The King Foundation

Support, Opportunity, Growth

Frequently Asked Questions

We would like to meet with someone at the Foundation to discuss a proposal. How do we arrange a meeting?

The Foundation holds pre-proposal meetings throughout the year, usually in the months just preceding an application deadline. To request a meeting, please call the Foundation and ask to speak with Michelle Monse or Laura Duty. Because the Foundation has a very small grants staff, we generally do not participate in site visits to agencies before proposals are submitted.

Our organization’s program doesn’t seem to fall within the descriptions in the Foundation’s grant guidelines. Does that mean we should not apply?

Probably not. If your program relates to an area that is not listed in the grant guidelines at all, the Foundation is unlikely to be a good funding match for your organization. If your program relates to one of the listed areas, such as education, but you are unsure whether it would be of interest to the Foundation, we suggest you call the Foundation to discuss the program before submitting a funding request.

The Foundation’s deadline is approaching but we will not have all the required attachments ready to submit. Can we submit our proposal and supplement it later?

Generally not. Because we have such a small staff and a limited time period to review proposals, the Foundation must have each proposal in hand and complete on the day of the deadline. Please go through the grant proposal checklist on this site and ensure that you will be able to submit all the items. If any of the items will present a problem for your agency, please call the Foundation well before the deadline to discuss the issue. Please do not submit an incomplete proposal and assume we will accept it.

Please also check the photocopies of any documents you will submit, especially your audit and tax return, to be certain that all pages of the required document (and any attachments to it) have been copied properly.

What if my organization does not have an audit?

The Foundation recognizes that some nonprofit organizations, particularly smaller ones, do not have audited financial statements. In that case, you should submit a compilation, review, or unaudited financial statements, including the statement of financial position and statement of activities.

We are not sure how much of our tax return we should submit to the Foundation.

If your agency’s most recently filed federal tax return is not available on GuideStar (www.guidestar.org), the Foundation requires you to submit the public inspection copy of your Form 990, which includes the main return and most of the attached schedules, including Schedule A regarding compensation and other matters. You may, but are not required to, submit Schedule B, the Schedule of Contributors.

If your organization is not required to file a Form 990, indicate on the financial summary form the reason you are exempt from the filing requirement.

Will the King Foundation accept proposals that are postmarked by the deadline?

No. For the same reasons that we cannot accept incomplete proposals, we must receive proposals in our office by 4:30 p.m. on the day of the deadline.

We would like to make a presentation to the board of directors of the King Foundation. Is that possible?

No. Although we understand the desire to make such a presentation, we cannot accommodate individual presentations, given the number of inquiries and proposals we receive. The board has delegated the first-line review of proposals to Foundation staff and does not hear presentations from agencies.

If the Foundation conducts a site visit, does that mean we will get funded?

No. Generally, a site visit is a positive sign, but it does not indicate a funding decision either way. We can and do award grants to agencies we have been unable to visit, and we also decline grants to agencies that we have visited.

What happens if we receive a grant but cannot use the grant funds as originally proposed?

If the Foundation awards a grant to your organization, we will ask you to sign a grant contract that includes the stated purpose of the grant. Your organization may not spend the grant funds for any other purpose without our written consent in advance.

Will my agency have any continuing obligation to the Foundation?

The grant contract will also require your agency to report to the Foundation on the expenditure of grant funds within thirty days after the project is completed or the funds are completely spent, whichever is earlier.

If my agency has previously applied for a grant from the King Foundation, when can we apply again?

If your agency received a grant, you may submit a letter of inquiry 18 months after your previous grant was awarded.

If you were unsuccessful in seeking a grant, you may apply again at any time. But we do suggest that you talk to the Foundation staff before doing so. We may be able to tell you why your earlier efforts were unsuccessful, or whether we believe a resubmission will be worthwhile.