Program
Overview
Application
Details
Call for Proposals
FAQ's
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FAQ's About the Application Process
Questions
about Matching Funds
| Question: |
What are acceptable sources
of matching funds? |
| Answer: |
Allowable sources of matching
funds include all types of foundation, corporations,
local charities, United Way, religious groups,
fundraising revenue and individual benefactors.
See Grantmaking
Organizations. |
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| Question: |
Our program has
not received any large local grants. Can we apply? |
| Answer: |
You do not need large grants
to match LFP awards; you can make up the match
by combining philanthropic dollars from many,
many sources in any amount. The LFP program
is designed to partner with many local grantmakers:
community foundations, religious groups, family
foundations, corporate foundations, individual
donors, etc.
When local funders are strongly in favor of your
proposal, it makes your application more competitive.
If you and your funders think it is realistic
to raise the matching dollars during the grant
period then you are eligible. |
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| Question: |
Can in-kind support be used
for the match? |
| Answer: |
No. In-kind is defined as
donated goods or services. Also excluded from
the match are capital expenses and renovation
costs. |
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| Question: |
Can we use our reserve funds
or endowments as part of the match requirement? |
| Answer: |
No. |
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| Question: |
Can government funds be used as matching dollars? |
| Answer: |
Only in unusual circumstances—when it can be demonstrated that no other philanthropic support is accessible in the region—will city, county or state funds be considered as a significant or primary source of matching dollars at the application stage. In that situation, applicants must clearly document that these are new public funds, designated solely for this project. Remember that LFP is designed as a partnership between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and local philanthropy. |
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| Question: |
Can fundraising be counted
towards our local matching dollars? |
| Answer: |
Yes, fundraising can be counted
towards the match as long as these are new monies
specifically donated for this project. Also,
as with all matching dollars, these contributions
must be used to support the same services that
LFP covers. For example, if these contributions
were used to pay the expenses of individual patients,
they would not count towards the match. |
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| Question: |
We receive money from another
national program office of the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation. Would that preclude us from applying
to the LFP program? |
| Answer: |
If you have in the past or
are currently receiving funds from the Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), you would only
be eligible for a Local Funding Partnerships' grant if
you demonstrated that the new grant would be
for something completely different. Local
Funding Partnerships money cannot be used to sustain
an existing project, especially one already funded
by RWJF. The LFP program is focused on funding
on new projects. If RWJF already supported your
model, it’s not new in your community. |
Top of Page
Questions about
Eligibility
| Question: |
May LFP grants be used to
fund capacity building of existing programs such
as professional staff development? |
| Answer: |
LFP funding is for new services
or ambitious expansions. Simply increasing current
staff skills—for example with language or
cultural competency training—would be considered
continuation of an existing program and not likely
to be competitive. |
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| Question: |
If we have also applied to
the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in response
to another Call for Proposals or as an ad hoc application
through their on-line process, must we inform LFP? |
| Answer: |
Yes, as part of your Brief
Proposal you must note if your project is currently
under consideration for any other grant from the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It is permissible
to apply to the Foundation through more than one
program office and it is understood that application
timetables do not usually match up. If you have
made another application to RWJF for this project
through any program other than LFP, clearly note
the status of that application. |
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| Question: |
Is it possible to present 2
different proposals at the same time? |
| Answer: |
There is nothing "technically"
to keep you from submitting two proposals or
being part of two applications. However you
should keep several things in mind:
- LFP grants typically go
to risky, innovative efforts that take a great
deal of energy, time and focus from local agencies
and coalitions. It's hard to imagine that one
organization could embark on two such initiatives
at the same time.
Similarly, LFP projects
often have concerns about raising local funds
to complete the dollar-for-dollar match of up
to $500,000 over four years. It seems unlikely
that one community-based group could raise matching
grants for two new projects at the same time.
- It would be remarkable
to find local funders willing to nominate you
for two projects at the same time.
- Your proposals
would compete against each other for local
dollars. Usually it is better to focus on what
you really want to do first.
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Please review the LFP
Call for Proposals. One of your projects
may be more eligible than the other. You may
also want to peruse sections of the LFP website
to see the caliber of programs we have funded
to date. Key criteria include innovation and
the enthusiasm of your nominating funder. (See Funded
Projects and Featured
Projects.)
- Finally, please understand
that the competition for LFP grants is not
like a lottery. You do not increase your chances
by entering more than once per year. Different
advisors review each application separately
on its own merits. One strong proposal is more
likely to go forward than two weak ones.
Please note that all of
the above responds to your question about one group
submitting two proposals at the same time.
Some of the same considerations may apply when
there is more than one application from the same
city at the same time. However, it is certainly
possible that two different agencies, serving different
populations, with different program initiatives–but
from the same community–might apply in the
same year. They could both go forward successfully.
There are no rules that prohibit multiple applications
from the same city or state. All are eligible and
will be considered individually. |
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| Question: |
Will proposals involving construction
to enhance existing services be considered? |
| Answer: |
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
does not fund construction or renovation. |
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| Question: |
We need both capital and program
expenditures. We have interested an individual
donor to support the capital needs of the program.
Would RWJF match those funds to cover the project
costs of the program? |
| Answer: |
Matching grants through the
Local Funding Partnerships (LFP) program
cannot be used to match donations used for capital
expenses. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation does
not fund capital expenses (construction or renovation).
Your "matching" funds must be spent dollar-for-dollar,
"hand-in-hand" if you will, for the same
program purposes. The idea is for RWJF to be a
partner with local funders to get the program going.
Perhaps having your capital expenses covered by
one donor will free up funds from other donors
and foundations to support the programmatic aspects. |
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| Question: |
Does it make a difference if
another local project and organization is already
receiving a grant from the Local Funding
Partnerships program? (Our project is quite different
from the one that is currently being funded.) |
| Answer: |
There is nothing in the rules
of the Local Funding Partnerships (LFP)
program that would disqualify a new application
from a community where another organization has
already received an LFP matching grant. If you
look at the map on our website under Search
for a Project you will see a number of communities
where more than one LFP project is ongoing. The
most important detail you mention in your question
is that your "project is quite different from
the one that is currently being funded." The
goal of LFP is to fund programs that are totally
new in a given community.
You also wrote that the current LFP grant goes
to a different organization than yours. That is
important since LFP-eligible projects tend to
be new, risky endeavors requiring a great investment
of time and energy. It would be unlikely that one
organization could embark on two such intensive
projects at the same time.
Having said all of the above -- yes, a project
from the same community as you describe it would
be eligible to apply -- it is most important to
consult with your local funders. If your local
funders, especially your nominating funder, believe
that your community can financially support two
LFP projects at the same time with the required
dollar-for-dollar match, you could be well positioned
to apply. |
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| Question: |
Do you ever do emergency funding? |
| Answer: |
No, the LFP program specifically
does not fund ongoing operational support whether
emergency or planned. |
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| Question: |
Do you fund in Canada or in
developing countries? |
| Answer: |
No. The Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation only funds in the United States of America
including the U.S. territories, Puerto Rico and
the Virgin Islands. |
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| Question: |
Can a portion of our funding
be used to cover the cost of medication for our
clients or for room and board for individuals staying
in our program? |
| Answer: |
No. Pharmaceuticals, room,
and board funding are all precluded from LFP eligibility
since we are not able to directly support the care
of individuals. Remember, however, LFP grants
may support staff salaries. |
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| Question: |
Are LFP grants only available
for new projects or may they be used for preexisting
projects? |
| Answer: |
These matching grants are intended
to establish projects that are new and innovative
in their communities. If a project was started
as a pilot and your intention is to bring the program
to scale—get it up and running as a viable
long-term endeavor—it could qualify.
An existing project also qualifies if the grant
would be used to fund an ambitious, significant
expansion. However, LFP grants are not for ongoing
operational support. The matching grant cannot
be used to replace your existing source of funds
to simply maintain an existing program. An expansion
should not be considered as a cost-shifting opportunity
to support current staff in their current work. |
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Question: |
What types of projects
have been funded by LFP in previous years? |
Answer: |
We invite you to
visit our Funded
Projects section. |
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| Question: |
How do you characterize
the type of new or innovative projects the program
funds? |
| Answer: |
LFP projects tackle community health problems that seem unsolvable; so the project represents a new approach to solving the problem. Such an initiative may challenge established practices and incorporate new systems of collaboration that cross traditional lines separating services such as housing, education, social services, criminal justice and health care. |
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| Question: |
Will you consider funding a
needs assessment as the first phase of a program
designed to address health issues? |
| Answer: |
The Local Funding
Partnerships (LFP) program does not fund needs assessments.
The LFP program is intended to help you with start-up
funds after you have already determined what you
want to do to address the identified problems. |
Top of Page
Questions
about Budgets
Question: |
The "Call
for Proposals" refers to "36- or 48-month
grants of $200,000 to $500,000." Do the
dollar figures cited refer to the total award
or are they annual figures? Asked another way:
is $500,000 the maximum for the 3 (or 4) years
or could it be $500,000 per year? |
Answer: |
You may receive
a TOTAL Local Funding Partnerships award
from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation of anywhere
from $200,000 to $500,000 per project.
A $500,000 award is the maximum you could receive
and it is paid out over the 3 or 4 years of the
grant.
NO, it could not be $500,000 per year for a potential
of $2 million. (Please remember that these awards
are RWJF matching grant dollars. You must receive
funds each year from local grantmakers to equal
the amount you receive that year from RWJF.) |
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| Question: |
What period of time should
the Brief Proposal budget cover? |
| Answer: |
This budget should represent
the entire life of your grant. Consolidate all
three years or all four years for which you are
applying for matching funds into a single one-page
budget. |
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| Question: |
What should the
one-page budget look like? |
| Answer: |
The one-page
budget should be a line-item budget in a column
format. Click
here to see a sample budget. You are asked
to use this general format but not all prospective
grantees will need to use all line items, and
the degree of detail will vary according to the
proposal. Additional line items may be added
as needed. |
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| Question: |
Is the one-page
budget counted as one of the five pages for the
Brief Proposal narrative? |
| Answer: |
No. It is an
added page. |
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| Question: |
Can we use LFP
grant money to pay the salary of someone who
is already on staff? |
| Answer: |
LFP funding
is intended to support new projects or significant
expansions of existing projects. Therefore the
grants do not generally pay for existing staff.
However, there are instances when an existing
employee may move from her current position into
a job with the new LFP project and her new salary
may then be covered by the grant. Such an employee
must verify that she has relinquished all other
previous duties if the salary is to be covered
at 100 percent.
LFP matching grants can pay only for the percentage
of time someone is actually devoted to the new
project. This rule applies to both the funds
from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the
matching dollars from your local funding partners.
Do not try to cover the salaries of existing
staff by simply shifting them to this project. |
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| Question: |
Can we use grant
money to pay for equipment? |
| Answer: |
Generally LFP
grant money cannot be used to pay for any capital
costs such as renovations nor for any major purchases
such as a van. However, equipment required to
support the day-to-day activities of the project
such as a computer, copier, or fax machine are
acceptable with adequate explanation. Sometimes
in-kind support is used specifically for equipment. |
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| Question: |
Are
the funds restricted in any other way? |
| Answer: |
Yes. RWJF guidelines
also preclude support for existing operational
expenses or deficits, for research studies, or
to substitute for funds currently supporting similar
services. Click here to see a list of Eligible
& Ineligible Budget Items. |
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| Question: |
How should we
handle indirect costs? |
| Answer: |
Indirect costs
are intended to help the grantee institution recover
overhead expenses related to the management of
the grant. These expenses may include grant-related
costs that are not easily broken out but are necessary
to administer the grant. Examples include payroll
processing, utilities, maintenance costs, and
administrative services such as human resources
and accounting. Indirect costs should be noted
in your budget. Your budget
may show no more than twelve percent of the LFP
and matching dollars in indirect costs. |
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| Question: |
How should we
treat revenues and any other income? |
| Answer: |
Such income cannot
be considered part of the match but should be
included in the budget. For example, revenue
received from direct patient or clinical care
should be shown in the "other support" column
and will offset overall program costs. |
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| Question: |
What about reflecting
the value of in-kind goods and services? |
| Answer: |
In-kind contributions
such as donated space, office supplies or staff,
pro bono professional work and volunteers cannot
be counted as matching dollars. However, they
should be shown on the budget. This information
allows reviewers to get a sense of the full scope
of the project and your overall costs and support. |
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| Question: |
The sample budget
shows a column for FTEs. What is an FTE? |
| Answer: |
It stands
for Full Time Equivalency and is also referred
to as Percent of Effort. This is the percent
of time an individual will work on the project.
For example, a half-time person would be listed
as .50 (or 50%).
Remember LFP matching grants can pay only
for the percentage of time someone is actually
devoting full attention to the project. |
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| Question: |
Do you want to
see our overall agency budget? |
| Answer: |
No, definitely
not. The budget submitted should only reflect
the actual resources required to support this
one project for which you are applying.
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Top of Page
Questions
about Timing & Application Process
Question: |
Can we start
the new project or the expansion before an LFP
grant is awarded? |
Answer: |
Yes. However,
any funds expended before a grant is awarded
by LFP cannot be counted as part of the matching
dollars. |
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| Question: |
When must the
first year match be committed? |
| Answer: |
If the project
is selected for a site visit (March or April
of the selection process), local matching dollars
that cover the expenses for at least the first
year should be committed or scheduled for decision. |
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| Question: |
How long does
the application process take? |
| Answer: |
The Local
Funding Partnerships program operates
on an annual cycle.
- Stage I Brief Proposals
packages are due July 8, 2008.
- Selected applicants are
then invited to submit full proposals in
the fall and, after careful evaluation, a
smaller number of projects receive site visits
in the spring. Funders usually attend the
site visits.
- Award letters from the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation usually go
out on July 1 of the year following the initial
application.
- No project may ever be
announced as having received an RWJF grant
unless and until the actual award letter
is received from the president of the Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation.
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| Question: |
What do you mean by a "new"
project? |
| Answer: |
You may start your project
during 2008 or in 2009 before the RWJF funding
that would start on July 1, 2009. You would still
be considered a “new” project. However,
any local funds spent prior to July 1, 2009 can
not be considered as match. |
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| Question: |
By what criteria will the
reviewers evaluate the Brief Proposal? |
| Answer: |
The reviewers adhere to the
requirements detailed in the Local
Funding Partnerships Call for Proposals. For additional
tips on preparing the document and budget, you
may wish to read "Is
the Concept Paper as Good as the Idea?"
on our Advice for Applicants page. |
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| Question: |
How should the Brief Proposal
be put together? |
| Answer: |
Please do NOT use spiral
binding, ring notebooks or folders of paper or
plastic. It is best to attach each set with a
staple. |
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| Question: |
May we submit additional
materials with the Brief Proposal such as Annual
Reports, etc.? |
| Answer: |
No. They will be removed
before the Brief Proposal is sent to reviewers. |
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| Question: |
Is the Local Funding
Partnerships office located at the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation? |
| Answer: |
No. Although they are
both in Princeton, NJ they are in separate
locations at different addresses. Be sure to
send your application to:
RWJF Local Funding
Partnerships
760 Alexander Road
Princeton, NJ 08543-0001
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| Question: |
Will you notify me when my
Brief Proposal arrives? |
| Answer: |
No. You should track your
package's arrival through your shipping agent.
We receive more than 100 Stage 1 Applications
each year. By the middle of July, after all Brief
Proposals have been recorded and sent to the reviewers,
we will send an e-mail to acknowledge receipt
of your application and provide your Reference
Number. This e-mail will be sent to the primary
contact person who is named on the on-line information
form. |
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| Question: |
How long can the brief proposal
be? |
| Answer: |
The brief proposal should
be no longer than five pages, plus the one-page
preliminary budget. The brief proposal should
be typed and double spaced. The font is up to
you - but make it very easy to read. Be sure
to include measurable outcomes. How will you
know if you succeeded? |
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| Question: |
Do we need a grantwriter? |
| Answer: |
No. The proposal should reflect
the authentic voice of your community. Many LFP
grants have been awarded based on proposals from
people who have never written a grant before.
The best grantwriters are coaches. |
Top of Page
Questions
about the Brief Proposal Narrative in Q&A Format
| Question: |
What font should
be used for the narrative? |
| Answer: |
You may use any
readable font of your choice, but do not make
it any smaller than 12 point. Your pages will
have at least a one-inch margin on all four sides
of each page. DO NOT SINGLE SPACE. Your answers
must be double-spaced. |
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| Question: |
How long should
the answer be to each question? |
| Answer: |
The total narrative—including
the answer to all five questions—is not
to exceed five pages. How much space you spend
on each answer is up to you and will depend upon
your project. Some questions may have longer
or shorter answers. |
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| Question: |
Must the questions
be answered in the given order? |
| Answer: |
Yes. |
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| Question: |
How detailed should the answers
be? |
| Answer: |
Include as many concrete
details as you can at this stage of your project’s
development. It is understood that some proposals
are in the early concept stages while others
are already being piloted.
Do not rely on national statistics to underscore
the problem you are addressing. Keep the proposal
specific to your local data and community.
Include how you would measure and quantify
your success such as in the number of people
to be served and how the impact will be evident.
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| Question: |
What do you mean by social
factors? |
| Answer: |
For the most vulnerable among
us, factors outside the health care system such
as poverty, violence, inadequate housing or education
contribute significantly to poor health. Differences
in race, ethnicity, primary language, and immigrant
status often create disparities in health and
the quality of care. Long-established ways of
doing things, traditional partnerships and ineffective
services are all factors that can impede health
outcomes. (Visit Vulnerable
Populations on the website of the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation.) |
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| Question: |
If a local grantmaker supports
our idea but is not the nominating funder, should
that grantmaker be included in the question about
local funders? |
| Answer: |
Yes, include all local funders
who are engaged in your initiative whether through
grants, technical assistance, in-kind or capital
support as well as those who have expressed interest
in providing grant dollars if your proposal advances
with RWJF. Include any dollar amounts already
committed or under consideration. |
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| Question: |
How well organized do you expect our collaborative to be at this stage? |
| Answer: |
Coalitions can vary greatly. Describe the evolution of your collaboration. Do you have experience working together or has the partnership formed in order to implement this new program? Include your decision-making process, your governance structure, and whether any roles or responsibilities have been assigned. |
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| Question: |
If we are working with community groups or agencies that work outside of health care, should we include them in describing our collaboration? |
| Answer: |
Yes, we encourage collaboration with organizations outside and inside of health care. Definitely include all parties whether they are established institutions or ad hoc grass-roots groups, public agencies or private organizations, health professionals or from other fields. |
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| Question: |
How do you define innovation? |
| Answer: |
At its most basic, an
innovation is a new way of approaching a problem
that creates significant improvement. It may
demonstrate a groundbreaking idea, add original
program elements, introduce new methods or
transform an existing model. Innovation would
encompass challenging the pervasive wisdom
in a field, bringing non-traditional partners
together and forging new systems to deliver
better services.
(For examples of innovative programs previously
funded through LFP, see Featured
Projects as well as the articles posted
at Advice & Expertise
for Applicants.) |
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| Question: |
How do we know if we’ve
included everything necessary? |
| Answer: |
The best way to test your
Q&A text is to show it to someone who knows
nothing about your project (your neighbor,
for example). After one reading, he or she
should be able to tell you:
- what the problem is,
- whom it affects,
- what you plan to do about it,
- who is working with you, including funders,
- how you will know if it works including
how many people will be helped, and
- why it is a priority for your community
at this time.
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Top of Page
Questions
about the Information Form
Question: |
What is the purpose
of the Information Form? |
Answer: |
This online form
is designed to expedite the accurate recording
of all pertinent data regarding your application.
It asks for names, addresses, phone numbers,
etc.
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| Question: |
Can the form
be faxed? |
| Answer: |
No. Call the
LFP office if you have any trouble accessing
the form online. |
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| Question: |
Is submitting
the information form sufficient as a letter of
intent? |
| Answer: |
No, absolutely
not. No application will be considered unless
all 10 sets of your Stage 1 application materials
arrive at the LFP office by July 8, 2008. Each
set includes a copy of the information form, letter of nomination, your
brief proposal narrative and one page budget. |
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Question: |
How will LFP
use the "Brief Summary of Proposed Intervention"
entered on the registration form? |
Answer: |
This very short
description of your project goes into a database
for many important uses. Avoid jargon and do
not spend the small space focusing on the need
for your project. Devote most of your words to
describing what you will do to solve the health
problem. (See "Telling
your story…in 25 words or less?" on
our Advice for Applicants page.) |
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| Question: |
How do I access
the Information Form? |
| Answer: |
The Information
Form is accessible through the How
to Apply page on this website. |
Top of Page
Additional
Information
Sample
Budget Format - The one-page budget should
be a line-item budget in a column format.
Please adapt and use the general format of
the sample budget shown. Not all prospective
grantees will need to use all line items,
and the degree of detail will vary according
to the proposal. Additional line items may
be added as needed. Applicants should consolidate
the one-page budget to show all three years
or all four years of the grant. (PDF
- 91KB)
|
Local
Grantmakers Set High Standards - LFP
funding partners discuss what factors influence
them to nominate an application. |
Is the Concept Paper as Good as the Idea?- tips
for preparing a well written concept paper, known
today as a "brief proposal." |
Out
of the Box highlights creative projects. |
Eligible
& Ineligible Budget Items when applying
for RWJF matching funds. |
Focus on Funders articles offer valuable advice from LFP project directors on approaching potential grantmakers in your area. |
Top of Page
Return
to How to Apply
About
the Upcoming Q&A Conference Calls
On Tuesday, May 13th, 2008 and Tuesday,
May 20th, 2008 the staff of Local
Funding Partnerships hosted optional conference calls
to answer questions about the application process. Listen to selected audio portions of the May 13th call here.
Applicants are always encouraged
to e-mail
their questions directly to the LFP staff
or call the LFP program office at (609) 275-4128. |
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