FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Northern VA Therapeutic Riding Program
(Photo by Sydney Sawyer)

General Questions

What types of public charities are eligible to apply to the Foundation?

The Foundation will consider applications from a 501(c)(3) organization with a non-private foundation status of 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2). If you are unsure of the organization’s 509(a) status, please consult a tax adviser. The Foundation does not make grants to private foundations.

What is the average grant size and how much should I request?

While there is no steadfast rule as to how much an applicant should request, you can view recent grants to determine the Foundation’s average grant size.

Does the Foundation provide continuous funding?

In an effort to ensure the broadest response to the needs of our community, the Foundation’s policy requires organizations to submit applications annually regardless of prior funding.

Does the Foundation provide emergency grants?

No.

Do applicants need to submit a Letter of Interest or Inquiry?

The Foundation does not require a Letter of Interest or Inquiry prior to submitting an application for consideration. Please review the Application Process for details.

May an organization submit an application if requested information is missing (e.g., financial audit), then submit these materials once received?

It is preferable that all attachments requested be included in the application at the time of submission. Exceptions may be made on an individual basis.

If an organization is small and does not have an audit, what kind of financial information should be submitted?

In place of an audit, an organization’s Form 990 filed with the Internal Revenue Service and budgets for the past three years may be submitted.

Once an application has been submitted, when will applicants be notified of the funding decision?

All organizations receive notification verifying receipt of their application. To ensure that each request is given fair consideration, the review and funding decision process generally takes four to six months from the deadline date for which the application was submitted.

May an organization apply again if it was turned down in the past? If so, when?

Yes, organizations are welcome to reapply, regardless of whether they receive funding. However, groups may apply only once within a 12-month period. Therefore, if an application is submitted for the November 1 deadline, organizations must wait until the following November 1 to submit another request.

If an organization is awarded a grant, are there specific guidelines for submitting progress and final grant reports?

Once approved, grantees must submit all progress and final reports as required in its grant agreement, unless otherwise specified.

Online Grant Application Questions

How does an organization begin the online application process?

To begin the Cafritz Foundation’s grant application process, you must first create an account in the online application portal. Please note that any grant application you create will remain in draft form until you submit it for review.

Does an organization have to create an account to access the online application?

Yes, an account is required in order to access and submit an online application.

How can an organization retrieve a forgotten username or password?

The username is the same as the e-mail address used to create an online application. To retrieve a lost or forgotten password, go to the Account Login page and follow the instructions. Contact the Foundation if you need additional assistance.

What if an organization is unable to log into its account?

Often, clearing your browser cache is enough to resolve this issue. Instructions for this process are available for Google Chrome (recommended browser), and Mozilla Firefox. If you are still experiencing issues logging on, please contact the Foundation.

The person who wrote the grant application(s) is no longer with the organization. How can the account be accessed?

Contact the Foundation and provide the e-mail address of the person who created the account and the name, e-mail address and title of the person the account should be transferred to. The Foundation will send an e-mail indicating the account has been transferred.

I am being asked to start the eligibility quiz in the grant portal for the second time, how do I get to my application?

Please use this link: cafritzfoundation-portal.givingdata.com to go to your Account Page.

If an organization is in the middle of an application, can it be saved and completed later?

Yes. The online portal automatically saves information as you enter it into your application. You can simply close the application and all information entered previously should appear the next time you open it.

How can an organization retrieve an application from a previous session?

Please use this link: cafritzfoundation-portal.givingdata.com to go to the Account Page.

Why is the application not listed after log in?

First, confirm you are logged in for the correct organization. This can be verified in the top left corner of your home page. All applications that are in progress, or submitted and waiting for a decision, can be viewed within the Active Applications tab of your home page. If you still do not see the application in this tab, or any other tab from your home page, please contact the Foundation.

If an organization has a fiscal sponsor, how should it fill out the application fields?

Please submit the required attachments (budget, audit, and other financial statements) for both the fiscal sponsor and the organization/project seeking funding. In the online application, please insert the fiscal sponsor’s contact information under the Organization Information and the organization/project’s information under Request Contact. Make sure to include a letter from the fiscal sponsor confirming the relationship.

How are attachments submitted in the online portal?

Applicants must upload ALL required documents to the online application. Follow the instructions on the Attachments page of the online application. Attachments must be submitted in Adobe PDF formats. If you need assistance creating PDF files, visit https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/convert-pdf.html.

How much space is available when adding attachments?

There is no limit on the number of attachments. The limit on the file size of a single attachment is 20mb.

An application was submitted without one of the attachments. What should I do?

If you forgot to submit an attachment, please e-mail it to apply@cafritzfoundation.org. Please include the organization name in the e-mail subject line.

How can I tell if an online application has been received by The Cafritz Foundation?

Upon clicking “Submit,” an e-mail confirming receipt of the application, along with a copy of the submission will be sent automatically.

Once an application has been submitted, can it be retrieved or edited by the applicant?

No, once submitted, an application cannot be modified. The Foundation recommends printing a draft application and carefully proofreading the responses before submitting it.

What if my portal crashes while I am submitting my application online?

The online grant application portal has been designed to minimize the loss of information. All data is automatically saved as you enter it. If it crashes, you should be able to log back in and see the information previously entered.

Is an organization’s information secure when applying online?

The Foundation takes privacy very seriously. It does not rent, sell or share personal information about grant applications with other people or with nonaffiliated companies or organizations, without your prior permission. The Foundation uses GivingData, which uses an SSL certificate so that the data is encrypted at rest, and all traffic is encrypted as well.