution Request Form, available on the Documents tab. Complete the form and secure the necessary signature(s). If you are requesting a distribution from more than one fund, you only need to fill out and sign one Distribution Request Form. You will need to upload it separately for each request. On the Make a Grant or Distribution tab, select your organization from the Choose from Previous Grantee drop-down menu. Enter the amount requested and attach your completed and signed Distribution Request Form.
How do I view my recent distribution history? The Home tab and the Grants and Distributions tab both list recent distributions by date. The Grants and Distributions tab summarizes all distribution history.
Where can I see the amount available to distribute from my fund? You can see your Spendable Balance on the Home tab. This will reflect the amount available for distribution.
If I have more than one fund, how do I toggle between them? On the Choose Fund tab, select the fund for which you would like to view information.
How will I receive my distribution?
To pay our partners quickly and efficiently, Rose Community Foundation prefers to transmit funds via ACH. Participation is optional but encouraged. If your organization is already enrolled in ACH payments, your distribution will be delivered directly to your bank account. If you are not yet enrolled, instructions can be found on the Documents tab on the Fundholder Portal. If you choose not to enroll in ACH payments, your distribution will be paid via check and will arrive in the mail.
How do I view grants awarded from my fund? The Home tab and the Make a Grant or Distribution tab both list recent grant distributions by date. The Expenses Paid tab lists all administrative expenses paid.
How do I view expenses paid from my fund? The Expenses Paid tab lists all administrative expenses paid. “Voucher Activity” summaries total expenses by payee. “Vouchers” shows individual expenses paid by date.
How do I view funds received into my fund? The Home tab and the Contributions tab both list recent contributions, both donations and grants, received by date. The Payments Received tab lists other payments received, including reimbursements or invoice payments.
If I have more than one fund, how do I toggle between them? On the Choose Fund tab, select the fund for which you would like to view information.