What are acceptable sources of matching funds?

Allowable sources of matching funds include all types of foundations, corporations, local charities, diversity-focused funders, United Way, religious groups, fundraising revenue and individual benefactors. See Grantmaking Organizations. Most successful LFP projects receive matching funds from a variety of grantmakers. Only the nominating funder must be a diversity-focused funder.

Our program has not received any large local grants. Can we apply?

You do not need large grants to match LFP awards; you can make up the match by combining philanthropic dollars from many, many sources in any amount. The LFP program is designed to partner with many local grantmakers: community foundations, religious groups, family foundations, corporate foundations, individual donors, etc.

When local funders are strongly in favor of your proposal, it makes your application more competitive. If you and your funders think it is realistic to raise the matching dollars during the grant period then you are eligible.

What is "in-kind support"?

In-kind support is defined as donated goods, services or time. Examples might include free duplicating and printing support, contributed office space and audiovisual support, a percentage of an individual’s work time, etc. The dollar value of in-kind support is often necessary to complete a project’s budget.

Grantees under LFP Special Solicitations are allowed to seek these forms of support up to 25% of the RWJF request. (Grantees under the LFP Annual Grantmaking program show in-kind support in their budgets, but they may not use the value as matching funds. LFP Annual Grantmaking requires dollar-for-dollar match.)

How much in-kind support may be used for the match?

Up to 25 percent of your match may be in in-kind support per year for an LFP Special Solicitation grant.

Can we use our reserve funds or endowments as part of the match requirement?

No. Also excluded from the match are funds raised for capital expenses and renovation costs.

Can government funds be used as matching dollars?

City, county or state funds may be considered as an additional source of matching dollars along with philanthropic support. In that situation, applicants must clearly document that these are new public funds, designated solely for this project. Remember that LFP is designed as a partnership between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and local grantmakers.

Can fundraising be counted towards our local matching dollars?

Yes, fundraising can be counted towards the match as long as these are new monies specifically donated for this project. Also, as with all matching dollars, these contributions must be used to support the same services that LFP covers. For example, if these contributions were used to pay the expenses of individual clients, they would not count towards the match.

We receive money from another national program office of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Would that preclude us from applying to the LFP program?

If you have in the past or are currently receiving funds from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), you would only be eligible for a Local Funding Partnerships grant if you demonstrated that the new grant would be for something completely different. Local Funding Partnerships money cannot be used to sustain an existing project, especially one already funded by RWJF. The LFP program is focused on funding new projects. If RWJF already supported your model, it’s not new in your community.

May LFP grants be used to fund capacity building for our agency, such as professional staff development?

LFP funding is for specific new services or ambitious expansions. Grant funds may not be used for general operating funds or overall organizational capacity building.

Grant funds may not be used for general operating funds, organizational capacity building or capital expenditures, re-granting, fundraising, endowments or scholarships.

The call for proposals states that grant funds may not be used for re-granting, but they may be used for contracts related specifically to implementation of the project. What is the difference?

Funds from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the associated matching funds from local grantmakers are only to be used according to the agreed-upon budget for specific expenses related to the funded project. Sometimes those expenses are in the form of contracts to collaborating agencies that undertake part of the work.

Those sub-contracted agencies are not receiving “grants.” Often re-granting refers to allocating grants to other nonprofits for their general use. That type of re-granting is not allowed from the dollars designated for the funded project.

Does receiving United Way funds make us ineligible to apply?

Agencies that receive funds from United Way are eligible, but the local United Way organization of your community itself is not eligible to apply for Peaceful Pathways.

Will proposals involving construction to enhance existing services be considered?

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation does not fund construction or renovation.

We need both capital and program expenditures. We have an individual donor to support the capital needs of the program. Would RWJF match those funds to cover the project costs of the program?

Matching grants through the Local Funding Partnerships (LFP) program cannot be used to match donations used for capital expenses. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation does not fund capital expenses (construction or renovation). Your "matching" funds must be spent dollar-for-dollar, "hand-in-hand" if you will, for the same program purposes. The idea is for RWJF to be a partner with local funders to get the program going. Perhaps having your capital expenses covered by one donor will free up funds from other donors and foundations to support the programmatic aspects.

Do you ever do emergency funding?

No, the LFP program specifically does not fund ongoing operational support whether emergency or planned.

Do you fund in Canada or in developing countries?

No. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation only funds in the United States of America including the U.S. territories, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Can a portion of our funding be used to cover the cost of medication for our clients or for room and board for individuals staying in our program?

No. Pharmaceuticals, room and board funding are all precluded from LFP eligibility since we are not able to directly support the care of individuals. Remember, however, LFP grants may support staff salaries.

Are LFP grants only available for new projects or may they be used for preexisting projects?

These matching grants are intended to establish projects that are new and innovative in their communities. If a project was started as a pilot and your intention is to bring the program to scale—get it up and running as a viable long-term endeavor—it could qualify.

An existing project also qualifies if the grant would be used to fund an ambitious, significant expansion. However, LFP grants are not for ongoing operational support. The matching grant cannot be used to replace your existing source of funds to simply maintain an existing program. An expansion should not be considered as a cost-shifting opportunity to support current staff in their current work.

If we have also applied to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in response to another Call for Proposals or as an ad hoc application through their on-line process, must we inform LFP?

Yes, as part of your Proposal you must note if your project is currently under consideration for any other grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It is permissible to apply to the Foundation through more than one program office and it is understood that application timetables do not usually match up. If you have made another application to RWJF for this project through any program other than LFP, clearly note the status of that application.

How do you characterize the type of new or innovative projects the program funds?

LFP projects tackle community health problems that seem unsolvable; so the project represents a new approach to solving the problem. Such an initiative may challenge established practices and incorporate new systems of collaboration that cross traditional lines separating services such as housing, education, social services, criminal justice and health care.

Will you consider funding a needs assessment as the first phase of a program designed to address health issues?

No. The Local Funding Partnerships (LFP) program does not fund needs assessments. The LFP program is intended to help you with start-up funds after you have already determined what you want to do to address the identified problems.

The Special Solicitation Call for Proposals refers to "one-, two- or three-year grants of $50,000 to $200,000." Do the dollar figures cited refer to the total award or are they annual figures? Asked another way: is $200,000 the maximum for the total years of the grant or could it be $200,000 per year?

You may receive a TOTAL LFP Special Solicitation award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation of anywhere from $50,000 to $200,000 per project. A $200,000 award is the maximum you could receive and it is paid out in increments over the years of the grant.

No, it could not be $200,000 per year. (Please remember that these awards are RWJF matching grant dollars. Your total budget for your project will total at least twice the amount of the RWJF award.)

What period of time should the preliminary budget cover?

This budget should represent the entire life of your grant. You will complete one worksheet for each budget year as well as a consolidated budget for grants exceeding one year.

What is the budget narrative?

The budget narrative is where you describe how the funds requested for each line item will be spent and how the amount was determined. In this narrative provide as much detail as possible but write one document that explains the consolidated budget for the entire one, two or three years of the grant.

What should the budget look like?

Click here to see a sample budget. You are asked to use this general format but not all prospective grantees will need to use all line items, and the degree of detail will vary according to the proposal. Additional line items may be added as needed.

Can we use grant money to pay for equipment?

Generally LFP grant money cannot be used to pay for any capital costs such as renovations nor for any major purchases such as a van. However, equipment required to support the day-to-day activities of the project such as a computer, copier, or fax machine are acceptable with adequate explanation. Sometimes in-kind support is used specifically for equipment.

Are the funds restricted in any other way?

Yes. RWJF guidelines also preclude support for existing operational expenses or deficits, for research studies, or to substitute for funds currently supporting similar services. Click here to see a list of Eligible & Ineligible Budget Items.

How should we handle indirect costs?

Indirect costs are intended to help the grantee institution recover overhead expenses related to the management of the grant. These expenses may include grant-related costs that are not easily broken out but are necessary to administer the grant. Examples include payroll processing, utilities, maintenance costs, and administrative services such as human resources and accounting. Indirect costs should be noted in your budget. Your budget may show no more than twelve percent of the LFP and matching dollars in indirect costs.

How should we treat revenues and any other income?

Such income cannot be considered part of the match but should be included in the budget. For example, revenue received from direct patient or clinical care should be shown in the "other support" column and will offset overall program costs.

The sample budget shows a column for FTEs. What is an FTE?

It stands for Full Time Equivalency and is also referred to as Percent of Effort. This is the percent of time an individual will work on the project. For example, a half-time person would be listed as .50 (or 50%).

Remember LFP matching grants can pay only for the percentage of time someone is actually devoting full attention to the project.

Do you want to see our overall agency budget?

No, definitely not. The budget submitted should only reflect the actual resources required to support this one project for which you are applying.

What do you mean by a “new” project?

A new project may be one that has begun within the last year. It may also be a project that is completing a small pilot phase and, if funded, will become fully operational to serve a significant number of people. However, any funds expended prior to the start date of an LFP award may not be considered as matching dollars. (Match funds must be spent at the same time as the RWJF grant.)

How long does the application process take?

The LFP office will make every effort to review your proposal in a timely fashion. Initial review of submitted proposals will commence on May 5, 2010; September 1, 2010 and January 5, 2011. You will be notified approximately six weeks later as to whether or not your proposal is moving forward in the review process.

Subsequent review to determine whether a proposal will be recommended to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will depend on the time it takes for the applicant to respond to questions and requests for additional information.

No project may ever be announced as having received an RWJF grant unless and until the actual award letter is received from the president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

By what criteria will the reviewers evaluate the Proposal?

The reviewers adhere to the requirements detailed in the Local Funding Partnerships Call for Proposals. See Selection Criteria. For additional tips on preparing the document and budget, you may wish to read "Is the Proposal as Good as the Idea?" on our Advice for Applicants page.

Should the list of Objectives called for in the online proposal reflect what we’ve already stated in the Narrative?

Yes. The online application includes a place for you to describe three-to-five specific, measurable objectives against which we can assess the progress of your project. These objectives should be the same as those expressed in your narrative, but simply puts them in a different format. The space is limited and thus your descriptions should be kept short and concise.

We understand that your proposal will have several goals. If you list fewer than five objectives, simply put NA in the empty boxes and the system will consider your objectives “completed.”

How long can the proposal narrative be?

The proposal narrative should be no longer than eight pages, typed and double spaced. Be sure to include measurable outcomes. How will you know if you succeeded?

Do we need a grantwriter?

No. The proposal should reflect the authentic voice of your community. Many LFP grants have been awarded based on proposals from people who have never written a grant before. The best grantwriters are coaches.

What font should be used for the narrative?

You may use any font of your choice, but make it easily readable. Your pages will have at least a one-inch margin on all four sides of each page. DO NOT SINGLE SPACE. Your answers must be double-spaced.

How long should the answer be to each question?

The total narrative—including the answer to all six questions—is not to exceed eight pages. How much space you spend on each answer is up to you and will depend upon your project. Some questions may have longer or shorter answers.

Must the questions be answered in the given order?

Yes.

How detailed should the answers be?

Include as many concrete details as you can at this stage of your project’s development. It is understood that some proposals are in the early concept stages while others are already being piloted.

Do not rely on national statistics to underscore the problem you are addressing. Keep the proposal specific to your local data and community. Include how you would measure and quantify your success such as in the number of people to be served and how the impact will be evident.

What do you mean by social factors?

For the most vulnerable among us, factors outside the health care system such as poverty, violence, inadequate housing or education contribute significantly to poor health. Differences in race, ethnicity, primary language, and immigrant status often create disparities in health and the quality of care. Long-established ways of doing things, traditional partnerships and ineffective services are all factors that can impede health outcomes. (Visit Vulnerable Populations on the website of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.)

If a local grantmaker supports our idea but is not the nominating funder, should that grantmaker be included in the question about local funders?

Yes, include all local funders who are engaged in your initiative whether through grants, technical assistance, in-kind or capital support as well as those who have expressed interest in providing grant dollars if your proposal advances with RWJF. Include any dollar amounts already committed or under consideration.

You may also submit letters of support from any or all of these funders.

How well organized do you expect our collaborative to be at this stage?

Coalitions can vary greatly. Describe the evolution of your collaboration. Do you have experience working together or has the partnership formed in order to implement this new program? Include your decision-making process, your governance structure, and whether any roles or responsibilities have been assigned.

If we are working with community groups or agencies that work outside of health care, should we include them in describing our collaboration?

Yes, we encourage collaboration with organizations outside and inside of health care. Definitely include all parties whether they are established institutions or ad hoc grass-roots groups, public agencies or private organizations, health professionals or from other fields.

How do you define innovation?

At its most basic, an innovation is a new way of approaching a problem that creates significant improvement. It may demonstrate a groundbreaking idea, add original program elements, introduce new methods or transform an existing model. Innovation would encompass challenging the pervasive wisdom in a field, bringing non-traditional partners together and forging new systems to deliver better services.

(For examples of innovative programs previously funded through LFP, see “Out of the Box.”)

How do we know if we’ve included everything necessary?

The best way to test your Q&A text is to show it to someone who knows nothing about your project (your neighbor, for example). After one reading, he or she should be able to tell you:

• what the problem is,
• whom it affects,
• what you plan to do about it,
• who is working with you, including funders,
• how you will know if it works including how many people will be helped, and
• why it is a priority for your community at this time.

Should the list of Objectives called for in the online proposal reflect what we’ve already stated in the Narrative?

Yes. The online application includes a place for you to describe three-to-five specific, measurable objectives against which we can assess the progress of your project. These objectives should be the same as those expressed in your narrative, but simply puts them in a different format. The space is limited and thus your descriptions should be kept short and concise.

We understand that your proposal will have several goals. If you list fewer than five objectives, simply put NA in the empty boxes and the system will consider your objectives “completed.”

Applicants are always encouraged to e-mail their questions directly to the LFP staff or call the LFP program office at (609) 275-4128.

Optional applicant conference calls may be scheduled during the year. Information will be posted at this site.