Background 

Why change the CGA? The Common Grant Application (CGA) has not been revised since its inception 15 years ago. The world has changed considerably since then and the revised CGA has been changed to reflect current principles and practices in nonprofit management.

Is this something entirely new ?  No, this Common Grant Application (CGA) builds upon the tried and trusted tool that has served Colorado (and many national) grantmakers well for 15 years. Today’s version is an outgrowth of the older version.

Who created the revised CGA? The effort was led by an inclusive group of funders, nonprofit leaders, and technical assistance organizations that represented a wide array of large and grassroots organizations across many funding areas. See Acknowledgments for a complete list of participants.

What was the process for revising the CGA? The group spent over a year on the revision – using surveys, focus groups, beta-testing, and other tactics to make sure the tool would be as user-friendly and comprehensive as possible. It should be noted that the new CGA was crafted with the input of foundations who did not previously accept the CGA.

Have regulatory agencies “signed-off” on the CGA? Colorado's Secretary of State, Mike Coffman and Colorado's Attorney General, John Suthers endorsed the CGA because the CGA supports and encourages the effective operation of Colorado’s nonprofits.

When will the CGA be revised again? We anticipate that the CGA will be revised again when there is a need to do so. The last CGA served Colorado for 15 years and we hope that this document will have a similarly long shelf life.

Back to Top

What is New?

What are the enhancements to the CGA? The primary enhancement is that the revised CGA is designed to support best practices in the nonprofit sector. This change includes a greater emphasis on governance, planning, evaluation, and inclusiveness – dovetailing with the Colorado Nonprofit Association’s newly-published Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence. The new summary sheet form also allows for easy data entry into most grants management software.

In addition to the changes in content, what else is new? There are two significant new features.

• Website: The first significant enhancement is the flexible, stand-alone website. This technology was not dreamed of when the original CGA was created and dovetails nicely with some foundations efforts to move to on-line application systems in the future. The website is a “one-stop shop” for foundations and grantseekers because it includes all of the accompanying documents and resources including the Common Grant Report.

As a funder, you are able to link to the CGA website and/or place the CGA logo on your website. Most foundations will use this logo as a button to link to the CGA website.

• User’s Guide: The second significant enhancement is the carefully crafted User’s Guide. The User’s Guide adds clarity to the application process – and answers many of the questions that you and your staff have previously had to field regarding grant preparation. Our exhaustive beta-testing process revealed that most nonprofits and the vast majority of funders found the User’s Guide extremely helpful in improving the clarity and quality of proposals.

The User’s Guide provides information related to the intention of each component of the CGA for the purpose of helping grantwriters provide meaningful information. The User’s guide explains the focus of each question and provides commentary on why a particular issue is important, including tools and strategies that an organization may want to consider to enhance current practices.

Lastly, the User’s Guide is designed to mitigate fears many nonprofits have about the grantmaking process by being as transparent as possible about what grantmakers are looking for. Additionally, the CGA emphasizes that there is no one “right answer,” that grantmakers recognize that all organizations are a work in progress, and that organizations and organizational practices exist along a continuum.

How does the enhanced CGA benefit me as a grantmaker? The new CGA saves grantmakers time because it condenses the key elements needed to assess a nonprofit into one comprehensive 4-5 page document (plus attachments). Additionally, the new CGA has more structure and clarity than the former CGA, resulting in applications that are more clear and succinct. In addition, the CGA allows grantseekers to tell their stories more fluidly. Finally, grants managers will find the new summary page eases data management and entry.  

Back to Top

Using the Common Grant Application

Who can use the Common Grant Application? All grantmakers are encouraged to use the CGA. The benefit to our nonprofit partners increases considerably as the number of grantmakers accepting the CGA increases. You need not be based in Colorado, or even do the majority of your funding in Colorado to use the CGA.

How do I get our foundation included on the CGA website to let nonprofits know that we are accepting the CGA? Contact Sarah Fischler at the Community Resource Center (fischler@crcamerica.org). We will periodically update “Who Accepts the CGA?”.

Can groups of grantmakers use the Common Grant Application? Of course! There is no restriction on groups of grantmakers such as associations of grantmakers, interest groups, coalitions, alliances, etc.

Are there tools to help me adopt the CGA or assist me in making changes to my processes? On the website, funders will find a robust Toolkit that includes sample letters to grantees, website language, and more – all to help your foundation adopt the CGA easily and seamlessly.

What if we want to use a modified version of the CGA ? Just like the previous version of the CGA, most grantmakers will use the CGA as a stand alone tool, while others will choose to adapt it to meet the needs of their organization. It is perfectly OK to adapt the CGA to your needs and requirements.

Can I accept the CGA in addition to our own guidelines? Yes. Some foundations will only accept the CGA (i.e. this is the only application they use). Other foundations give nonprofits the choice of submitting the CGA or an application in the format specific to the grantmaker.

We have current guidelines. How do we make the switch to the new CGA? We encourage you to consider providing a 6 – 12 month transition period during which the foundation will accept either the new CGA or the foundation’s previous application requirements. It would be challenging for nonprofits to have to immediately prepare a new CGA. Many foundations will simply send an email, postcard or letter to their current and former grantees alerting them to the change. These communications generally include the first proposal deadline date on which the grantmaker will accept the new CGA. The Toolkit for Funders provides sample language for communicating with your nonprofit partners to make this step as easy as possible for you.

Is there a CGA logo and how do I use it ? Yes, there is a CGA logo. The logo was created to help identify and brand the CGA among funders and nonprofits. We encourage you to use this logo on your website and in any print materials that you have. The logo is available on the website.

Back to Top

Benefits to Nonprofits

How will nonprofits benefit from the CGA? Nonprofits will benefit in five ways:

• The CGA is cost effective: Nonprofits will be able to complete one application that can be submitted to multiple foundations, freeing up more of their time to work on mission, instead of spending their time complying with each foundation’s unique proposal requirements.
• The CGA incorporates new technology: The CGA is available on a stand alone website in an easy-to-use, fillable format.
• The CGA promotes additional support and resources: The User’s Guide has been created to accompany the CGA. This comprehensive document provides clarity on the intention of each component of the CGA and offers resources to nonprofits for further exploration and education.
• The CGA is aligned with best practices: The CGA reinforces best practices in solid nonprofit management and dovetails with the Colorado Nonprofit Association’s recent release of Principles & Practices for Nonprofit Excellence in Colorado .
• The CGA leads to better proposals: The new CGA has more structure and clarity than the former CGA, resulting in applications that are more succinct. In addition, the CGA allows the grantseeker to tell their story more fluidly and eliminates many of the redundancies that were challenging for both funders and nonprofits.

How will nonprofits know there is a revised CGA? Blast emails will be sent out on April 1, 2008 on a number of comprehensive nonprofit list-serves. In addition, grantmakers are encouraged to communicate with their grantees and refer them to the CGA website.

Back to Top