FAQs for Grantees

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Please reach us at [email protected] if you cannot find an answer to your question.

Click on a question for the answer.

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All invited applicants will need to set up an account. After your program contact invites you to submit an application, you will receive an email to register for the portal from [email protected]. Click the link to set up your account. If you have any issues accessing the portal, please email your program contact or Grants Management.

The online portal will prompt you to include the following:

  • Cover Letter stating the amount requested, timeframe of the project, and desired start and end dates for the grant. The letter must be on institutional letterhead and signed by the chief executive officer (or authorized official) of the organization or fiscal sponsor.
  • Concise Narrative (3–10 pages) describing the organization and the nature of support requested, including:
  • Background on your organization, mission, and issue areas
  • A description of the proposed work and methods
  • Desired/expected outcomes
  • Background and research that led to the development of the proposal
  • Partners on the project
  • Information about advocacy and lobbying (see below)
  • Brief background on key staff
  • Current Institutional Budget
  • Full Project Budget, including details on how the requested funds will be used (Applicants seeking general support need only send the institutional budget; no project budget is required.)
  • Other Sources of Institutional Support, including pending requests
  • List of Board Members and their affiliations

First-time grantees may be required to submit additional documentation, including documentation of tax status and most recent audited financial statements. All grantees must have an audit no more than five years old on file with CHEAF. Your program contact will advise you on what is required.

Yes. If you have already prepared materials for another funder that address the points above, please feel free to send or add to them instead of starting from scratch.

As a private foundation, CHEAF is prohibited from engaging in or supporting lobbying (attempts to influence legislation) but may provide general support to organizations that engage in lobbying as long as CHEAF’s funds are not “earmarked” for that purpose. A grant from CHEAF for general support may be used for any purpose, including lobbying, within the legal limits for public charities.

CHEAF may also fund the non-lobbying portions of specific projects that include lobbying. Please indicate in your application if your project will include any lobbying activities, AND contact CHEAF’s program manager for additional details.

While the approval process is generally completed within three months, the exact timeline may vary. Staff will be in touch with you throughout the process.

CHEAF only supports organizations with 501(c)(3) designations and does not support projects carried out under the auspices of a tax-exempt Fiscal Sponsor.

Unless otherwise noted in the grant agreement, the grantee organization retains all copyright interests in the work created as a result of the grant. However, the Communities Health & Economic Alliance Foundation retains a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish, and otherwise use such work, including posting the materials on our website and social media pages.

Grantees located in the United States will receive grant payments by Electronic Funds Transfer via Bill.com. Please provide your CHEAF program contact with the name and email of an appropriate finance/accounting staff person at your organization. Once we have received this information, CHEAF will initiate an email invitation to set up a free Bill.com account, which allows us to transfer grant payments seamlessly into your organization’s bank account.

Grantees are required to submit narrative and financial reports at specified intervals during the grant, as well as at its conclusion. CHEAF uses an online portal for the entire grant process, from submitting an application to completing final reports. The portal will send you a reminder to begin the reporting process.

Grant reports become part of the Foundation’s permanent records. All required reporting on previous grants must be submitted before an organization can apply for a renewal.

Yes. Reach out to your program contact to arrange for a no-cost extension or budget modification.

Details about all grants, including purpose, amount, and date awarded, are available to the public in our online Grants Database. The Communities Health & Economic Alliance Foundation does not generally announce our grants through press releases.

We also like to share updates and information about our grantees in short profiles on CHEAF’s website, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you have a story, update, report, photos, or other information you would like us to share, please email the Communications Team.

All requests for quotes from CHEAF staff should be sent to the program manager. Please allow 2–3 days for a response. The program manager would be happy to provide you with media tips prior to interviews.

CHEF requests that all publications and multimedia productions (including, but not limited to, podcasts, slideshows, and videos) that are funded in part or in entirety by CHEAF include the following disclaimer:

This [report/paper/multimedia presentation, etc.] was made possible with support from the Communities Health & Economic Alliance Foundation (CHEAF). The opinions and views of the authors do not necessarily state or reflect those of the CHEAF.

Current CHEAF grantees may use the CHEAF’s logo for materials and events with permission.

All materials that use the CHEAF’s name and/or logo, including, but not limited to, press releases, reports, and multimedia projects, must be reviewed by the Foundation prior to publication or distribution. Please send a draft, screenshot, or description of how you intend to use the name or logo to the program director.

CHEAF uses an online portal for the entire grant process, from submitting an application to completing final reports. The portal will send you a reminder to begin the reporting process one month before the end of the grant period. All required reporting on previous grants must be submitted before an organization can apply for a renewal.

All grantees are required to provide the CHEAF with a financial accounting sheet of the use of grant funds. The report should be presented in comparison with the approved budget and with an explanation of any variances.