We hope you like this helpful checklist
Each of the steps in the checklist are detailed below in this toolkit. And if you still can’t find answers to your questions, there are also links to additional resources, including how to contact our team.
- Check your eligibility.
- Review grant application timelines.
- Determine the type of funding you are requesting – program, general operating, or capital.
- Determine whether you are applying for our competitive process or an individual fund.
- Gather your materials for the online application.
- Start your account in our grant portal, or log into your existing account.
- Watch for notice of the grant decision following the Trustee review date.
- Make note of your final report due date.
- Reach out for assistance, and review our resources for more info.
Let's make sure you’re eligible
Your organization is eligible to apply for a grant from El Pomar Foundation if it matches this basic criteria. Be sure to review our full details and guidelines once you can confirm these three items.
- It is an active 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or government equivalent
- Its activities take place in Colorado
- If requesting capital support, your request may not exceed $100,000
We accept applications on a rolling basis, and our Trustees review them 4-6 times a year during Trustee meetings. There are no deadlines for applications, so we encourage you to apply at least 8-10 weeks prior to the Trustee meeting that best fits your grant request timing (meeting dates at right).
Determine the funding type you're applying for
Our competitive process is how most El Pomar grants are made, but we also have a number of individual funds for specific focus areas and/or geography. In addition, we fund program, general operating support, and capital grants, so clarify in advance which of these your request will fit.
Once you've confirmed eligibility and timeline, here are the materials you'll need.
- Name and address of the organization or government entity and contact information for the CEO/ Executive Director
- A brief history of the organization, its mission, principal programs and accomplishments
- Concise statements describing the following:
- Purpose of the request
- Amount requested
- Need for the project
- Specific solutions to be reached
- Expected contributions to the population served
- Criteria for measuring the success of the project
For program and capital requests, please also be prepared with:
- Detailed budget of the project, including revenues and expenses.
- A “support for the request” document, which includes committed, pledged and pending support for the program or project. Include the names of the foundations, date received, and the amount received from each.
Be prepared to attach the following:
- Financials for the most recent three full fiscal years (three 12-month periods). While we prefer audited financial statements, we will accept a profit and loss statement and a balance sheet for each fiscal year instead. We will not accept 990s.
- An organization budget for the current year, including revenues and expenses.
- A list of governing body members, such as board of directors.
- A statement of whether funding has been sought during the preceding three years from other foundations for support of your nonprofit organization overall and, if so, the names of the foundations, year received and the amount received from each.
- If appropriate, endorsement of outside authorities and copies of regulatory agency approvals.
- Up to two graphics (photographs, architectural renderings, images from an existing publication, etc.) that portray the specific project or general operations of the organization.
Now you're ready to apply
Our application process is all online and it’s easy to create your own account to manage your grant applications – past, present, and future. You can log in and out to review previous applications, start new ones, and submit final reports. As you start a new grant application, you can save your work and return prior to submission, so it’s not necessary to complete it in one session.
When you link to the Grants Portal, you’ll be prompted to log in if you already have an account, or to create one if you’re a new user. Then just follow the prompts from there.
You've submitted your application...
What happens next?
Once the Trustees have reviewed your application at the corresponding Trustees’ meeting, you’ll be notified whether it was approved or declined by e-mail or regular mail within approximately 4-6 weeks.
If your grant is approved, you will also be notified of your final report due date, which is also submitted through the Grants Portal where you submitted your application.
Submitting your Final Report
A final report is required when all grant funds have been expended. This report provides the opportunity to communicate any achievements and challenges related to the grant your organization received. Final reports are required before your organization can be considered for subsequent grants.
- To access your report, sign in to your organization’s online account* and click on the Documents tab on the top left.
- Select “Reports” on the left side of the screen. The final report form for your current grant will be listed on this page.
- Click on the notepad and pen symbol in the Edit colum to begin.
You can save your work at any time and return to the report as many times as needed before submitting it. However, once the final report has been submitted you cannot make changes. An El Pomar representative may contact you for further information or to schedule a follow-up visit.
*Reminder: the username is only the first portion of the email address associated with the portal user account (e.g. SpencerPenrose for SpencerPenrose@elpomar.org)
Be prepared to attach supporting financial documents for your final report. Financial documents may be uploaded as a word document, excel spreadsheet or a pdf file. Please note that El Pomar Foundation will NOT accept 990s as a supporting financial document.
- Capital grants: project budget and expenses associated with the grant
- Program: program budget and expenses for the term of the grant
- General operating support: audited financial statements or profit and loss statements for the term of the grant
The maximum size for all attachments combined is 25 MB.
Quick tips from the grant team
Our 1-3 minute video tips make it easy to find answers whenever you need them
Grantmaking
Still have questions? We've got answers.
Our Grants Office is on hand to clarify any remaining questions you might have.