Frequently Asked Questions

RFP Questions will not be accepted after COB Wednesday, October 5, 2011

1. What are the stipulations regarding an organization’s legal status as it relates to eligibility for these grants?
This RFP is intended for nonprofit organizations with 501 (c) (3) status. A nonprofit may use a fiscal sponsor who has 501 (c) (3) status to apply for funds.

2. Are partnerships/coalitions eligible to apply (with one lead agency)?
Partnerships and coalitions are eligible to apply with a lead agency or partner. The lead partner must submit the application and be a 501 (c) (3) organization.

3. Is this the same grant NALCAB put out in a RFP a year or two ago?
NALCAB released an RPF about eighteen months ago to subgrant funds made available by the Northwest Area Foundation (NWAF). Please note that the NWAF is one of the three funders in the grant pool available this year.

4. Are prior NWAF grantees eligible to apply?
Previous grantees under the Northwest Area Foundation sub-grants are eligible to apply.

5. What type of program or class is of most interest to NALCAB for furthering your granting goals?
Please read the RFP carefully, with an emphasis on the grant pools you want to apply for, to determine which of your organization’s programs best fit the purpose of funding under that category.

6. Does the budget and technical assistance request count as part of the limit of 6 single-spaced pages?
Yes, the budget and budget narrative, as well as the technical assistance request count as part of the limit of 6 single-spaced pages. In addition to the 6 pages, the cover sheet (organizational information) and additional materials need to be included with the application.

7. If a new organization is using a 501 (c) (3) fiscal sponsor, should the financial statements be those of the fiscal sponsor?
Yes, the financial statements should be those of the fiscal sponsor. The organizational and project budget should be of the applicant organization.

8. Do the outcomes we achieve all need to be accomplished within the grant period? What we could achieve with grant funds wouldn’t necessarily be client-level in the first year (more about achieving milestones in program development), but could in 2-3 years lead to very significant economic benefits to the Latino community.
Organizations must identify the outcomes to be accomplished during the grant period. In addition, they may identify longer term outcomes, assuming the program is sustained beyond the grant period. The organization should identify their plan to sustain the program beyond the grant period. Please refer to the application procedures and scoring criteria for more information.

9. Are outcomes at the project or organizational level, as opposed to individual-level outcomes, eligible and competitive for this funding opportunity?
The Evaluation and Scoring Criteria places a higher score on the impact to the community served or direct service level. In addition, as stated in the third page of the RFP, #4-Impact, we request a description of both the impact on the end beneficiaries and community your organization serves as well as how the grant will build capacity within your organization. Therefore, how the organization’s success will be measured should be described for both areas in order to receive the available points in both impact areas.

10. Can you provide any more specific definition to the term “capacity building?.” Some grants define this term, for example that the grant catalyze a program that can become self-sufficient by the end of the grant, others have a broader definition.
NALCAB uses a broad definition of “capacity building”. We are interested in the impact of the grant on the end beneficiary, and as well are interested on how the grant will build the organization’s capacity to develop the program beyond specific metrics to individuals served.

11. Is an eligible use of funds for the capacity building hiring a new staff person to focus on our retail incubator work which we are expanding?
Yes, an eligible use of funds for the capacity building could be hiring a new staff person to focus on your work which you are expanding.

12. We are located in a state not listed in the RFP. Our project will include both affordable housing and community facilities. Are we eligible to apply?
Organizations in states not listed in the RFP and that do not fit the Sam’s Club criteria must make the case that they serve a community exhibiting rapid growth in the Latino community and a lack of nonprofit and/or government infrastructure to meet the needs of that community. Please review the second page of the RFP.

13. Can an organization submit more than one proposal, for example, one under each funding source?
Organizations may submit only one proposal/project for funding consideration. With a single application, however, organizations may apply for funding from one or more of the three pools of funds that are available, based on their specific eligibility requirement. Please note which grant pool you would like to be considered under by marking the appropriate one(s) on the application cover sheet.

14. Can the requirement for a “staff” person to attend the pre-conference or the NALCAB conference be used for an agency’s board member?
Yes, a board member may attend the training and/or conference to meet the RFP requirement.

15. If we are applying for a project that is part of a larger program, should the budget reflect the project expenses, the program expenses, or both?
The budget should address the specific project request from NALCAB, and as stated in #5 of the narrative questions, please describe how this small grant will fit into an overall budget of the project or program. Organizations may need to adjust the sample budget form as needed to suit their project and program; for example, add another column for the project or program revenue and expense.

16. Do Sam’s Club grants apply to business development (job creation) for businesses beyond microenterprise (e.g. those that are 6-19 employees)?
Yes, small business development is eligible for funding under the Sam’s Club funding source.