Frequently Asked Questions
*Note: These are the most commonly asked questions the Foundation encounters. If you have a question that does not appear here, please don't hesitate to contact us at: tcowenhoven@harrell-holdings.com.
Q: Who does the Foundation donate grants to?
A: The Foundation can ONLY donate to 501(c)3 nonprofits that benefit Kern County. Organizations residing outside of Kern County, but with a project or program that serves Kern County, will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Q: How do you request funding from the Foundation?
A: Email us at tcowenhoven@harrell-holdings.com with a brief description of your funding needs, and a general idea of how much funding you will be requesting. All the other data we need will be covered in the application itself. Before we can get to that stage, we need to make sure your project is the right fit for the Foundation, and that we have the available funding for it. If we feel your project is a good fit, we will invite you to apply.
Q: How does the Application Process work once you are invited to apply?
A: You will be emailed the Application Form as an attachment. If you are unable to open emailed attachments, please let us know, and we will copy the Application into the body of the email. You can then copy the Application into a new email or word document, and complete it. When you have completed it, you simply email it back to us at: tcowenhoven@harrell-holdings.com.
Q: When is the application due?
A: Grants are awarded on a Rolling Basis. You will be given the due date of your application when you are invited to apply. The Application's Due Date is usually two months from the date you were invited to apply.
Q: How will we receive the funding if our organization is awarded a grant?
A: The Award Letter, along with the grant check, will be sent certified mail to the address you supplied to us in your application. Once you receive this certified letter, you will find two copies of the award letter, along with an addressed, stamped envelope, with the Foundation's address on it. You need to sign the copy of your award letter (there is a space for you to do so), and then mail it back to us in the stamped, addressed envelope provided.
Q: How soon does the grant money need to be spent?
A: The funds from a grant need to be distributed one year after the grant is awarded. However, the Foundation recognizes that unexpected contingencies occur during the implementation of a project or program. As long as you contact us and explain the situation, we are more than willing to offer you an extension on the 12-month distribution requirement.
Q: Do you require a Report after the grant is implemented?
A: The Foundation requests that all organizations granted funding fill out a Follow-Up Form. You have one year after receiving funding to complete the form. This Follow-Up Form will be emailed to you shortly after the grant is awarded.
Q: How soon can I apply for funding after being awarded a grant?
A: While the Foundation would prefer not to fund the same organization on an annual basis, we will consider funding an organization a year after they received a grant IF the project or program the organization is currently seeking funding for is different than the previous year's grant. Otherwise, we request that you wait a year between grant requests.