BLACK EQUITY MOVEMENT (BEM)

GENERAL OPERATIONS GRANT APPLICATION-

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

FOR FISCALLY SPONSORED PROJECTS

The Collins Foundation Black Equity Movement (BEM) General Operations Grant is for emerging and mid-size Black-serving and/or Black-led organizations or projects operating in Oregon. Eligible organizations have operated for less than seven years and/or have a budget under $500,000. This grant opportunity is for up to 40 percent of an organization’s operating budget or a maximum of $50,000.

This FAQ is specifically for organizations applying for a BEM General Operations Grant in partnership with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor.

In this document:

• The grant will be referred to as the "BEM grant."
• Your organization or program will be called a "project."

FAQs: Before You Apply

1. Does my project need to be registered with the Oregon Secretary of State and the Oregon Department of Justice before I can apply for a BEM grant?

No.

2. Does my fiscal sponsor need to be registered with the Oregon Secretary of State and the Oregon Department of Justice before I can apply for a BEM grant?

Yes.

3. Is my fiscal sponsor required to be a 501(c)(3) to apply for a BEM grant?

Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) public charity or operate under the fiscal sponsorship of a 501(c)(3) public charity. Read Collins Foundation Fiscal Sponsorship Instructions for BEM General Operations Grant and this document to learn more about applying for a BEM grant with the support of a fiscal sponsor.

*For this application, Organizations, programs, or projects that apply with a fiscal sponsor will be considered a project of the fiscal sponsor.

4. Does my organization’s chief executive or board chair need to read and authorize this grant proposal before we can apply for a BEM grant? 

Yes.

5. May my organization apply for a BEM grant with a fiscal sponsor?

Yes, if the fiscal sponsor is a registered 501 (c)(3) public charity.

6. What kinds of organizations can apply for a BEM grant?

BEM grants are for emerging and mid-size Black-serving and/or Black-led organizations or fiscally sponsored projects* operating in Oregon. Eligible organizations and projects have operated for seven years or less or have a budget under $500,000. The aforementioned eligibility requirements do not apply to the fiscal sponsor.

7. How can I apply for a BEM grant as a fiscally sponsored organization?

• Review The Collins Foundation Fiscal Sponsorship Instructions for BEM General Operations Grant.
• Submit a fiscal sponsorship agreement. Once the agreement is reviewed and approved by our grants manager, Leann Do (ldo@collinsfoundation.org), you will receive an email with the link to the BEM grant application.

• Agreements must be submitted for review by August 30 to allow sufficient time for the review and application process before the September 10 submission deadline.

• Read this FAQ.

8. What can the BEM grant be used for?

BEM grants are unrestricted funds that can be used for general investments to support a grantee's mission or for a specific project or program. Grantees can use funds as they see fit to achieve their goals. Examples include salaries or overhead, investments in technology, or program supplies.

9. What can't BEM grant funds be used for?

BEM grant funds cannot be used for political campaigns, lobbying, or the crafting of legislation.

10. Can my organization apply for more than one BEM grant at a time? 

Organizations are only allowed to apply for one BEM grant, which can be up to 40 percent of their operating budget or a maximum of $50,000.

11. What is the maximum amount of funding available? 

The maximum amount of funding available is up to 40 percent of an organization’s operating budget or a maximum of $50,000.

The BEM Committee will host a live webinar on Thursday, August 1, to help guide you through the grant application process. A recording of the webinar will be available here after August 5.

FAQs: The Application Process

12. What information should I have prepared before starting the grant application process? 

Before you apply for a BEM grant as a fiscally sponsored organization, you must first submit a fiscal agreement to The Collins Foundation. Once the agreement is reviewed and approved by our grants manager, Leann Do (ldo@collinsfoundation.org), you will receive a link to the grant application.

Next, have these essential documents ready to make the application process easier. Your organization or program will be referred to as a fiscally sponsored “project” throughout the application process.

From your project:

• A description of the program, service, or initiative you are seeking funding for and how it supports your mission.
• List of advisory committee or board members, including the city and state where each of them lives. A minimum of four members is required. An independent advisory committee or board member is a person who serves on an advisory committee or board of directors and is not part of the organization's staff.
• Current year’s operating budget.
• Most recent profit and loss statement.

Collect these documents from your fiscal sponsor:

• Current year’s operating budget.
• Most recent profit and loss statement.
• Most recent balance sheet.
• List of board members, including the city and state where each of them lives. A minimum of four independent board members is required. An independent board member is a person who serves on a board of directors and is not part of the organization’s staff.

The grant submission window is Friday, July 26, through Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Once you submit your application, you cannot make updates. If you need to make changes to your application before the deadline, please email BEM@collinsfoundation.org.

13. How can my organization or project demonstrate its inclusive policies and/or practices in the application process? 

Your organization or project can describe the work, processes, practices, and values that show Black people with different lived experiences belong and are welcome at your organization.

14. What kind of budget information does my organization or project need to provide for the grant application?

From your project: Your current and last year’s operating budget, and most recent profit and loss statement.

From your fiscal sponsor organization: current year’s operating budget, most recent profit and loss, and balance sheet.

15. What document types are acceptable for application attachments? 

PDFs are preferred, but documents can be submitted as spreadsheets, Word, or Google documents.

16. When will I find out if my organization has been awarded a BEM grant? 

We will contact you by mid-November regarding the decision on your application.

17. What are the reporting requirements for the BEM grant?

There are no reporting requirements for the BEM grant.

18. Who can I contact if I have questions about the grant and/or the application?

Please contact the BEM Committee at bem@collinsfoundation.org or 503-227-7171 if you have any questions, require technical assistance, or want to learn more about the BEM grant.

19. What is the deadline for the BEM grant application?

Grant applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, September 10, 2024.