Site visits
One of the most important ways that the Community Foundation learns about a nonprofit or charitable project working in Napa Valley is by making site visits. This in-person visit allows us to get a feel for the group, how it’s run, and to see its work in action. As a result of the visit, the Community Foundation aims to learn as much as possible in an interview format, see the nonprofit in action and begin to develop a relationship with staff. We also want to give the nonprofit a chance to learn about us and our grantmaking. Transparency on both sides is our ultimate goal.
We nearly always meet with a Napa County nonprofit/project at least once before we recommend a grant or include that group in the Community Link newsletter. Our site visits last between 60 and 90 minutes. Our meeting typically involves the Executive Director. If the group has a Development Director, this person is likely join in. If it’s an all-volunteer group, we meet with a few of the Board Members.
Most often, we meet at the nonprofit’s site. If the nonprofit doesn’t have an office, but runs a program or event, we try to attend that program or event and schedule the conversation around it.
What to expect
- We’ll ask a lot of detailed questions. We do this so we can have a thorough understanding of your project or organization. We need to have this level of understanding so we can re-tell your stories to our donors.
- We’ll ask questions about your operating budget, program budgets, sources of funding and grant applications pending.
- We may ask to take photographs with our digital camera to post on our website or publish in our Community Link newsletter.
- We take photographs only with your permission, and we ask any photographed individuals to sign a release form.
- We often do some research before a site visit. We review IRS Form 990s, annual reports or audited financials, as well as material on your website. We also look at the Community Foundation’s prior grantmaking to and relationships with your organization.
- We won’t make any promises about funding.
Sample questions
- What does your nonprofit do? (programs, context in which the agency works, partners, crossover with other nonprofits, changes to service delivery in the near-, short- and long-term, rough patches and how the agency has managed)
- Why does your group do what it does? What is the problem/need the agency is trying to address? (numbers and comparisons that put your work in context locally, regionally, etc.) How does your nonprofit define success and how do you measure it?
- Tell us about your Board. (weaknesses, transitions, priorities)
- How long have you been with the group and why are you doing this work?
- How is your group funded? (describe the funding pie chart)
- What is the overall operating budget and how is it divided among admin and programs? What are the financial challenges?
- What are the operating or program challenges? What is the plan to address them?
- What are your top needs right now? In the next nine months?
