Grant Application Survey 2006

Summary of letters to and responses from grant applicants after each of the four Board Meetings in FYE 2006 16 out of 27 (59%) 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 the 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?

   • Carol Morrow & Deborah Hessler

   • At the beginning of my tenure the foundation was already funding this organization and had also funded the organization with which I was previously affiliated.

   • Longtime community awareness of the Foundation.

   • One of our Board members and a community advocate, Gerry Glynam

   • Mr. David Odahowski

   • I’ve known of your great work for so many years, I can’t recall how I first learned of the Foundation.

   • Previous experience (1989) and your current web-site.

   • Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation is a current funder.

   • Mr. Gary Goode

   • David Odahowski & Deborah Hessler

   • Jerry Hilbrich – CFO Diocese of Orlando

   • Online. Professional associates – word of mouth

   • 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):

   • [14] Letter

   • [15] Telephone

   • [12] Visit to the Foundation's office

   • [11] Staff visit to your organization

   • [9] e-mail

   • [0] Other (please explain):

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

   • [14] More than Adequate

   • [1] Adequate

   • [0] Little

   • [0] None

   • Excellent

   • Very helpful in making suggestions to improve the quality of our application

4. Were the Foundation's printed guidelines helpful?

   • [15] Yes

   • [0] No

   • What other information should the guidelines include?

     • Very comprehensive already

     • Nothing that I an think of – expectations clearly outlined

     • Guidelines are thorough & easily understood.

     • I used the common application and thought I had submitted all the info required. There were a few more pieces I had to submit later.

     • 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?

   • Three

   • 3-4 weeks

   • Unsure – a reasonable period

   • Several weeks

   • Very quickly

   • 2-3 weeks

   • It was about seven weeks but we were well informed on when we should expect to hear from you.

   • Once we submitted the grant request (Jan 06) – we were contacted 2 months later concerning an on-sight visit. One month after the visit we were contacted again and told we were given the grant.

   • Immediate response given nature of the request

   • 2 ½ weeks

   • Approximately 3-4 weeks after site visit

   • From the time the “2nd” grant [additional info requested after common grant application submitted] was submitted, until we received our notification, I suspect it was 6 weeks.

   • 6 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?

   • [12] Yes

   • [2] No

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

   • It is a pleasure to work with a Foundation that is so thorough…. and whose time frame from application to funding is so reasonable. Edyth Bush is, in my opinion, the best run foundation in Central Florida. I say that, not because we were recently funded, but because of our long history with you and the great respect I have for your staff, your ethics, and your commitment to this community.

   • Assist grantees with reporting and program evaluation through retention of grant evaluation specialists. My theory is that the foundation would have more objective information and grantees would be less burdened with responsibilities for which they have little training and overall knowledge. Thank you, Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation for your important leadership in Central Florida!

   • Process was comprehensive; no suggestions for improvement.

   • Excellent in every respect; we have no suggestions.

   • We are very pleased with the ease of working with your organization!

   • 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.

   • Overall, was excellent. Would provide more verbal guidance on revising concept to have more chance of approval.

   • 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.