Grantee Requirements
The First American Homeownership Foundation's (FAHF) mission is to increase homeownership within the underserved communities. To that end, the Foundation has made grant funds available to organizations that share our mission. The following is an outline of what to expect once a Grant has been awarded.
Work plans:
Upon receipt of a grant, grantee must develop a work plan. The work plan outlines specifically how FAHF funds will be used, program outcomes, program goals and objectives, and organizational capacity building goals and objectives. Work plans are reviewed and approved by FAHF staff.
Midyear Review:
To keep abreast of grantees progress on their work plans and to brainstorm initial ideas about extension requests, a midyear review is conducted for each grantee and held at their site. The midyear review is led by FAHF staff. The midyear typically takes 2 - 3 hours.
Extension of Proposal and Presentation
For the extension process, grantees submit a written extension proposal. The extension proposal includes two key elements. One portion of the extension proposal is devoted to reporting progress on the current year work plan. The other portion of the extension proposal contains a draft work plan for the coming grant year and includes a formal funding request. After the FAHF team has reviewed the extension proposal, grantees meet with FAHF to discuss their proposal and answer questions about it.
Extension Criteria and Exit Scenarios:
Extension decisions are very complex because they involve a variety of criteria and must take into consideration the unique mission, programs, management, leadership, stage of development and performance of grantees. Decisions about grantees must really be made on a case by case basis. To make a extension allocation, FAHF draws on information presented in the extension proposal and in-person presentation as well as input from the FAHF team member assigned over sight to the project/program.
Extension Criteria
Current year performance
- Reasonable progress on Annual work plan
- Ability to demonstrate compelling program/client outcomes
- Use of funds was consistent with intent of FAHF grant
- Relationship with FAHF volunteers fully optimized
Proposal for Next Year
- Funds requested fulfill a strategic purpose, will improve organizational capacity or are tied to original intent of FAHF relationship
- Reasonable proposal for Annual Work plan
- Clear, strategic vision for how FAHF dollars will be used
Organizational Health and Management
- Strong, capable leadership and management
- Realistic fundraising goals and strategy for achieving goals
- Organization is financially healthy and capable of achieving goals
Progress over Time
- Grantee continues to strive toward capacity-building and continues to strengthen its infrastructure
- Optimizes use of FAHF resources
- Delivers on goals and objectives
- Clear vision for lifecycle of FAHF relationship
End of Funding Relationships (Exit Scenarios)
There are five general scenarios that capture the range of reasons why FAHF would choose not to extend a grantee:
- Success: A new program has achieved sustainability or the agency vision for their FAHF relationship and capacity building has been achieved.
- Lack of progress: There is lack of progress toward goals/objectives or general milestones, or failure to demonstrate program results or progress on capacity building.
- Weak Fit with FAHF Objectives: There is a lack of potential for FAHF dollars to truly have a long-term impact on capacity-building.
- Doesn't fit guidelines: The program or organization changes such that it no longer fits FAHF's grant guidelines.
- Better use of funds: Grant dollars would have more impact with other grantees
A decision not to extend could be effective immediately or pursued as part of a long-term strategy. Ideally, FAHF determines that a grantee is approaching exit yet makes an extension
grant with the intent that the grant is an exit grant and that the grantee will not be eligible for extension in the next grant year. Under this scenario, there will be a specific deadline for completion of the FAHF project. Planning for exit allows time for the grantee to seek out new funding sources, complete existing projects and to gently end their relationship with FAHF.