Environmental Funders Network

Guidelines for Application

There is a printable version of the Guidelines and Procedures available for download here.

Vision to Action: A Commitment to Maine’s Quality of Place A Funding Opportunity Guidelines for Application

Deadline: June 22, 2009

About EFN’s Quality of Place Initiative

Through financial support and learning opportunities, EFN’s Quality of Place Initiative seeks to advance projects that strengthen the link between the natural and built environments, emphasize public engagement, and, in the case of collaborations, recognize the elements required to build and sustain them. The Initiative is designed to achieve the following outcomes:

• Quality of Place and the link between built and natural environments achieve broad-based, statewide support.
• Regional collaborations achieve greater impact and demonstrate the efficacy of partnerships in supporting and/or protecting built and natural places.
• Nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, business, and philanthropy work together to implement Quality of Place strategies; knowledge, and resources are shared among and across the sectors.
• Best Quality of Place practices are identified and promoted.
• Barriers and funding gaps for effective Quality of Place projects are identified and addressed.

Successful grantees will have opportunities to learn from one another and to share their results and experiences with funders, media, and policy makers. Therefore, this initiative requires an applicant’s commitment to contribute to the outcomes of the initiative We anticipate having at least two gatherings per year with additional activities developed in partnership with grantees Grantees will be compensated for additional expenses incurred.

Type and Size of Grants:

The Environmental Funders Network has raised funds to provide adequate funding to achieve the outcomes mentioned above. Our intent is to fund a small number of initiatives that hold the greatest promise for change. Grants are expected to fall in the $20,000-$100,000 range. The Fund will consider multi-year funding.

As a general rule, we will not make grants for capital projects, endowment campaigns, or land acquisition. We encourage applicants to include expenses related to working with other organizations (e.g., facilitation, travel, and meeting costs). Additionally, we encourage collaborative efforts to include budget items that will be distributed to partners (see directions on the budget template).

Submission Requirements (by email):

1. Grant application form
2. Current list of directors/trustees and officers of applicant.
3. Current year operating budget, current profit and loss statement, audited financial statements (if available), and Form 990
4. Project budget: financial details must include funding sources (received, committed, and/or requested to date) and expenses. Please use the grant application form’s budget worksheet.
5. In no more than five pages, 12 point font, and 0.8 inch margins respond to the following in order and identified with the corresponding number and title:

I. Project Description

• Provide a project summary
• Is this an existing project or a new project?
• Discuss how you will engage the public as part of this project

II. Opportunity to Advance Quality of Place Recommendations

• Describe how your project addresses the Governor’s Council on Quality of Place recommendations. Please identify specific recommendations.
• Specifically describe how your project will demonstrate/strengthen the link between the natural and built environments, and how your project will preserve and promote the natural and/or built environments.

III. Potential Impact

• What theory or hypothesis underlies your project? How is this reflected in the project approach? Please be specific.
• How will this project change public opinion or public policy related to Quality of Place?
• What are your expected outcomes? What will be the lasting impact of your work after grant funding ends? What evaluation tools will you employ to measure your effort?
• How and when will you know your project has accomplished its projected goals?

IV. Demonstrate innovative practices and/or tools

• Why is this project unique? What do you expect to learn through implementation that could benefit other groups doing similar work?
• What other organizations have done and/or are doing something similar whether in Maine or elsewhere, and what lessons have you drawn from their experiences?
• Describe approaches or strategies that could serve as innovative practices for other efforts.

V. Collaboration Readiness (Please answer the following questions if your project involves a collaboration. If not, skip to section VI.)

• What is the “greater impact” you hope to have with your collaboration?
• If this is an existing collaboration - 
  • Describe how your collaboration was formed? What brought you together? 
  • List the collaborative members with primary contacts; describe the role each plays.
  • Describe how decisions are made among your partners
  • How are your partners sharing resources to achieve common goals?
  • What have been your accomplishments to date?
• Describe the role of this project in your current work plan? 
• If your initiative is proposing to create a new collaboration
  • List the collaborative members with primary contacts; describe the role each plays.
  • Describe any experience you have had with collaborations in the past
  • Describe the plan for establishing the collaboration
  • Discuss the proposed operating structure
  • Explain why your organization is well positioned to take on this project.
  • How are you perceived by the stakeholders you wish to engage?
  • How does this project fit within your current work plan (if not answered above in Section V)?
  • Describe the capacity of your organization to undertake this project. Briefly give examples that demonstrate the capacity of your organization.
  • How would you change course if a grant from EFN is not forthcoming or EFN awards a reduced amount?
  • Provide a brief timeline for your project.

VI. Organizational Readiness

VII. Project Timeline

Please do not submit any other materials at this time.

Where to submit:
Please submit materials electronically in one e-mail to grants@mainecf.org   by June 22, 2009. Please write in the subject line: Quality of Place Application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. THANK YOU.

Grant Timeline

September 15, 2009
Grantees Announced

August 2009
Advisory Committee makes grant decisions.

June 22, 2009
Proposals are due.

May 2009
Advisory Committee reviews 97 letters of inquiry and invites 17 projects to submit full proposals.

April 17, 2009
Letters of Inquiry are due.

March 2009
EFN announces new Quality of Place grant.

Learn More

About the Goals for the Initiative

Advisory Committee

About the Governor’s Council on
Quality of Place Recommendations

Application Guidelines 

Letter of Inquiry Guidelines

2009 Grantees