Frequently Asked Questions

We typically do not meet with applicants before a proposal is submitted because our program staff isn't large enough to accommodate the number of requests we receive. However, program officers will briefly discuss your proposal idea over the phone or by email. We've developed a special form where you can submit these kinds of questions.

We want you to know that you do not have to be "known" by us for your proposal to receive a full and fair consideration, nor do you need to personally meet with a staff member or trustee. If our trustees approve an Initial Inquiry and invite a full proposal, then we nearly always meet with the applicant at a site visit.

It is not necessary to meet directly or "lobby" trustees. Trustees receive thorough written information about your organization, the proposed project, and the context of the request. All eligible proposals are presented to trustees and they consider each project on its own merits. The vast majority of funded proposals do not involve direct contact with trustees.

If, after reviewing the application guidelines and the Help Desk on our website, you still have specific questions about how to respond to our guidelines, we encourage you to call or email us.

You might be interested in reading the very interesting conversation we had several years ago when we raised the question of meetings on our blog.

No. Proposals submitted to MMT should be strategic, well planned, and reflect your organization's top priority for funding. Your organization's leadership can best judge what your organization most needs. If your proposal reflects strategic thinking and sound planning, it will receive fair and serious consideration.

You should be thoughtful about the amount of money you request from MMT and be able to explain your need. Remember that MMT nearly always prefers to be one of several funders of a project and almost never provides 100% of a project's funding. Look through our list of recent grants for similar projects in our Awards Database to get a sense of the amounts we have recently granted for similar projects.

All initial inquiries that are received by the 15th of each month are reviewed by the program officers, who identify questions, strengths, concerns, etc. of each proposal. Summaries of the proposals written by program officers go to the trustees at their next month's meeting, where they decide which applications will be investigated further. Applicants are notified of the decision by email right away. Applicants whose inquiries move to further study are invited to submit a full proposal. They generally have six weeks from the date of notification to do so.

Those approved for further study are assigned to a program officer. After the proposal and supporting financial documentation is received, the program officer arranges a site visit. The purposes of the site visit are to establish a face-to-face relationship, view the organization and/or project "in person," follow up on questions the trustees may have at the final review, and gather additional information as part of the due diligence process. The timing of the site visit depends on the program officer's workload and MMT's internal calendar. Within a month or two of the site visit, the program officer submits a summary report to the trustees. At their next meeting, the trustees discuss the proposal and make a decision about whether to fund it. Applicants are usually notified of the decision by phone or email within a day of the trustee meeting.

The average time for a final grant decision is about six months from the time the initial inquiry is submitted. The exception is capital requests over $200,000, which are reviewed twice a year in May and November.

We want to be careful investors of MMT resources and look for projects that best address significant community needs. By far the most common reason for a decline is insufficient planning, indicating to our trustees that an organization is not ready for a MMT grant. Prior to submitting a grant application to MMT, your organization's staff and board should have tools and a roadmap in place, such as a strategic or business plan, multi-year income and expense projections, identified outcomes, and a fundraising plan. Other common reasons for decline include few or no funds raised locally for the project and inadequate sustainability plans. Please refer to the What We Look For section of this website to help you identify things we look for in a strong proposal.

MMT generally makes grants over one to three year periods. Multi-year grants are most useful when a project needs a few years to get fully established or for organizational capacity building grants. Generally, multi-year grants are set up with declining amounts each year as other funds replace initial grant funds. It is crucial to demonstrate how you plan to sustain such a project.

We will work with an organization to structure a challenge or matching grant if it will help inspire others to give or increase the organization's ability to raise other funds for the project. While MMT capital grants are often awarded during a capital campaign, funds are not paid out until all other resources needed for the project are committed; therefore, organizations often use their MMT capital grants as challenge grants.

Applicants invited to submit a Responsive Grant full proposal are asked to provide current year financial statements (balance sheet and income statement) and financial statements for the three prior years (audited statements, if available). While we do not require an organization to provide audited financial statements, we would generally expect to see an audit for organizations with annual budgets of $500,000 or above.

Capital requests of $200,000 and under are handled in the same manner as other Responsive Grants requests. Initial Inquiries for more than $200,000 are considered by the trustees each month, but are presented for final action twice a year: in May and November. To allow time for first review and due diligence, Initial Inquiries must be submitted to MMT no later than November 15th for the May meeting and May 15th for the November meeting. Submitting your proposal prior to those dates helps us schedule due diligence most efficiently.

The only written rules about how often applicants may submit proposals are that an organization may not resubmit a declined proposal for at least 12 months from the date of decline and that we will only consider one proposal from an organization at a time.

That said, organizations should be thoughtful about how often to apply for a grant. A long-range plan can help an organization forecast its needs several years in advance. Plan to seek assistance from MMT when it is strategic to do so to accomplish a top organizational priority. Avoid applying to MMT for each project idea as it emerges. MMT also tends to favor organizations with diverse sources of support.

We fund special projects but also help good organizations become stronger through capacity-building support, bridge funding, and through funding general operating costs in the context of strategic proposals that advance organizational missions.

MMT can provide grant funding for nonprofit social benefit organizations that do advocacy and lobbying; however, IRS rules stipulate that MMT funds cannot be used specifically to fund lobbying activities, which include direct and grassroots communications on specific pieces of legislation or ballot measures. MMT can fund general advocacy activities (e.g., community organizing, issue education, etc.) as long as MMT funds are not used to advocate for or against specific pieces of legislation or ballot measures. Nonprofit organizations can actively advocate and lobby on issues related to their missions. The IRS has specific rules for nonprofit lobbying activities (as opposed to general advocacy) that nonprofits should be aware of and adhere to. For more information on nonprofit lobbying rules, contact the Alliance for Justice.

We do not have an explicit guideline defining "economically disadvantaged." Typical measures could include children who qualify for the national school "free or reduced price" lunch program or whose families have incomes at or below 200% of the most recent Federal poverty level. "Special needs populations" could include students with mental, emotional, or developmental disabilities, students deemed at risk by qualified educators, mental health or youth development professionals, or minority or immigrant children facing linguistic and cultural barriers.

One of the essential functions of a board is to give and/or raise funds. Outside funders, including MMT, expect board participation in annual giving and other fundraising efforts, albeit all board members may not participate at equal levels. Without board involvement in fundraising, a development officer will have limited impact and a capacity building effort aimed at increasing individual donations is unlikely to have much success. An interim step might be to apply for Grassroots Grants from Meyer Memorial Trust or another source to hire a consultant to work with the board on fundraising. (Always check references before hiring a consultant; refer to the advice in What We Look For in Technical Assistance Proposals for more information about working with consultants.)

Organizations that are not recognized as tax-exempt by the IRS are not eligible to apply to Meyer Memorial Trust. Such organizations cannot ask another, unrelated organization (especially if the missions are not aligned) to be its fiscal sponsor. This is considered “borrowing” another organization’s tax-exempt status and is not allowed. If a fiscal sponsor is indicated on an application, we will research how the organizations’ missions are aligned during the due diligence process, as well as confirm that the fiscal sponsor understands and agrees that it will be ultimately responsible for the use of funds and outcomes of the project.

Questions? If you have further questions about fiscal sponsorship and eligibility, please contact the grants administration department at grantsadmin [at] mmt [dot] org or 503-228-5512.

MMT allows the use of fiscal sponsors under the following conditions:

• The applicant organization is a tax-exempt charity that utilizes the services of another tax-exempt organization to manage its finances and/or payments. In this instance, indicate the sponsor organization name in the fiscal sponsor field of the Responsive Grants Inquiry application form. If a grant is awarded, both the grantee and the fiscal sponsor must sign the grant agreement indicating the responsibilities of each party.
• A project or program of a larger organization is requesting funding. If the program is an officially-adopted project of a larger organization, and/or the project is planning to spin off on its own but has not yet received its own tax-exempt status, the parent organization may apply directly to request funding for that project. In this instance, the parent organization is considered the grant applicant and is responsible for submitting the application, conducting the project, managing the finances, and reporting on the project.  

Recent examples of organizations deemed ineligible were a faith-based school that had in-class prayers and required students to attend church service as part of their school day. Another was a church-operated food pantry that included religious materials in food boxes.  

Those applicants would likely have been eligible if they did not require prayer or religious service attendance of students and did not include religious materials in food boxes, assuming they met other eligibility criteria.

If you are considering applying for a PRI outside the range of most of our PRIs, that generally won't count against you. We suggest you paul [at] mmt [dot] org (contact us) before submitting your inquiry.

Typically, no. To keep our administrative expenses at a minimum, MMT prefers to disburse PRI funds in one lump sum.

The Meyer Trust adapts its PRI program terms to suit each transaction funded. The following represents the range of terms for Meyer Trust PRI investments, which to date have taken the form of loans:

• Loan duration: 1-7 years
• Repayment increments: Interest is repaid in quarterly installments, sometimes together with principal. Some loans feature a laddered principal payment that is paid annually. A few loans feature a balloon repayment of the entire principal at the end of the term.
• Interest rate: 2.5% annual interest (reviewed and reset, if needed, April 1)
• Securitization status: PRIs are secured whenever feasible.
• Recourse status: Full recourse to the borrower.
• Origination fees: MMT charges no origination fee.
• Other expenses: In instances when real property (i.e., land, buildings) is secured, the applicant typically pays expenses for the title search, lender's title insurance policy and recording/filing of the deed of trust. In instances when personal property is secured (i.e., equipment, other assets), the applicant typically pays the UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) filing fee. Additional expenses – such as legal, appraisal and consulting fees – are the applicant's responsibility. Depending on the loan, MMT may elect to secure both real and personal property.

Generally, no. MMT has established a set rate to be fair and consistent with all applicants. That said, if you have compelling circumstances that require a lower rate, describe them in the Initial Inquiry and we will consider your request.

Yes. The Meyer Trust has issued PRI and grant funding simultaneously to support a project. When completing your Initial Inquiry, be sure to include information regarding the size, terms, and repayment strategy for the PRI you are requesting in addition to indicating the amount requested in the form of a grant.

We currently use one form to elicit information about Responsive Grants and PRI requests. If you are seeking a PRI, please be sure to include the following information in your Initial Inquiry:

• PRI amount
• MMT interest rate
• Proposed repayment terms noting timing of payments of principal and interest
• Securitization opportunities
• Repayment strategies (preferably primary and secondary strategies). If repayment includes future grants, points of contact (name, email address, phone number) should be identified.

Yes. Our experience indicates that proposals that identify a specific amount, interest rate, timeframe and repayment strategies have undergone more rigorous planning within an organization.

Seeking collateral, when possible, is a guiding principle in prudent lending and in accordance with our value of stewardship. While obtaining collateral is a tool in our due diligence, we also recognize external factors can negatively affect repayment and unexpected borrower problems may emerge. In such cases, MMT works with organizations to develop a reasonable repayment plan. We do not aggressively seek to foreclose on the loan to the harm of the nonprofit. Should a nonprofit cease operations and liquidate its assets despite its best efforts, having a secured interest enables MMT to receive a fair share of the proceeds to further our grantmaking and other investments in the greater nonprofit community.

When we receive an Initial Inquiry for a PRI, we follow up with an email requesting additional financial information to help determine an organization's financial strength using this form. The PRI initial inquiry and supplemental financial information is batched together with inquiries from other organizations. The inquiries are reviewed by the program officers, who identify questions, strengths, concerns, etc. of each proposal. Summaries of the proposals written by program officers go to the trustees at their next month's meeting, where they decide which applications will be investigated further. Applicants are notified of the decision right away by e-mail. Applicants whose inquiries move to further study are invited to submit a full proposal and, generally, have three weeks from the date of notification to do so.

Those approved for further study are assigned to a program officer. After the full proposal and supporting documentation is received, the program officer arranges a site visit. The purposes of the site visit are to establish a face-to-face relationship, view the organization and/or project "in person," follow up on questions submitted earlier and gather additional information as part of the due diligence process. The timing of the site visit depends on the program officer's workload and MMT's internal calendar. Within a month or two of the site visit, the program officer submits a summary report to the trustees. At their next meeting, the trustees discuss the proposal and make a decision about whether to fund it. Applicants are usually notified by phone of the decision within a day of the trustee meeting. The average time for a final PRI decision is about four to six months from the time the initial inquiry is submitted.

No. That said, independent audited statements provide MMT with assurance that an organization's finances are presented fairly in all material respects. Should we request a full proposal from your organization, we will request current year financial statements (balance sheet and income statement) and financial statements for the three prior years. For prior years' statements, audited statements are preferred, if available. For audited statements, we will request a copy of the management letter, your responses to the management letter and adusting journal entries (AJEs) for the most recently completed fiscal year.

We are open to receiving an application. However, a PRI may not be the best fit for your particular situation. We suggest you contact us before submitting an inquiry in a case like this.

Generally, no. In fact, your proposal may be stronger. Prior to submitting a written inquiry, you should inform the other lenders about your MMT application to ensure you will be complying with their loan covenants.

Generally, no. We would examine your ability to repay your current debt and the additional PRI debt. In particular, we would determine whether taking on the PRI has the potential of weakening your financial condition.

Prior to submitting a written inquiry, you should inform your lenders about the MMT application to ensure you will be complying with their loan covenants.

No. However, you will likely incur legal costs for your attorney to review the loan documents. In most cases, nonprofits receive probono legal advice through their board or other sources, which should result in minimal or no out-of-pocket legal expenses.

When real property (i.e., land, buildings) is secured, the applicant typically pays expenses for title search, lender's title insurance policy and recording/filing of the deed of trust. When personal property is secured (i.e., equipment, other assets), the applicant typically pays the UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) filing fee.

Depending on the loan, MMT may elect to secure both real and personal property.

Depending on the PRI, disbursement may take up to two months after the award date due to the time involved to prepare loan documents.

Generally, no. Financing of public sector projects is best fitted to government agency budgets and taxpayers in communities served by those agencies.

Yes. There is a promissory note. The covenants are typical of what you would see in commercial promissory notes, as well as requirements for the agency to maintain administrative, program and fiscal stability, among others. In addition, the borrower will submit a certificate of commercial insurance and corporate resolution and closing certificate authorizing the loan. Should we request a full proposal from your organization, we would discuss these requirements as part of our due diligence.

Program Officer Paul Reich is primarily responsible for the analysis of PRI funding requests. Although you need not vet a PRI proposal before submitting a letter of inquiry, you are welcome to contact him if you have questions about the PRI program: by email at paul [at] mmt [dot] org or by phone at 503-228-5512.

For sectors that have financial performance benchmarks, such as community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), we ask the organization to provide their most recent and historical financial benchmarks, which typically is reported on a “dashboard.”    

For most organizations at the Initial Inquiry stage, we calculate a few ratios based on current and (at least) three years of (preferably audited) year-end financial statements using this form. The ratios help us gain a greater understanding of an applicant’s business model and strategies for sustainability. When possible, we compare an applicant’s ratios with other organizations operating in the same industry so we have the proper context for analyzing an applicant’s financial performance.  

Frequently, maintaining certain ratios is a financial covenant in the promissory note. In such instances, MMT works with the recipient to establish ratios that are reasonable and reflective of the agency’s business environment.  

Some of the ratios are noted in this table. Also, we may request a copy of year-end adjusting journal entries to help assess the level of accuracy of an organization’s internal financial reporting.

There are three common reasons::

1) The applicant does not have required tax-exempt/public charity status. Only 501(c)(3) organizations that are not private foundations, or that are publicly supported, are eligible to apply for Grassroots Grants. Other 501(c) organizations [e.g., 501(c)(4) or 501(c)(6)] are NOT eligible for Grassroots Grants.
 
501(c)(3) status is granted by the Internal Revenue Service. It is not enough that the organization has no money or does not make a profit or that it is registered with the State Corporate Division as Nonprofit or it has submitted an application to the IRS but has not yet received a determination letter. In addition to 501(c)(3), the organization must be determined by the IRS to be a public charity and not a private foundation under 509(a). [In 1969, the U.S. Congress required the IRS to differentiate between public charities and private foundations, so the IRS added section 509(a) that established conditions that must be met in order to be recognized as a public charity.]
 
In some cases, organizations (such as government entities) that have tax exemption because of their publicly funded status are also eligible to apply for Grassroots Grants.

2) The proposal is submitted too late for trustee consideration before the project will occur.

An organization that is not tax-exempt may not borrow another organization's tax-exempt status. Please see this FAQ regarding when fiscal sponsors are allowed.

Yes.The Grassroots Grants program was established to give smaller organizations an opportunity to compete for MMT funds. Many of these organizations are without sophisticated grantwriters and sometimes even without paid staff. In some cases, their Grassroots Grant proposals are the first time these organizations have sought funds from a foundation. Although some Grassroots Grants have been made to large well-established organizations, that is the exception and MMT still primarily views the program as a way to help smaller organizations.

Because accounting practices vary and there are many ways of dealing with in-kind contributions, we do not include the value assigned to in-kind labor as part of the $150,000 budget limit. For example, if an organization wanted to apply for a Grassroots Grant to renovate its building, and the sum of materials and total value of labor is $230,000, but $100,000 of the labor is donated, the total project cost would be $130,000, which is within the limit for a Grassroots Grant.

A quick look at the list of past Grassroots Grants on this website (link) reveals that the projects funded under this program are highly varied and impossible to precisely define. MMT wants to be open to ideas grantseekers generate themselves rather than limiting their approaches by prescribing priorities.

In general, however, projects are viewed more favorably when:

• the project is important for the organization and those it serves,
• the project has a demonstrable outcome that helps the organization meet its goals,
• the effect of the project lasts beyond the period during which grant funds are expended,
• the organization has figured out a way to sustain funding for the project after grant funds are expended (if necessary)

The only written rule about how often applicants can submit proposals is the one that states that "an organization should not resubmit a declined proposal for at least 12 months" from date of decline, unless substantial changes related to the proposed project occur.

In general, MMT is interested in helping organizations fund worthy projects but is cautious about making organizations overly reliant on our support. That means organizations should exercise good judgment about how often to apply for Grassroots Grants. In general, it is a good idea for an organization to undertake long-range planning so that it can foresee its needs for several years and plan ahead about which projects to seek assistance from MMT, rather than applying for each project idea as it emerges. We also like to see that an organization is diversifying its resources by successfully seeking funding from sources other than MMT.

Thank you for this important question, which gives us an opportunity to more fully explain our policy. First, MMT recognizes the critical role churches and faith communities play in providing non-religious social services in communities across our region. We have a long tradition of supporting many of those efforts through our grants.

MMT has no intention of categorically excluding churches and other faith-based organizations that give preference to members of their own religion in top leadership positions like pastors, board members, etc. We invite proposals from religious organizations whose missions include providing service to broad communities, as long as those services are delivered without requiring attendance at or participation in religious activities and/or professing adherence to religious beliefs. In doing so, we are honoring our founder, as one of Fred Meyer's instructions to trustees of this foundation explicitly rules out proselytizing.

To keep a clear separation between inherently religious and social service operations, some churches have set up separate 501(c)(3) charitable organizations, which become the applicant for foundation and government grants and administer and operate the human service programs. MMT does not require this, of course, but faith based organizations should be able to account for use of grant funds for non-religious activities.

If you have questions about whether your organization meets our eligibility requirements, we invite you to call our Grants Administration department.

Recent examples of organizations deemed ineligible were a faith-based school that had in-class prayers and required students to attend church service as part of their school day. Another was a church-operated food pantry that included religious materials in food boxes.  

Those applicants would likely have been eligible if they did not require prayer or religious service attendance of students and did not include religious materials in food boxes, assuming they met other eligibility criteria.

Generally, no. Financing of public sector projects is best fitted to government agency budgets and taxpayers in communities served by those agencies.