20 survey respondents
Location: 150 N College St Nc1-028-17-06, Charlotte, 28202 NC
EIN: 20-0721133
31%
69%
6 hours
Median
33%
68%
44%
56%
2017 Deadlines:
Types of Grants Awarded:
Geographic Focus:
For Fiscal Year
Total Assets:
Total Grants:
Change in Assets FY :
Amount of Grants to Minnesota Nonprofits:
Largest Grant:
Smallest Grant:
Average Grant:
Reviewer 770 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2019
Read all the way through the application first. Some of the items you might normally include in a narrative section will be asked later, so you can save your character count for something else.
Pay attention to word counts! The "Detailed Grant Description" gives you an insufficient number of characters. Use them wisely.
Missouri
Grant currently pending
Funded for amount requested
2019
Average
Average
In their Expanding Access to Housing Opportunities program, they are clearly trying to impact opportunity zones and support specific kinds of housing rehabilitation program. They also seem interested in green building initiatives. They are trying to impact low to moderate income people and other vulnerable populations.
In your Detailed Grant Description narrative question, you ask the writer to address about five different areas, but only give the character count to give each of these areas about one or two sentences. Also, it says 2,000 characters, but when copying from Word, it actually only lets us have about 1,600 (or 350 words). We writers understand the need to be concise, but I believe you are selling yourself short by forcing such an incomplete picture of the the organizations and projects you are considering. I would make this question 5,000 characters.
Consider your request size and the fit of your project before spending your time. I would ask for an award amount that will be quite meaningful for your organization. The proposal is a bit more detailed than the average corporate foundation and they have specific boxes they are looking to tick off. I wold read them all before beginning to write.
Thorough application process tells me they have specific goals and metrics they are targeting. Their guidelines are pretty clear on their website. You can actually find the application portal.
10 to 15 hours
Reviewer 2327 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2018
I was very pleased with the response to our application. Invited in for an informal discussion regarding the project and how BoA could make a greater community impact.
Builds relationships, Likes site visits, "Gets" nonprofits and issues
Missouri
Current or former grantee
Funded for lesser amount
2018
Good
Good
10
Reviewer 761 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2018
We applied several years now and tried networking with contacts to the foundation without any success. Truly believe you need a champion on BofA Foundation to get results.
Bureaucratic
Virginia
Applied and not funded
2018
Bad
Average
Seems they have their partnerships set in NYC and not open to exploring other opportunities in their community.
Get a relationship first before applying for a grant.
6
Grant Applicant - applied in 2016
It's absolutely true that you have to have a relationship with the local folks, and that BoA funds agencies and places where they can maximize their public relations benefits. But I've always had good luck talking with the local market people, who were very accessible and friendly. If you aren't in a market they value, you'll probably be wasting your time on a lengthy application.
Positive leader in the field, Gives more than money, Friendly, Builds relationships
Florida
Current or former grantee
Funded for lesser amount
2016
Good
Our local market reps are very visible and accessible.
Average
5
Grant Applicant - applied in 2018
It is impossible to find contact information for an actual person who can talk to you about your request prior to applying. I have applied a few times for projects that seem to be a great fit for their priorities and have never been funded.
Doesn't "get" nonprofits and issues
Minnesota
Applied and not funded
2018
Bad
Average
I don't really know, but I do know that funders that are inaccessible often end up wasting the time of nonprofit professionals, which is detrimental to them meeting their funding goals.
Take a crack at an application if your project is a fit, but don't expect to hear back quickly and don't rely on getting funded.
Good luck reaching someone.
5
Reviewer 8115 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2018
This one sort of seems like sending an application into space and wondering what will happen. Hard to reach them to talk out if it's a good fit, and a very long time before you hear back.
New Hampshire
Grant currently pending
2018
Bad
Average
I'm not sure... not the most transparent.
I submit proposals in the hopes that we are a strong fit for your guidelines, however when I can't call someone to talk the application through I may be wasting both of our time.
Some more than standard questions on finance/numbers, so give yourself enough time to complete the application to gather that information. Nothing too crazy, but it does take a little extra prep.
Pretty easy to get to their online system, technologically things have gone fine for me, and they have a reasonably informed page on their website.
10
Grant Applicant - applied in 2018
Not very accessible. Can't really talk to anyone at this foundation. They have, however, funded small grants, typically about half what we need for a project.
Friendly
Connecticut
Current or former grantee
Funded for lesser amount
2018
Average
Average
It appears that their goal is to market themselves through the grants they fund and they seem to accomplish that well.
The application for this funder is very intuitive and not difficult to fill out and submit.
5
Grant Applicant - applied in 2016
Don't trust the RFP on their website. They are not interested in unsolicited requests. You must establish a relationship with local/regional staff first.
Doesn't "get" nonprofits and issues, Difficult to work with
Massachusetts
Current or former grantee
Funded for amount requested
2016
Average
Average
BofA's goals seem to be more about marketing than philanthropy.
Please reconcile your actual funding process with the information on your website and in your email marketing. If you do not accept unsolicited proposals, don't issue open RFPs.
0
Did not apply
Had a phone call to explore their support for opening an office of a national nonprofit in the program officer's geographic region. She shared that they only support when the program is operational in the region and has results to share. Not the warmest demeanor.
Difficult to work with
New Jersey
Did not apply
2017
Bad
Average
0
Reviewer 554 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2017
They encourage applications and publicize the RFPs but it's very difficult to get funded even with a very good fit with the funding areas.
Washington
Applied and not funded
2017
Average
Average
Website is a little difficult to navigate (to find where to apply and where to go to update an application). Don't require payment distribution details in the application.
Information on the grant focus areas and funding cycles is relatively easy to understand.
5
