Even the most artful and comprehensive grant proposal may
not convey all the information necessary for a foundation
to make a fully informed decision about a grant request. And
sometimes, there is nothing that can replace the opportunity
to sit down face-to-face with an applicant, see agency staff
in action, and flesh out important details about an organization
or program. For this reason, often nothing is as informative
to a grantmaker as a pre-grant site visit.
For a site visit to be successful, however, some planning
is required. Based on review of the proposal and/or initial
discussions with the applicant, a funder will generally prepare
several questions in advance, and pose others based on interaction
at the visit. To help ensure that all information is provided
and gathered in a reliable and accessible manner, and to ensure
that no “basic” information is overlooked, we
provide below an outline of a typical pre-grant site visit
and include questions that are commonly asked by site visitors.
 |
Click on a link below to read more about this issue.
Overview
What are the Purposes of a Site Visit?
What is Reviewed During a Site Visit?
Summary
More Information
Overview
(from “The Family Advisor: Site Visit Companion –
Developing a Site Visit Program by Ann D. Gralnek, www.cof.org)
A site visit does not infer a grant is forthcoming. It is
an investigative fact-finding method used by grantmakers to
determine the advisability of investing in a particular program
or agency.
What are the
purposes of a site visit?
- To gather subjective as well as objective information
- To determine personal response to the people involved
and the program
- To provide a comparison with other organizations in the
community
- To verify accuracy of proposal
- To determine grant possibilities and, ultimately, probabilities
What is reviewed
during a site visit?
- The organization or agency as a whole
IRS determination, lobbying activities, independent or umbrella
agency, governance and administrative capacity, history,
mergers and name changes, mission, fundraising. Is there
adequate talent in the leadership to make the program/organization
a success?
- The agency and program personnel
sufficient staff and support, training and development,
levels of experience and qualifications, communication,
turnover, decision making and problem solving capabilities,
role definition and workload appropriations, understanding
of program or proposal, dependency on volunteer staff. Is
the staff willing and capable to undertake the proposed
activities?
- Assessment of facility
location, ability to attract and accommodate clients, accessibility
to constituency, physical space and layout, compliance with
code, upkeep and cleanliness, equipment and supplies, furniture,
conduciveness to productivity, confidentiality of records
and files, storage of hazardous materials and medications
and supplies. Does the facility support the mission?
- Program information
geographic area served, number and demographics of people
served, number of program specific staff, stated goals and
purposes, evaluation and outcome measures, internal review
processes, activities related to grant funds compared to
on-going services, staff accountability and responsibilities,
duplication of services, referral networks, documentation
of activities. Is the applicant asking for what it really
needs (in both amount and purpose), or just what it thinks
will increase the odds of receiving funding from the grantmaking
agency? Does the request meet the grantmaker’s mission
and current funding priorities?
- Financial assessment
current operating budget, program budget, fundraising, cost
allotments, salaries, operational expenses, indirect costs,
staff responsible for financial affairs and budgeting, recent
audit, billing opportunities and strategies, fees. Will
the grantmaker’s involvement help the organization
gain additional funding from others?
Summary
Site visits are very important to a grantmakers ability to
assess a request; however a site visit can prove beneficial
to the grantee organization as well. Discussions during a
well-planned site visit allow opportunities for foundation
personnel and grantseekers to share their experiences and
knowledge, often strengthening the proposal. Such exchanges
can also help determine alternative approaches to grantseeking,
qualifications of new staff, useful outcome measures, technical
assistance or managerial expertise, or even potential for
unused facility space and equipment.
More Information
See this informative and candid article prepared for grantseekers
by the Minnesota Council on Foundations: The Truth about Site
Visits Why Grantmakers Do Them; What You Should Know http://www.mcf.org/mcf/forum/sitevisit.htm
|
