The Pharos Fund is one of the Bohemian Foundation's competitive grantmaking programs. Consideration is given to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations (private foundations excluded) providing services within the Poudre School District boundary area. The Pharos Fund has two goal areas: A) to encourage and enable our youth to become productive members of society; and B) to be a catalyst for public awareness. Grants up to $30,000 are available for program support, general operating, technical assistance, and equipment/capital support. Applications are accepted two times per year.

Yes. While we encourage you to publicize your organization or project the Bohemian Foundation assisted in funding, please note in the letter agreement that you are required to obtain approval from the Bohemian Foundation prior to the printing or distribution of any publicity materials that reference the foundation, including but not limited to: press releases, advertisements, signage, and event collateral. For all logo requests please include the size and file format needed. Please allow 10 days for Foundation staff to review and approve any proposed publicity.

Please send all publicity and logo approval requests to press@bohemianfoundation.org.
Please note, no changes to the Bohemian Foundation logo are allowed without prior written approval.

The Pharos Fund serves the Fort Collins area. The Fort Collins area is defined by the Poudre School District boundary. Agencies need not be headquartered in Fort Collins to receive funding; the programs themselves, however, must serve clients within the Fort Collins area or have a direct impact on the Fort Collins community to be considered for funding.

As long as your project serves clients or has a direct impact within the Fort Collins area your application will be considered. For instance, we have funded national organizations that have proposed Fort Collins-specific projects.

The Bohemian Foundation can only award grant funding to designated 501(c)(3) agencies. If your 501(c)(3) status is pending, but you expect to receive notification from the IRS within 30 days of the application deadline, you may submit an application. However, if you do not supply us with IRS notification concerning your nonprofit status within the 30 days, the foundation will not consider your application for the current grant cycle. You may re-apply for future cycles.

The Bohemian Foundation does not fund activities with a specific religious purpose. However, if your church has a charitable project which does not have a specific religious purpose, it may be eligible for consideration for funding.

For PSD, each school or department may submit one application during each grant cycle. Coordinate all requests both onsite (to ensure only one application is originating from each school) and with Stacy Poncelow, the District Grants Coordinator. A department request may provide for services at multiple school sites. In this case, the individual school site is not precluded from applying.

For CSU, each department/school may submit one application during each grant cycle. Coordinate all requests both departmentally (to ensure only one application is originating from each department) and with Peter Hartman, Director of Foundation Relations.

Bohemian supported district-wide or university-wide initiatives do not preclude applications from individual schools/departments within the district/university

The Pharos Fund features two grant cycles per year. You may submit one request per cycle. You may not request funding for the same project within a single calendar year. General Operating funds may only be requested once per calendar year.

Organizations can apply to the Pharos Fund up to two times per year - therefore, the maximum Pharos funding an organization can receive in a calendar year is $60,000. However, applicants may not submit the same request two times in a single calendar year. The Foundation will not consider any request in excess of the $30,000 maximum grant amount and will not consider any request outside of the Pharos Grant cycle.

We appreciate your desire for input, however, the Bohemian Foundation does not provide direct feedback to grantees regarding their applications. We want organizations to write requests based on their needs and not tailor them to our feedback. It is in your best interest to thoroughly read the website and goals; goal fit is the most important factor for consideration. Each grant cycle is highly competitive; less than 50 percent of requests receive funding of any amount.

While we appreciate your desire to write the best possible grant application, we do not provide direct feedback or guidance for the reasons stated above. Given the number of requests we receive each cycle we cannot possibly meet with all potential grantees who would like our input.

No. The Event Fund is intended to fund only fundraising or single or multi-day community events while the Pharos Fund supports longer-term and on-going projects. Thus, if your program is on-going it would not be an appropriate submission under the Event Fund - if it falls under one of the two Pharos goal areas, we would welcome a Pharos application.

Organizations may apply separately for both the Muse Fund and the Pharos Fund, but the two proposals must be distinctly different projects and requests.

Yes. These types of requests still require a request timeline. For instance, will the funding be used over the course of the entire year, nine months etc.?

While we don't give specific guidance on an individual request level, it is helpful to consider the following as you respond: Application questions should be answered in as direct and concise a manner as possible. Not every answer needs to fill the entire space provided; rather than stretching answers, provide only the information being requested. We prefer directness to wordiness. Remember, if your request is a solid goal fit, it will speak for itself.

Here, we are looking for focused examples rather than a broad synopsis of our goals and sub-goals. When providing examples, be specific to the goal area under which you are applying. You should provide specific "on the ground" examples that demonstrate goal fit. Meeting a single sub-goal is enough for consideration. Equal weight is given to agencies whether they meet one or many of the sub-goals.

Example Applicant:
A Youth Leadership program is applying for funds for its upcoming program year. This is a continuing program from prior years. This is not a Poudre School District application, therefore the applicant is not required to complete the Free and Reduced % column.

Guidelines:
• Only include data for clients served directly by this request for the entire project.
• Provide projected data for the number of clients who will be served by this request for the Request Timeline (i.e. September 1 through May 31).
• If the project existed in years past, provide data for the most recently completed project year (1).
• Categorize answers by the proper geographic area:
1. Fort Collins, Colorado - defined by the Poudre School District boundary area.
2. Larimer County - defined as the County border less the number of clients included in the Fort Collins, Colorado area.
3. Outside Larimer County - defined by all other clients served.
• Number served and projected number served should not include audience members (unless the audience is a direct participant) or total school population if an afterschool program application, etc.
• For Goal A: To Encourage and Enable our Youth to Become Productive Members of Society applications, please complete the table using only the number of youth (ages 18 and under) served and projected number served. If families are a more meaningful representation of the project, please include the number of families in parentheses next to the number of youth participants.

We require the signature of your organization's Executive Director and Board Chairperson. We do realize, however, that management-structures take on many forms. If your organization does not have these, or corresponding positions, please contact us for guidance. Also, please note that the same person may not provide both signatures (even if this person is both Executive Director and Board Chair) - in this case, the signature of a different board officer may be substituted for the Board Chair.
For Poudre School District requests, we require the signature of the grant originator and either the Superintendent, Department Head or school Principal as appropriate.

The more complete snapshot you can give us of your organization, the better we are able to understand your unique situation. If your agency isn't large enough to require an external audit, your most recent 990 will suffice. If your organization does not meet the 990 reporting requirement, an internally prepared profit and loss statement is required for the most recent year ended. If your most recent external audit is not final as of the deadline date, please include your internal financial statements for the year ended and provide the audit when it is finalized. Include a note advising us of this condition and the date we can expect to see the finalized financials. We will also accept "DRAFT" copies of your most recent audit if the most recent year is not yet finalized.

Grantees are required to complete and submit a final report using the Colorado Common Grant Report Format within sixty days following the end of the grant term or after 14 months from the date of the grant for ongoing projects, as stipulated in the grant letter agreement.

An interim report is required when an organization has an outstanding final report An interim report is required for previously funded Pharos projects should the grantee choose to apply for the same or related projects in future grant rounds prior to a final report being submitted. Interim reports are to be submitted using the Colorado Common Grant Report format.

In the "agency expenditures" portion of the table enter the prior year’s overall agency’s actual expenses. In the second part of the "agency expenditures" insert the current year’s budgeted expense amount. Please use the space provided to explain any significant discrepancy (either an increase or decrease). Unless you are requesting only general operating funding, you must also fill out the "project expenditures" portion of the table as well. Fill it out in the same manner as above, except instead of overall agency expenses, insert the total detailed project expenses in the prior year and then for the period for which you are requesting funds. Again, please use the space provided to explain any significant discrepancy (either an increase or decrease).

The following attachments are required for all Pharos Fund applications:
1. Detailed budget for the entire project (not required for General Operating requests) - The detailed budget for the entire project relates to specific information about the project for which you are seeking funding. Please see Pharos Fund FAQ for expanded guidance.
2. Detailed agency budget for the year in which the grant request is being made - The detailed agency budget relates to information about the overall agency income and expenses. This is a standard document most agencies should have available. Please see Pharos Fund FAQ for expanded guidance.
3. Externally prepared financial statement (audited, reviewed, compiled). If unavailable, the most recently filed 990 report - If your agency isn't large enough to require an external audit, your most recent 990 (draft version may apply) is sufficient. If your organization does not meet the 990 reporting requirement, an internally prepared profit and loss statement and balance sheet is required. You may also submit a "draft" copy of your externally prepared financial statement if the most recent year is not yet finalized. Please see Pharos Fund FAQ for expanded guidance.
4. IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter (first time Pharos Fund applicants only)
5. Board of Directors list
6. Any outstanding final or interim reports (from previously awarded Bohemian funds) that relate to the project for which funding is being requested.
Grantees are required to complete and submit a final report using the Colorado Common Grant Report Format within sixty days following the end of the grant term or after 14 months from the date of the grant for ongoing projects, as stipulated in the grant letter agreement. Should grantees choose to apply for this or related programs in future grant rounds, an interim report (or final report, if applicable) on their use of grant funds must be submitted in conjunction with the new application. Click on Final Reports to access the Colorado Common Grant Report Form.

• The detailed agency budget relates information about the overall agency income and expense. If the agency has multiple programs, this budget usually incorporates all programs plus administrative expenses. The detailed agency budget is a standard document most agencies should have available. It is often approved by the Board of Directors and is often utilized for Budget to Actual comparisons for both operational and board purposes. If your grant request is for a future period of time, the detailed agency budget should include the same future timeframe.
• The detailed budget for the entire project is the detailed budget for the specific project for which you are currently seeking funding. This budget should reflect the entire project costs, not just the portion for which you are seeking Bohemian Foundation funding. If the project has other funding sources and/or covers a larger geographic region, those figures should be included in this budget. Please do not include cost components for any unrelated projects. This budget is not required to be submitted to the Bohemian Foundation for general operating requests. It is required for all other request types.
• The budget worksheet contained in the application provides information on both expected funding sources and its uses for the entire project cost for which the request is being written.

The top section (“Income/Revenue”) is a synopsis of funding sources. If funds have already been committed to the project (grants, fundraising, fees for services, etc.), put these totals in the “Committed” column. Place any outstanding funding requests in the “Pending” column. (Keep in mind, it is possible to have both committed and pending funds from the same organization. Also, as a result of pending funds, it is possible for the “Income/Revenue” total to exceed the “Total Project Expenses.”) Please include prior year project actuals for the 12 month period prior to the requested project timeline.

The bottom section (“Expenses”) is a breakdown of those expenses for the total project and those specific to the funding request currently being submitted to Bohemian Foundation. (Sometimes funding requests cover an entire project, other times only a portion of the entire project cost is being requested from Bohemian Foundation.) Please include prior year project actuals for the 12 month period prior to the requested project timeline.

Finally, be sure your pending “Bohemian Request” amount in the top section (“Income/Revenue”) matches the total of the “Expenses Covered by THIS Request” column in the bottom section (“Expenses”).

Information provided on the budget worksheet also relates to the following application items:
• The “Itemized Expenses Covered by THIS Request” column corresponds to the answer provided in application question 3.
• The “Income/Revenue” section should correlate to the funding sources listed in the application (10b for Goal A, 9b for Goal B).
• The “Budgeted Total Project Expenses” column should match the expenses listed in the detailed budget for the entire project.

It just so happens that we put together a graphical reference for the Pharos Fund workshop. Click here to download it in PowerPoint format

The Event Fund provides support for both community and fundraising events to nonprofit organizations providing services within the Poudre School District boundary area. Sponsorship considerations is given to single and multi-day events that create a meaningful interaction between the public and the 501(c)3 nonprofit community. We are looking for events that support one or more of the following: 1) involving community members in nonprofit programs and services; 2) encouraging philanthropy and volunteerism in Fort Collins; 3) showcasing an organization’s successes and contributions within the community; and 4) increasing the public’s awareness and understanding of the nonprofit community. Event Fund requests are accepted on an on-going basis, but not less than 90 days prior to the event date.

No. The Community Event Fund is intended to fund only single or multi-day events while the Pharos Fund funds longer-term and on-going projects. Thus, if your program is on-going it would not be an appropriate submission under the Event Fund - if it falls under one of the two Pharos goal areas, we would welcome a Pharos application. For further information visit the Pharos Fund

Awards range from $500 to $5,000. Please keep in mind that the Bohemian Foundation rarely considers sponsorship levels beyond this and prefers to contribute at a level similar to other community supporters.

No. The Community Event Fund applicants are required to be 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations.

Yes. The information is required each year as the process is competitive. Funding in one year does not guarantee funding in subsequent years.

No. However, prior awards do not guarantee future funding.

Yes. All Community Event Fund submissions require the most current Community Event Fund application. General solicitations will be returned to the sender with a request to complete an Event Fund application.

No.

Yes. Applicants need only be 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations providing services in the Poudre School District boundary area and support one or more of the following: 1) involving community members in nonprofit programs and services; 2) encouraging philanthropy and volunteerism in Fort Collins; 3) showcasing an organization’s successes and contributions within the community; and 4) increasing the public’s awareness and understanding of the nonprofit community. in order to be eligible Event Fund applicants.

Yes. Prior Pharos Fund awards do not preclude an organization from applying to the Community Event Fund.

Yes. However, be sure they are different requests. The Pharos Fund and the Community Event Fund were designed to meet different organizational objectives.

No. Applications are accepted on an on-going basis but not less than 90 days prior to the event date.

Award notification will occur within 30 days of receipt of a completed Event Fund Application and Outline of Sponsorship Benefits. Allow enough time to accommodate any publicity deadlines (i.e. brochures, flyers, etc.).

No.

Yes. While we encourage you to publicize your organization or project the Bohemian Foundation assisted in funding, please note in the letter agreement that you are required to obtain approval from the Bohemian Foundation prior to the printing or distribution of any publicity materials that reference the foundation, including but not limited to: press releases, advertisements, signage, and event collateral. For all logo requests please include the size and file format needed. Please allow 10 days for Foundation staff to review and approve any proposed publicity.

Please send all publicity and logo approval requests to press@bohemianfoundation.org.
Please note, no changes to the Foundation logo are allowed without prior written approval.