Below are FAQs regarding the Johns Hopkins Neighborhood Fund.

General Neighborhood Fund Information
 

1. Why should I give to the Johns Hopkins Neighborhood Fund?
   
   The Johns Hopkins Neighborhood Fund enables local organizations to build stronger neighborhoods by addressing community revitalization and the education, employment, health, and public safety needs of residents.
2. Doesn't United Way already address the issues supported by the Neighborhood Fund?
   
   United Way of Central Maryland targets four major impact areas; the Johns Hopkins Neighborhood Fund was created to complement United Way, focusing on organizations close to our campuses that may not be included in the United Way's funding areas or that are receiving reduced funding.
3. What kinds of organizations does the Johns Hopkins Neighborhood Fund support?
   
   Nonprofit organizations that are associated with Johns Hopkins through employee and/or institutional involvement and that deliver services to the communities near Johns Hopkins campuses are considered for funding through a proposal process.

Funding Request Information
 

1. Does my program need to address all five key areas (education, health, employment, public safety, and community revitalization)?
   
   No, programs need to focus on only one of the key areas that the Neighborhood Fund addresses.
2. How much funding should we ask for?
   
   Request what is needed for the program, not to exceed $15,000.
3. What is the timeline of the application process? Do you provide extensions?
   
   The application goes live online in mid-December and is due in mid-February each year. No extensions will be provided. Applications will be reviewed in the spring, and applicants will be notified of the committee’s decision in May.
4. When providing the financial information on the application, should we provide the entire organization’s budget and expenses, or just the program’s budget and expenses?
   
   Provide the budget and expenses of just the program for which you are requesting funds.
5. If my organization receives a grant, is there any follow-up at the end of the grant cycle?
   
   Yes, at the end of each grant cycle (June 30), all Johns Hopkins Neighborhood Fund recipients are required to submit a report summary explaining how the funds were used and the impact that they made. A brief form will be provided to recipients in June.
6. If my organization was funded in the past, is my eligibility impacted when applying again?
   
   Although there is no guarantee of an organization being funded in consecutive years, some have received grants multiple times. The only impact that a previously awarded grant would make on future applications would be if the organization used the funds for services or items other than originally intended, or if a report summary is not submitted. In either case, the organization would be ineligible to apply the following year.
7. Does my organization need to be located within the geographical boundaries?
   
   The organization itself does not need to be located within the boundaries, but the services for which you are requesting funding must be provided within them. If you are unsure as to whether your services fall within the boundaries, contact Katie Walsh at [email protected] or by calling 410-516-2000.
8. How many grants will be awarded?
   
   Total funding varies year to year based on donations to the Neighborhood Fund during the United Way campaign. The number of grants awarded will be determined by available funds and the funding amount each organization requests.
9. Will it help if I include letters of recommendation with my grant application?
   
   No, recommendations will not be shared with the committee when reviewing applications.
10. Can we request funding for salary expenses?
    
    Salary requests will be considered only if they are for direct service providers.
11. If I do not yet have one or more of the required appendixes, or if I am exempt from having them, can I still apply?
    
    If you are expecting a document from local, state, or federal government but do not have it in time for the application deadline, please still submit your application and include the explanation. Also include a date for when you expect to receive it, as it will have to be submitted prior to the application being reviewed by the committee. If your organization is exempt from having any of the required appendixes, include an explanation within your application.
12. If my organization receives a grant, is it OK to apply the funds to something other than what the grant was originally awarded for?
    
    A request to spend funds differently must be submitted for review to [email protected].
13. Does it matter who serves as the Johns Hopkins sponsor?
    
    Any Johns Hopkins affiliate (current employee, retiree, student, or alumnus/a) can serve as the Johns Hopkins sponsor. The type of affiliation does not impact the ranking of your application.
14. What is the obligation of the Johns Hopkins sponsor?
    
    The sponsor simply needs to sign off on your grant application to show a connection between Johns Hopkins and your organization.