Grants
ANC3C has a standing Community Engagement & Grants Committee (CEGC). The CEGC is a forum to consider how to “bring government closer to the people, and to bring the people closer to government.” More specifically, the CEGC is charged with developing strategy for the Commission to increase and improve community participation in ANC activities and decisions. In addition, the Commission has a grants budget and the CEGC reviews and considers grant applications before they are decided by the full Commission. All commissioners of ANC3C are members of CEGC and members of the community may be nominated and serve as committee members. Contact your commissioner for more information about grants.
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3C Grant Guidelines
ANCs may award grants to organizations for public purposes as described in Section 310.13 of the DC Code. The Commission reserves the right to fund or not fund any legal grant application at its sole discretion, without explanation.
Amended January 27, 2014
1. D.C. Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3C (hereinafter “Commission”) receives annual funding from the D.C. Government. These funds are budgeted by the Commission, and a portion is allocated for community grants.
2. The general intent of the grants is to stimulate activities that improve the welfare of the residents and those who work in the ANC3C community and to provide funds for projects where other sources are insufficient.
3. The Commission may award a grant to any non-profit organization for a specific project that is public in nature and benefits persons who live or work within ANC3C.
4. Organizations seeking grants for projects should have or seek additional sources of funds. The Commission should not be the sole source of funding. Grants are usually given on a one-time only basis.
5. Grants may not be awarded for general operating expenses. They may not be given for any project that would be duplicative of any service provided by the DC government. Grants may not be made to a District agency or program funded by the DC Government.
6. The Commission may award all or part of a grant request, and payments may be made in installments at the discretion of the Commission.
7. Grants may not be given for any purpose for which the Commission itself could not expend funds, including: food or entertaining, for political purposes, litigation, or if deemed non-public in nature.
8. Upon receipt of a grant request, either the Chair or the Secretary shall refer the request to both the Commissioner in whose Single Member District the activity will take place and to the grants committee. The grants committee will determine compliance with the guidelines and advise the commission when the public presentation is made.
9. Applications shall be submitted at least two weeks, but with as much notice as possible, prior to the Commission meeting at which a representative for the organization shall make a public presentation.
10. A grant may be awarded only pursuant to a vote of the Commission at a regular public meeting subsequent to the meeting at which the public presentation was made.
11. Grant requests must be signed by an authorized representative or agent of the applicant organization and submitted to the Administrator or the Secretary of the Commission, preferably by email. The written request must specify the following:
Identification of the group (including its approximate length in existence, its officers, and a financial statement, as well as email, phone and website, if any.)
Goals and purposes of the specific project, including its rationale. The community needs and benefits — particularly to the ANC 3C constituency — should be identified, and a description of the project implementation should be provided. There should also be a brief statement identifying community support for the project.
A detailed total project budget, including itemization of expenditures (actual and projected) for the project.
An accounting of other funding sources (grants, dues, sales, etc.)
Timetable for the project.
Provisions for periodic monitoring and for an end-of-project report.
Disclosure of any Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners directly or indirectly involved in the
project and the applicant organization.
Identification of previous ANC3C funding and dates thereof.
12. Any grant recipient shall sign a Memorandum of Agreement with the Commission upon receipt of the grant disbursement in which the organization agrees to adhere to DC Government laws and the Commission grant guidelines and reporting requirements.
13. Recipients of ANC3C grants are to keep accurate records of income and expenses related to the project.
14. Recipients of ANC3C grants shall provide the Commission with an end-of-project report sent to the Administrator or the Secretary of the Commission, preferably by email, which need not be lengthy but should adequately summarize the uses, results, and benefits consistent with the grant application as approved by the Commission. The report must include all records and supporting documentation and receipts of all expenditures.
15. The report must be submitted within 60 days of the date on the check by which the grant was disbursed. If an approved project cannot be completed within 60 days, checks will be issued in installments upon submission of the required report at 60 day intervals for the length of the project as approved by the Commission. A final accounting must be submitted within 60 days of the issuance of the last installment.
16. In the event that the full amount of the grant is not spent on an approved project, all unexpended funds must be returned to the Commission. If the grantee fails to comply with any ANC3C guidelines or DC laws, including misappropriation of the funds, the grant will revert to the Commission.
17. All grants shall be in accordance with applicable D.C. law, including the laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to Advisory Neighborhood Commissions.
Adopted by vote of the Commission, September 20, 1982 (Attested by Phil Mendelson, Chairman). Revised by vote of the Commission, January 27, 2014 (Attested by Gwen Bole, Secretary).
Note: According to ANC 3C Resolution No. 2001-028, grant guidelines by reference incorporate the D.C. Auditor instructions of January 2001, entitled “Statutory Guidelines for ANC Grant Awards” and “Procedural Requirements for Grant Awards,” appended below. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN.
OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AUDITOR
STATUTORY GUIDELINES FOR ANC GRANT REWARDS
I. Statutory Guidelines for Grant Awards
D.C. Code, Section 1-264, as amended by D.C. Law 13-135, authorizes ANCs to award grants to organizations for public purposes.
Submit a written grant application to the Commission;
Describe the proposed project for which the grant is requested; State the expected public benefits; and
The Auditor encourages ANCs to adopt guidelines for the consideration and award of grants. A grant applicant must:
State the total cost of the project including other sources of funding.
A grant may not be awarded unless the grant is awarded pursuant to a vote of the Commission at a public meeting.
A grant request may be made by an organization proposing to provide services that are public in nature and benefit persons who reside or work within the Commission area. The services proposed should not duplicate those that are already performed by the District government.
Expenditures for grant awards should be supported by documentation (e.g. vouchers, grant request letter and/or proposal, and minutes of the meeting in which the Commission approved the grant).
Grant disbursements and supporting documentation should be included in quarterly financial reports submitted to the Office of the District of Columbia Auditor.
Within 60 days after the grant award is disbursed to the grantee, the grant recipient shall forward to the Commission a statement as to the use of the funds. The use of the funds should be consistent with the grant application approved by the Commission.
Examples of Grants Which Are Allowed
Parent-Teacher Associations to fund such activities as computer literacy programs, musical instruction programs, or local cultural education field trips.
Neighborhood civic associations for projects or activities of a public nature that benefit the Commission area.
Examples of Grants Which Are Prohibited
Grant awards should not be made for non-public purposes or where services are provided for personal gain.
Grant awards should not be made conditional on a grantee’s political support or
support of a position taken by the Commission.
Grant awards should not be made to a District agency or program funded by the District Government.
Grant awards should not be made where the funds will be used to purchase food and/or entertainment, or to support festivals.
Grant awards should not be made to an individual in that they are deemed a non-public
purpose expenditure.
OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AUDITOR
PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANT AWARDS
Ensure that a grant application is submitted for the ANC’s review.
Ensure that the purpose of the requested grant adheres to the public purpose requirement.
Ensure that the organization’s representative presents the grant request at a public meeting of the ANC.
Ensure that grant guidelines are included in the ANC’s by-laws.
Ensure that ANC minutes reflect the approval of all grants awarded by the ANC.
Ensure that the grantee uses the grant funds for the purpose stated in the grant request letter or proposal.
Ensure that, within 60 days following the issuance of a grant, the grant recipient forwards to the ANC a statement as to the use of the funds along with receipts which support the expenditures.
Ensure that grant disbursements are included in the quarterly financial reports submitted to the Auditor.
EXCERPT OF SECTION 15 OF THE
COMPREHENSIVE ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION AMENDMENT ACT OF 2000
Note: Provided for general information. Not intended to be official. Consult D.C. statutes for official text of Act.
“(m)(1) A grant may not be awarded unless the grant is awarded pursuant to a vote of the Commission at a public meeting following the public presentation of the grant request. A Commission may approve grants only to organizations that are public in nature and benefit persons who reside or work within the Commission area. The services provided by the grantee organization must not be duplicative of any that are already performed by the District government.
(2) An applicant for a grant shall submit an application in writing to the Commission and to the OANC. The application shall be in the form of a template designed by the OANC, and shall contain:
(A) A description of the proposed project for which the grant is requested;
(B) A statement of expected public benefits;
(C) The total cost of the proposed project, including other sources of funding, if any; and
(D) An accounting by the grantees of the expected overhead costs the grantees will incur in carrying out the grant. No Commission shall provide a grant for which the grantee estimates that the overhead costs would exceed 15% of the entire grant amount.
(3) Within 60 days following the issuance of a grant, and every 90 days thereafter during the life of the grant, the grant recipient shall forward to the Commission and the OANC a statement as to the use of the funds consistent with the grant application, complete with receipts that support the expenditures. The OANC:
(A) May prohibit all Commissions from providing a grant to any past grant recipient that used grant funds contrary to the associated grant agreement; and
(B) Shall maintain a list, available to any Commissioner upon request, of prohibited grantees identified pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.
(4) Grant disbursements shall be included in quarterly financial reports submitted to the Auditor.”
“(n) The Mayor may, pursuant to Title 1 of the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act issue rules to implement the provisions of this section. The proposed rules shall be submitted to the Council for a 45-day period of review, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays, and days of Council recess. If the Council does not approve or disapprove the proposed rules, in whole or in part, by resolution within this 45-day review period, the proposed rules shall be deemed approved.”
Note: Provided for general information. Not intended to be official. Consult D.C. statutes for official text of Act.
