If your organization has never applied for a grant through the Foundation's website before, you can go ahead and create an account. You'll need to have basic organizational information, including your Employee Identification Number (EIN), organization contact information, and the primary contact's information. For a quick and easy overview of the grant site, check out this video. Bookmark the Log on page for easy access to your applications and grant report forms.

You can check to see if your organization/government entity has an account by calling the Programs Department of the Foundation (see contact information at right).

Contact Dotti Thompson at 319-243-1358 or by email for assistance with grant account Log On credentials.

No, contact the Programs Department of the Foundation (see contact information at right) and we will assist you in getting or updating the Log On credentials.

Typically, there is only one account per organization to keep the organization administration aware of who is applying for a grant. Contact the Programs Department of the Foundation (see contact information at right) to discuss the option of having more than one account for your organization.

No, all city/county/school departments must apply through the city/ county/school administration. Contact your administration’s office to obtain log on credential for the account. If you do not know if your city/county/school has already created an account, contact the Programs Department of the Foundation (see contact information at right).

Within the city/county’s user account, an application for each department will need to be generated. Each Department should include the name of the department in the Project Name. So, for example, if the City of Your town logs into their user account, they can see projects listed like this:

PROJECT NAME: Police Department: Body Cameras

Library: Improvements to Reading Selection

Each account should have only one contact person to ensure all grant communications go to the same individual. You can obtain the log on information for your organization by connecting with your organization/government administration. If they do not have the information, contact the Programs Department of the Foundation (see contact information at right) to obtain the log on information.

Contact the Programs Department of the Foundation (see contact information at right) to have any organization information changed.

Applicant contact information can be updated either by clicking on the pencil icon in the center of the Applicant Information box or by selecting Edit My Profile in the drop-down menu under the individual’s name in the far upper right-hand corner of the Applicant Dashboard.

The fiscal sponsor sets up the account in the online system and completes the application. This organization is accountable for the grant funds if successful, and thus, should be set up as the applicant. The fiscal sponsor needs to be in good communication with the department, organization, or club that is applying for the funds, and needs to work out an agreement that allows each grant writer access to the account.

You will not change the contact information from the fiscal sponsor. There is a place in the application for the contact information for the individual responsible for the project. If your organization becomes an independent 501c3 organization, you will create a separate account for your new organization.

Within the fiscal sponsor’s user account, an application for each separate sponsored organization will need to be generated. A good idea is to label each PROJECT with the name of the organization or group applying for the funds. So, for example, if the City of Supertown logs into their user account, they can see projects listed like this:

PROJECT NAME: Little League: New Team Uniforms

Civic Improvement Group: Spring Planting Project

This allows the fiscal sponsor to see at a glance who is responsible for which project. If the fiscal sponsor provides each applicant with the log-in information, all will be able to log in at the same time and will be able to clearly identify which project is theirs.

You should receive an immediate, automatic email reply when your application has been submitted. This reply, and ALL future correspondence regarding this grant, will be sent to the main email address entered in your organizational account. BE SURE that it is the email address of the organization’s main contact person – an authorized signer.

Each grant opportunity has its own application deadline. Applicants are encouraged to review each grant opportunity’s Grant Guidelines for specific details about decision notifications.

Notification of grant decisions will be emailed to the contact person for online grant account with a decision letter attached. For government entities with more than one application under review, a separate email will be sent for each grant application submitted. If you are not the contact person for the account you submitted your application under, you are encouraged to contact that individual after grant decisions are announced.

This form can be found by logging back into the online grant account and looking under the project heading for the follow up forms. The Terms of Grant form can be reviewed, signed, and submitted by clicking on the “Start” button on the far right. This form must be submitted online.

There are two links at the top of the page- “Follow Up Packet” and “Question List.” By clicking on these links, you will create a .pdf file, which you can save, email, and/or print as needed. The “Follow Up Packet” will give you a copy of your Terms of Grant (questions and answers), and the “Question List” will just give you a copy of the Terms of Grant questions.

No, however, we strongly encourage participation in the award ceremony, if held, to see the other projects happening through support from your local community foundation. We encourage grantees to include others associated with their organizations to attend the event (board, council members, volunteers, etc.). If no one from your organization can attend, the grant check will be mailed in care of the account contact individual.

Grantees have 12 months after the grant is awarded to expend the funds and submit the Grant Report. For example, if you are awarded a grant in September of 2021 the Grant Report for the project will be due by October 31, 2022. This one-year time frame is set as a default deadline. If you need more time to expend the funds, see How can an extension request on a Grant Report be made?

The Grant Report is your opportunity to communicate how the grant funds were expended, the success of the project, and to share any obstacles that occurred. Stories or learning that were gained during the project are also requested to give a complete overview of the effectiveness of the grant. We encourage attaching photos to the report as well.

If an extension is needed to complete the project, you can contact the Programs Department of the Foundation (see contact information at right). Include the following information in your email,

Organization Name, Project Name, and anticipated completion date of the project and/or Grant Report.

The grant management system sends an automated past due reminder the day after a Grant Report is due. CFNEIA has a progressive process for contacting grantees regarding any Grant Reports that continue to be outstanding, including emails, phone calls, and formal letters as needed.