Dear Friends:

This letter serves as the 12th Annual Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Asian Giving Circle. The Asian Giving Circle (AGC) is a donor advised fund comprised of contributions from individual donors who support the goals of the AGC. These goals are to bring a new source of funding to nonprofit organizations serving the Asian American communities of metropolitan Chicago, and to increase the awareness of philanthropy in these communities.

Launched in December 2002 in Chicago, the AGC is the first volunteer-run giving circle comprised of individual Asian American donors in the U.S. Affiliated with The Chicago Community Trust, its membership consists of a diverse group of Asian Americans who pool their financial resources and expertise to support Asian American not-for-profit organizations in the Chicago area. The Asian Giving Circle is a member of the Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy’s (AAPIP) National Giving Circle Network.

For 2016, the Asian Giving Circle (AGC)seeks to support efforts focused on Capacity-Building Projects formetropolitan Chicago area Asian American organizations with budgets under $500,000. This includes, but is not limited to:Skills building training for board and/or staff on areas such as board development, and fundraising training (can include hiring a consultant to provide training);Succession Planning; Strategic planning (includes hiring a consultant); Volunteer training and management; Website development; Communication and social media support; Purchasing, upgrading or training for technology.

We understand the challenges many small nonprofits face and we want to help sustain and support small Asian American organizations through capacity-building efforts. We support projects that reach beyond a group’s regular, on-going work to build the organization’s internal capacity.

Please e-mail your application form . All applications must be received by 5 pm on Friday, January 15, 2016. Site visits will be conducted with finalists between February and March 2016, and grants will be announced and awarded in June 2016.

For other questions, please contact us at . If you’d like to be included in an e-mail listserv for updates and FAQ’s on this opportunity, please e-mail .

Sincerely,

Serena Moy, Grantmaking Chair

Asian Giving CircleGrant Application Form

Rev 11/15

Asian Giving Circle

Grant Application Form

2016 Funding Guidelines

The Asian Giving Circle seeks to support projects focused on Capacity-Building Projects for metropolitan Chicago area Asian American organizations with budgets under $500,000.

  • Types of Capacity-Building Projects we will consider includes, but is not limited to:
  • Skills building training for board and/or staff on areas such as board development, leadership development, financial and fundraising training (can include hiring a consultant to provide training);
  • Succession planning;
  • Strategic planning (includes hiring a consultant);
  • Volunteer training and management;
  • Website development;
  • Communication and social media support;
  • Purchasing, upgrading or training for technology.

If you are unsure if your proposed project fits within the scope, or have any questions, please contact .

  • We will consider the proposals that meet the following criteria:
  • Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Fiscal sponsors are allowable with accompanying fiscal agent sponsor agreement.
  • Organizations that serve the Asian American population (includes Southeast, South, and Central Asia) in the Chicago Metropolitan Area (defined as Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, or Will Counties).
  • Previous AGC grant awards have ranged from $2,000 to $8,000. However, if the proposal shows strong impact potential and/or engages strategic community partnerships to address this issue, the AGC may be open to a larger grant amount.
  • The Asian Giving Circle will not support: scholarships or fellowships; private or public educational institutions; religious organizations for religious purposes; political parties or political action committees; capital campaigns or endowments; hospitals; or government or municipal agencies.
  • All new and previously funded applicants are welcome to apply as long as they meet the above criteria.

Required Attachments(Please provide in the following order)

1. Audited financial statements for the last fiscal year, if available, or Form 990. If neither document is available, include an unaudited financial statement.

2. Current year’s Operating Budget (projected expenses and revenues).

3. Current year’s Program/ProjectBudget (projected expenses and revenues).

4. A list of foundations, corporations, or governmental agencies which funded your organization in the last fiscal year, including amounts contributed ($1,000 and above).

5. Verification of your organization’s or fiscal agent’s tax-exempt status. If using a fiscal agent, please include a letter of agreement.

Asian Giving CircleGrant Application Form

Rev 11/15

Asian Giving Circle

Grant Application Form

2016

Organization Name:

Project Title:

Amount requested: $

Address:
City: / State: / Zip:
Telephone: / Fax:
Executive Director: / Telephone:
E-mail:
Name/Title of Contact Person: / Telephone:
E-mail:

Total Organization Budget for Current Year: $

Date of Incorporation:

FEIN Number (or equivalent):

Is your organization tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3)?

If not, do you have a fiscal agent?(please identify organization, contact person, and telephone number and e-mail)

  1. Summarize the organization’s mission, history, and population served. (2- 3 sentences)

Asian Giving CircleGrant Application Form

Rev 11/15

Provide percentages and/or descriptions of the populations your organization serves.

Race/ethnicity (if applicable)

% Asian American/Pacific Islander / % African American
% Caucasian / % Latino
% Native American / % Other / Total % (should equal 100%)
% Female / % Males / Total % (should equal 100%)

Staff and Board composition in numbers

Staff / Asian/Pacific Islander
Paid full-time
Paid part-time
Volunteers
Interns
Board
Totals

Asian Giving CircleGrant Application Form

Rev 11/15

Organization Budget (last fiscal year) Expenses $ / Revenues $

Project Budget (if available)$

Signature of authorized official / Date:

Name/Title:

Asian Giving CircleGrant Application Form

Rev 11/15

Proposal Narrative (Please provide the following information in this order. Do not use more than 5 single-spaced pages.)

A. Proposal Description

1. Describe the Capacity-Buildingneeds, problems or opportunities that your proposal will address and how.

2.What is the timeframe for executing the Capacity-Building project?

3. Provide measurable goals and objectives of the proposal. What do you hope to accomplish with the Capacity-Building project? How will it build the capacity of the organization?For example, how many volunteers will be recruited, or how many leadership workshops will be conducted by this project.

4. Provide a brief summary of the staffing qualifications of those who will carry out the work under this proposal. Who will participate in the Capacity-Building project? What is the role of the participant(s) in the organization? Will you be hiring a consultant for this project? If so, who is the consultant and what is the consultant expected to do? Who is overseeing the Capacity-Building project?

5. Identify three outcomes you hope to achieve as an organization through the proposed Capacity-Building project.

6. Explain if and how the project will be supported after termination of the grant.

7. How will you evaluate the outcome of the project? How will you follow-through with the project?

Asian Giving CircleGrant Application Form

Rev 11/15