FAQs

Answer: There are three grantmaking meetings of the trustees annually. Applications are due postmarked by the deadline dates for consideration at meetings as follows:

Question: How many copies of my application do I need to submit?

Answer: Grant applications must include two identical sets of the entire application - the application cover sheet, proposal narrative, and all required attachments. Attachments such as the IRS letter and nonprofit checklist can be submitted as copies, and need not be originals. Only one copy of audited financials is required.

Question: Do I need to send in attachments previously submitted to the Bean Foundation in prior grant applications, such as a board list, IRS letter, or financial statement?

Answer: Yes. You must submit two copies of all attachments with each application. This enables us to manage a significant volume of applications efficiently and fairly, with certainty that we are reviewing your most current information.

Question: We are a state or municipal organization. Do we need to submit all the requested attachments, including an IRS letter, financial statement, and nonprofit checklist?

Answer: No. Town offices, public schools, commissions or departments of the state are not 501(c)3 nonprofits and do not need to submit an IRS letter, financial statement or nonprofit checklist. Municipalities need not submit the full town budget or school budget - but should be sure to submit a detailed and thorough project budget. For the requested board of directors list, a municipality or school should submit a list of the board of selectmen or school board, as well as names and contact information for any relevant advisory board for the project in question. To ensure that your application is deemed complete, please include with your application a brief written note explaining that as a state or municipal entity you do not need to submit all the listed attachments.

Question: Is it helpful to submit additional attachments, such as letters of support?

Answer: Although not required, you may include one or more letters of support from key partners if these lend real strength to your proposal. Prior written reports, new articles, or other text materials should be submitted only if directly relevant to the application in question. Please be very selective, as we receive a high volume of applications, and our storage space is limited. Please do not include posters, videos, CD's, DVD's, or other bulky media attachments which we cannot file or store.

Question: Should I submit my application in a notebook or folder?

Answer: No. Please do not enclose your application and support materials in a notebook or special folder or use costly dividers. Due to our review process, they must be removed as soon as the application arrives at the Bean Foundation office.

Question: Can I submit more than one grant proposal at a time?

Answer: It is our practice to grant no more than one application per organization in each grant cycle. We thus ask that you submit only one application for each deadline.

Question: How often may I submit a grant request to the Bean Foundation?

Answer: Bean Foundation Guidelines state that after receiving a grant from the Foundation, organizations are expected to wait two years before submitting another application.

Question: How do I submit my proposal to the Bean Foundation?

Answer: The Bean Foundation does not accept online applications. Applications can be dropped off at the Bean Foundation office by 5 P.M. on the deadline date or mailed with a postmark which is no later than the deadline date.

Question: My group does not have a 501(c)3 IRS tax-exempt status. What is a fiscal agent and how do I get one?

Answer: A fiscal agent is an organization with 501(c)3 status that agrees to be accountable for the grant and responsible for the fiscal management of a particular project. Approach a well-respected local nonprofit directly if you wish them to act in this capacity.

Question: Once an application is received by the Bean Foundation, what is the process and how long does it take to receive a response?

Step 1: Staff reviews applications for completeness. Incomplete applications are denied.

Step 2: Staff reviews complete applications on their merits and prepares a report for the Trustees.

Step 3: The Bean Foundation trustees approve or decline grant recommendations at regularly scheduled meetings.

Step 4: Applicants are notified of decisions by mail. It takes from 3-4 months to receive a Trustee decision on a grant application.

Question: What are the most common reasons why a proposal is denied?

Answer: The Bean Foundation's grant review process is competitive, grant dollars are limited, and not all applications are recommended for funding. We review applications for their relationship to our grantmaking priorities and the listed grant review criteria. For example, an unsuccessful proposal may fail to articulate an important community need, lack a realistic plan for sustaining the work in the future, or fall short in demonstrating the capacity of staff, board, or volunteers to complete the proposed project. If your application is declined, we welcome a telephone inquiry to discuss the reasons for our decision, and how a future proposal from your organization might be strengthened.

Question: Do I need to submit a final grant report?

Answer: Recipients of grant support from the Norwin S. and Elizabeth N. Bean Foundation are required to complete a final report upon completion of the grant funded project.

IMPORTANT: Grant recipients who do not submit final reports will not be eligible for future funding.

Question: What information should I include in the final grant report?

Answer: We rely on your candid grant reports to assist us. Please give us your honest thoughts about both the short-term results and the longer-term potential of the project, program or work for which funds were granted.

We are as interested in what did not work as what did. While we understand the wish to focus on success, we respect the candor and insight involved in also sharing hard lessons learned.

Your grant report should be based on the description and evaluation plan in your original proposal narrative. Please refer to your original proposal as you prepare your grant report.

Question: How do I submit my final grant report?

It is extremely important that the subject line of your email contain the name of your organization followed by the grant number. For example: Human Service Society GT05-1002.

Please email your final or interim grant report to: KCook@BeanFoundation.org

or mail to:

Norwin S. and Elizabeth N. Bean Foundation
40 Stark Street
Manchester, NH 03101