INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING A FULL GRANT APPLICATION
2011-12 Grant Cycle
BY INVITATION ONLY

Along with other grantmakers in the region, beginning with the 2011-12 granting cycle, SOS has elected to use the Missouri Common Grant Application and Budget Templates for organizations chosen to submit a full proposal. All grant applications must be received on or before January 13, 2012

The Missouri Common Grant Application was developed by the Gateway Center for Giving and representatives from the St. Louis grantmaking community, including SOS. The CGA is designed to help make the grantmaking process simpler and more efficient for grant seekers. It allows both Missouri grantmakers and grantseekers to work from a common set of questions that reinforce solid nonprofit practices and saves nonprofit organizations time and effort by enabling them to use a single form for many different grant applications.

Organizations selected to submit a full proposal must follow these steps:

STEP ONE:    Complete the grant cover page. The cover page must accompany the full grant application.  Note: an electronic version will be provided by email, but you may also reproduce using the same format and order. Please limit to two pages using 12 point font and single spacing. 

STEP TWO:   Complete the full-length application of the Missouri Common Grant  Application and Budget Templates.

Once the Missouri Common Grant Application page, follow these steps:

• Click on the User Guide and read before beginning the application.

• Click on the link to the Missouri Common Grant Application and complete. 

• Click Budget Templates. SOS requires both the project budget template and the organizational budget template

• Once the application and budget templates are complete, print and submit with the remaining documents in the order specified under STEP FOUR. 

STEP THREE: Prepare and/or compile organizational documents, to include:

• Financial documents - Provide the organization’s financial statements for the most recently completed three fiscal years (audited statements preferred), and its 2010 Form 990 tax return filed with the Internal Revenue Service.

• Current Funding Sources - A list of organizations, corporations and foundations your organization is seeking funding from for the project, with the status of each request.  If the project is the recipient of multi-year funding, provide the source(s), funding amounts and dates received or expected. If the request to SOS is for general operating support, include a list of organizations, corporations and foundations that are or have been solicited in 2011 and indicate the status of each request. 

• Current Board of Directors - A listing of board members and their affiliations.

• Key Staff - A one paragraph description of key staff, including qualifications relevant to this grant application.

• Evidence of Tax-Exempt Status - A copy of the organizations (or its fiscal agent’s) current IRS determination letter indicating its tax-exempt status.

STEP FOUR: Scan all documents in a single file and save as a PDF in the following order:

• Grant Cover page

• Completed Common Grant Application and Budget Templates

• Organizational Documents

STEP FIVE: Upload the zipped PDF package created in STEP FOUR to:

• Register your organization if you have not previously done so.
  
  
• http://soswomensfund.org/organizations/login.cfm
  
  
• Enter username and password.
  
  
• Upload AS A SINGLE FILE.

Note: If you do not have the username and password you were provided when you registered, please contact Parker McMillan at pbmcmillan@gmail.com.

Useful Tips & Recommendations

• Plan enough time to prepare, collate, scan and upload your organizational documents to SOS’s website.  Allow ample time in the event that you experience technical difficulties so that you will be able to submit by the deadline.

• If you do not have the capability to scan files, save your documents to a CD or flash drive and go to a local copy center (such as FedEx Kinko’s) to have it done.  Most Windows OS have the capability of "condensing" files into one file and then "zipping" them to provide for a faster and smaller upload. For Windows system search on "zip" or "condense files" in the help system for more information.

• For questions,  contact Laura Friedman at lfriedman.stl@gmail.com or Linda Grayson at graysonlc@aol.com.

REMEMBER: THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012.