Grants to Green FAQ

Questions about the Assessment Application

Questions about the Implementation Application

General Questions

1.	Q:	Which counties does the Grants to Green program serve?

	A:
		The counties served by the Grants to Green program include Barrow, Bartow, Butts, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Hall, Morgan, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Rockdale, Spalding and Walton.

2.	Q:	Can a nonprofit apply for an Assessment and Implementation Grant for two different buildings during the same grant cycle?
	A:	Yes. A nonprofit can apply for an Assessment and Implementation Grant in the same cycle for two different buildings. Be sure to complete the appropriate applications for each building.

3.	Q:	Can a nonprofit apply for an Assessment and an Implementation Grant for the same building during the same grant cycle?
	A:	No. Remember, an Implementation Grant is used to pay for the costs of implementing recommendations identified in a recent energy and/or water assessment or, in the case of new construction, for a portion of the difference in cost between code-compliant design and green design. So, for an existing building, a nonprofit should first apply for an Assessment; only after the Assessment is complete, can the organization apply for an Implementation Grant to fund the recommendations of the Assessment. Similarly, for a new building, the first step is the Assessment, and an Implementation Grant can later be used to help implement those upgrades.

4.	Q:	If a nonprofit currently receives funding from the Kendeda Fund, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and/or Enterprise Community Partners, is the nonprofit still eligible for a Grants to Green grant?
	A:	Yes.

5.	Q:	Can a nonprofit have more than one internal Green Champion involved in its Grants to Green project?
	A:	Yes, but only one person should be identified as the project’s Green Champion for this grant opportunity.

6.	Q:	How much time should the Green Champion expect to spend on the grant process?
	A:	Time will vary based on each nonprofit’s circumstances. Grants to Green may call upon the Green Champion for various types of assistance.

7.	Q:	Are educational services available through the Grants to Green program?
	A:	Educational services are not currently available as a part of this funding opportunity. This may change in future grant cycles. However, a nonprofit that receives an Assessment of Implementation Grant will get one staff training provided by Southface. Southface will determine the curriculum for this training.

8.	Q:	What types of assessment services can be requested?
	A:	Grants to Green enables nonprofit organizations to improve a building’s operational performance and lessen its impact on the environment through the following opportunities: Assessment Award An Assessment includes an energy and water use assessment accompanied by recommended upgrades and improvements to the building (for an existing building) or for a green building design review (for new construction). An Assessment is not a cash grant, but a service. For an existing building, environmental experts and engineers examine the building’s energy and water systems and then recommend ways the building could operate more efficiently. For a new building, these experts will review the building design and recommend ways to improve the project’s overall environmental performance. Assessments take place over a four- to six-month period.

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Questions about the Assessment Application

9.	Q:	If the nonprofit would like an assessment performed on an existing building and is also planning a new building, can the nonprofit request assessments on both buildings?
	A:	Yes. On the assessment application, nonprofits may mark multiple assessment types. There’s also a place on the application to give information about the facilities to be assessed. Note: Grants to Green strives to spread resources across multiple organizations.

10.	Q:	After a nonprofit is awarded an assessment, what is the timing for the assessment process?
	A:	Grants to Green anticipates that the assessment process will not take more than six months to complete. This timeframe does not include the time it may take a nonprofit to arrange a meeting with its Board (or a subcommittee of the Board) to hear assessment recommendations. It may not include assessing contractor bids if this is part of your award. Nor does it include monitoring of energy bills after your upgrades are complete. Therefore, timing may vary.

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Questions about the Implementation Application

11.	Q:	Our nonprofit had an assessment performed prior to our awareness of this grant opportunity or our nonprofit is currently working with a LEED® certified entity. Are we required to apply for an assessment performed by Southface?
	A:	No. As stated in the Program Guidelines, nonprofits may employ engineers other than Southface at their own expense to conduct assessments. Submit the Implementation Application and attach a copy of the final assessment report. Be sure that the assessment includes recommendations. After your application is submitted, it will be reviewed by Southface staff, who may contact you to ask clarifying questions. Visit the Altanta Community Foundation or the downloads section on this page to view a sample assessment report.

12.	Q:	Will Grants to Green fund a LEED Plan, or only fund moving an existing LEED Plan to a higher certification level?
	A:	At this time, Grants to Green will accept implementation applications for funding a LEED Plan as well as funding to move to higher certification levels. As stated in the Program Guidelines, nonprofits can receive only up to $50,000. Applicants should demonstrate that they have a qualified design team on board, submit a detailed LEED analysis of their project showing points they would like to pursue, and give a clear rationale as to what LEED points or content they wish to have funded. Applicants should also explain why the funding for the items requested is necessary for the project’s success as well as the organization’s sustainability. Preference will be given to requests for support to earn points related to energy and water efficiency.

13.	Q:	If Southface performed nonprofit assessment services on multiple buildings, may the nonprofit request an implementation grant to fund recommendations for only one building?
	A:	Yes. You may decide to ask for implementation support for only one building. By the same token, implementation funds can also be used to implement recommendations that are related to multiple buildings.

14.	Q:	If the nonprofit is applying for an Implementation Grant, is a Board presentation still required?
	A:	Yes. Where possible, the company who did your assessment should make the Board presentation prior to the submittal of the Implementation Grant. For some nonprofits, this may not be possible. Presentations can be made while the grant is in the review process. Note: All nonprofits applying for an Implementation Grant must be prepared to provide detailed meeting minutes pertaining to the Board presentation if requested. Do not send meeting minutes with your application.

15.	Q.	Can a nonprofit realistically implement changes recommended for multiple buildings? Should the nonprofit focus on recommendations for a single building?
	A:	Yes. A nonprofit can implement changes recommended for multiple buildings. It is up to the nonprofit to decide how to prioritize recommendations and to determine if it wants to focus on recommendations made for multiple buildings or a single building. However, as stated in the program guidelines, nonprofits can receive only up to $50,000 to support capital costs regardless of the number of buildings.

16.	Q:	Is it okay if implementation exceeds 24 months?
	A:	It is possible that a nonprofit may have extenuating circumstances that cause implementation of recommendations to exceed 24 months.

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