Grant Application Survey 2005

Summary of letters to and responses from grant applicants after each of the four Board Meetings in 2005: 17 out of 34 (50%) responded.

Dear Grant Applicant:
As a recent applicant for a grant from the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation Bush Charitable Foundation, your observations would be valuable to us as we try to improve the quality of the grant making process. We would very much appreciate if you would comment on the following questions. Your response will be forwarded directly to H. Clifford Lee, Chairman of the Board of the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation, and will remain confidential. Only a summary of all responses will be shared with the Foundation's Board and Staff.

1. From whom did you first learn that the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation was a possible source of funds for your organization?

   • David & Deborah

   • Sunrise ARC has been awarded three (3) grants in the past

   • We have received many grants from the Edyth Bush Charitable Fund in the past

   • From Debbie Watson and Ray Larsen - as colleagues/members of the Donor's Forum.

   • From Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation's historical connections with this organization.

   • We’ve known about EBCF for eight years, and honestly can’t remember where I first learned about your foundation.

   • Jerry Hilbrich then David Odahowski

   • We have received funds from the Foundation in the past.

   • David Odahowski

   • Discussions with Deborah Hessler & David Odahowski

   • David A. Odahowski, President

   • I don’t remember

   • Philanthropy & Non-Profit Center in Winter Park

   • Cliff – It’s been so long…about 32.5 years…since I arrived in Orlando/WP (4-30-73)! I think it was Joe Weckrle or (Bert Neidig)

   • The Bach Festival Society has enjoyed a long relationship with the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation and has been the recipient of funding from the Foundation for many years.

   • Have known for years due to community reputation

2. Communications with the Foundation staff during this most recent grant review have been by (please check all that apply):

   • [15] Letter

   • [16] Telephone

   • [13] Visit to the Foundation's office

   • [13] Staff visit to your organization

   • [9] e-mail

   • [0] Other (please explain):

   • Staff was prepared & professional

3. Please indicate on the following scale the extent of information and assistance you received from the Foundation during the review process:

   • [3] More than Adequate

   • [3] Adequate

   • [0] Little

   • [0] None

   • Jerry knew what we were trying to do and made an introduction to David O. David took the time to understand our purpose then offered direction including a copy of “Connected to 25” which leads us to where we are today. Thank you, David.

4. Were the Foundation's printed guidelines helpful?

   • [16] Yes

   • [0] No

   • What other information should the guidelines include?

     • The guidelines seem to be comprehensive and staff are very service oriented in terms of answering questions.

     • The information included was sufficient.

     • n/a

     • Nothing – your information is quite clear and thorough

     • The guidelines were helpful, as well as easy to access through the Foundation’s website

     • N/A – very thorough

5. How many weeks did it take before you received a determination on your grant request?

   • Third week after the board meeting

   • N/A

   • My recollection is 4 – 6 weeks.

   • 10 days to 2 weeks

   • The grant application was made prior to my tenure here.

   • 3 weeks (approx.)

   • Approximately 8 weeks

   • 6 weeks

   • 5 weeks

   • Approx 4 weeks

   • Several months

   • 6 weeks

   • 18 weeks

   • Notification letter rec’d on December 1. Approx. 7 weeks. 11 weeks following September 16 submission.

   • Two months

   • 8 weeks

6. Did you receive a grant from the Foundation?

   • [15*] Yes

   • [2] No

   • *one respondent has received 3 prior grants, but does not know at this point whether they received the grant determined at the EBCF May meeting.

   • *over the past several years – not recently

   • *We are still in the grant process with our request being referred to the February 2006 meeting. We look forward to a successful conclusion to the process at this time.

7. If you ran the Foundation, what would you do to improve the quality of its grant making process?

   • I find all the staff at the Foundation eager to assist us with any issues we may have. The technical assist is always helpful even in cases when we have not received funding.

   • Strongly urge the Board to reconsider its position of excluding Lake County from its catchment area. While I am saddened that too few NPO’s have asked for your help, there is strong need to support and uplift the NPO community in Lake County.

   • The foundation has always treated organizations that it funds as partners and as such there is a very high quality approach to the grant making process. I really do not have any recommendations, we have always found the foundation’s staff to be responsive, professional, service oriented, and straightforward.

   • I really don't know, but I am very appreciative of the assistance and support we've been given for our initiative.

   • I would develop a pilot project to test a process of program evaluation utilizing the services of individuals with specialized training in evaluation, data collection and analysis. The objectivity and trustworthiness of the information could be improved and the process should impose a lesser burden on grantees, who often are insufficiently staffed and have limited knowledge of data collection and analysis. Thank you for the support!

   • We salute you. It would be hard to find any major project doing good things for our community that hasn’t benefited from your Foundation.

   • Our experience has been extremely positive. At this time I cannot make any recommendations for improvement. Thank you!

   • I honestly can’t think of anything. Working with our foundation is a pleasure.

   • The Foundation is highly respected and we are honored to receive this grant, so I do not feel changes are needed in the process.

   • I would not change anything you do.

   • Your foundation is a pleasure to work with! I feel that we’ve developed a wonderful working relationship that is based on honesty, trust and openness. That could only happen with your staff’s constant encouragement to grow, take chances, and communicate openly. All staff there is courteous, professional and helpful, and the leadership is thoughtful, deliberate, and focused on pushing issues that will make our community stronger. Keep up the great work.

   • Seems to be working pretty well.

   • The application process was handled in a very professional manner and required our organization to complete a necessary self review.

   • The process has been excellent for us. I can’t think of a change to make it any better.

   • Staff and trustees are doing an excellent job…Thank you for your generous support

   • Nothing – everything is in (the word may possibly be “print”) – is fair & consistent

   • It really is a good process

   • While I would love to run the Foundation if David retired or went on to Ford or Robert Wood Johnson, regretfully my advancing age would be an impediment. However, I cannot think of anything to improve the grant making process. The quality of the process is outstanding and the people are outstanding… top drawer. When you brought David in as part of the succession planning process, you made a truly outstanding choice and provided for the future of the Foundation in a very significant way. Good long range planning.

   • I believe the quality of your grant making is exceptional. Beyond grant making, the other distinguishing factor of the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation’s staff is their genuine concern, openness to discuss any topic a nonprofit would like advice on in order to reach their mission, and the breadth and scope of their knowledge of our community and expertise in meeting community needs.