The Covenant Foundation

Grants | Grants Checklist and FAQ

Grants Checklist And FAQs

Checklist for Letters of Inquiry (LOIs)

I have:

• Completed the online application form and received confirmation via email.
• Printed the cover sheet on my organization's letterhead and it has been signed by the authorized person (1 page).
• Checked that the description of my proposed project is no longer than 700 words and fits onto two 8.5" by 11" double-spaced, typed pages with margins of at least 1".
• Included a projected budget based on best current estimates (1 page).
• Submitted my completed LOI online, including cover sheet, program description, and budget.
• Made six (6) copies of my proposal for The Covenant Foundation.
• Mailed all six copies of my LOI (cover sheet, program description, and budget) to The Covenant Foundation, 1270 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 304, New York, NY 10020.
• Sent my LOI in time to reach the Covenant Foundation by postal mail AND online by the deadline of February 29, 2012 at 5:00 pm EST.

Checklist for Full Proposal

• I have scheduled a time to participate in the phone meeting for all potential grantees in preparation of their full proposal.
• I have printed the first page of the cover sheet on my organization's letterhead and includes the added required information.
• The narrative section of my Signature full proposal is no longer than 10 pages and fits on 8.5" by 11" double-spaced, typed pages with margins of at least 1". The narrative section of my Ignition full proposal is no longer than 5 pages and fits on 8.5" by 11" double-spaced, typed pages with margins of at least 1".
• I have used the outline from the Full Proposal Guidelines to aid me in the preparation of the narrative section of my full proposal.
• I have included the brief staff resume(s) for all potential grant staff.
• I have completed the project budget form and created a narrative budget statement to accompany it.
• I have included an appendix (note: appendices are optional).
• I have one copy of the most recent two years of audited financial statements and one copy of the IRS tax exemption letter. (note: if you are using a fiscal sponsor, please contact the Foundation at 212-245-3500 to discuss what documents we will require.)
• I have numbered all pages of my full proposal.
• I have mailed all six copies of my full proposal (cover sheet, narrative, staff information, appendix, project budget, narrative budget statement, audited financial statements and IRS tax exemptiob letter) to The Covenant Foundation, 1270 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 304, New York, NY 10020.
• I sent my full proposal in time to reach the Covenant Foundation by mail AND by email by the deadline of July 3, 2012 at 5:00 pm EST.

Frequently Asked Questions

Letters of Inquiry (LOI) and Eligibility

Q: How detailed does the LOI budget need to be? 
A: At this stage of the process, include four categories: personnel, consultants, supplies, and other; please see the sample budgets provided for Signature and Ignition. Separate the budget into per-year expenditures and include an estimate of other proposed sources of income to support your program, including in-kind support. You may provide additional detail if it is available. If the total amount of your project budget is greater than your request to the Foundation, please be sure to indicate how the funds from a Covenant Grant would be used. Please indicate as well if you are seeking funds from other foundations.

Q: Do you accept LOIs from individuals? 
A: No. Only organizations with 501(c)3 status from the Internal Revenue Service, or proof of nonprofit status from Revenue Canada, will be considered.

Q: Do you accept fiscal sponsors in the case an institution does not have 501(c)3 status?
A: Yes, in some cases the Foundation will accept and work with a fiscal sponsor; please contact the Foundation at 212-245-3500 to learn about this.

Q: Should I staple my four-page LOI? 
A: You may staple or paperclip the pages together for each of the 6 copies.

Q: Should I include any other materials, such as letters of reference, curriculum samples, books, or DVDs with my LOI? 
A: No. At the Letter of Inquiry stage, we are requesting only the 4-page LOI; additional materials will not be considered. If you are invited to submit a full proposal, you may include additional materials at that time.

Q: Can the Covenant Foundation help me think of a program that might receive a Covenant Grant? 
A: No. In past years, we have found that most successful applicants come to the Foundation with an existing idea. We do not recommend creating a project specifically to apply for a Covenant Grant. Looking at the list of previously funded projects on our website will demonstrate the types of projects and amounts of funding that have been provided in the past.

Q: May I call to make sure my LOI was received? 
A: You may call or email to make sure that your LOI was received. However, if you are calling in the final days before or immediately after the deadline, please be aware that there may be a backlog of LOIs, and we may not be able to provide immediate confirmation.

Q: Do you fund programming in Israel? 
A: No. The Covenant Foundation only funds programming in North America. However, Israeli-based organizations with American branches may be eligible for funding for programming within North America.

Q: What if I submit my LOI online by the deadline but mail it in late? What if I send the LOI in by mail but do not submit it online? 
A: Both the online and printed copies of your LOI must arrive in our office by the deadline. We cannot make exceptions.

Both LOI and Full Proposal

Q: Do all the pages of my Letter of Inquiry (LOI) and the full proposal have to be printed on institutional letterhead? 
A: No, only the cover sheet.

Q: Do all six copies I send have to be originals? 
A: No. One copy must be an original with a signature; the other five may be photocopies. Double-sided copies are acceptable.

Q: May I send my LOI/full proposal by fax? 
A: No. Only letters received by mail (United States Postal Service, UPS, or Fed Ex) will be accepted. Please remember that an online submission is required for LOIs and an emailed version is necessary for all full proposals.

Q: May I hand-deliver my LOI/full proposal to your office instead of mailing it? 
A: Yes, as long as it reaches our office before the deadline. If you choose this method, you are still responsible for the digital submission as well.

Q: When will I hear whether my program was approved? 
A: By the end of May 2012 you will be notified of your status. Final decisions for those who are invited to submit full proposals will be announced in late December 2012.

Q: If my grant request is successful, when will I begin to receive funding? 
A: The first installment of grant monies will be disbursed in January 2013, approximately one month after the grant is approved.

Full Proposal

Q: How detailed does the full proposal budget need to be? 
A: Each applicant invited for full proposal will participate in a phone meeting to detail the preparation of the full proposal and the project budget form that will be provided by the Covenant Foundation.

Q: How should I send my full proposal?
A: All 6 copies of your full proposal must be securely bound, whether stapled, placed in a sturdy three-ring binder, or held together by other means.