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Application Tutorials

This tutorial has been prepared for organizations that have received approval by Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Legacy to submit a Grant Application Summary and for those who have been approved to submit Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Legacy’s complete Grant Application Form. Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Legacy does not accept unsolicited applications.

Step 1: Grant Application Summary

The Grant Application Summary is the first stage of the application process. It gives applicants the opportunity to introduce their organization and request to Legacy. It is intended to provide the Legacy staff with enough preliminary information to assess whether or not the request can be considered, without requiring as much depth and detail as the full Grant Application. Essentially, it asks:

  • The purpose of your organization
  • The current sources of funding
  • How the grant funds would be used

If a Grant Application Summary is not successful, an applicant will not receive the Grant Application, so it is critical to address the summary questions thoroughly, being sure to highlight the ways in which your program addresses the funding priorities and the grantmaking criteria of Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Legacy. The fact that the Grant Application Summary is intended to be brief does not preclude it from being a descriptive and informative snapshot of your organization and request.

For a request summary to be effective, it should:

  • Provide a brief overview of the organization, program or project.
  • Provide a brief description of the problem or need, including a definition of the target population.
  • State how many individuals or families are served or give an estimate of how many will be served per year.
  • Offer outcome statistics on previous program success rates and/or provide one or two expected outcome objectives that indicate how the program will positively impact the target population.
  • Describe in one to two sentences how the program is collaborative, innovative, or impacts systemic change.
  • Briefly describe a plan for ongoing sustainability of the program or project.

In addition to being a necessary step, the discussion you have with Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Legacy staff at the time you request your Grant Application Summary will be very useful to you as you complete the Summary, as it will further point out the qualities, focus, and criteria that contribute to the success of an application.

Step 2: Grant Application

The grant application is the second stage of the application process. It requires an expansion of the project description approved at the Grant Application Summary stage, as well as information regarding the organization's mission, history, governing structure, financial position, and proposed use of grant funds. Decisions regarding Grant Applications are made by the Mercy Ministry Corporation's Board. Considerations include:

  • Completeness of the Application
    • Are all questions answered?
    • Are responses limited to the specified number of words?
    • Are the appropriate signatures/certifications present?
  • Organizational Information
    • Is it a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization?
    • Is a copy of the current Form 990 included?
    • Is the mission of the organization consistent with the mission of Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Legacy?
  • Financial Information
    • Is a current audit or compilation report (if acceptable), done by an outside auditor, included and does it reflect a relatively stable financial position?
    • Are the required budgets included and are they reasonable?
    • Does this project or organization have reasonable financial support from a variety of sources?
  • Proposed Use of Grant Funding
    • Is there a documented need for this program?
    • Is the program clearly defined and consistent with the funding priorities of North Carolina Legacy?
    • Will the program have a significant impact and is there a plan for measuring that impact in a quantifiable way?

If you have already been approved by Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Legacy to proceed to step two and submit a complete grant application, you may click on the links below for helpful advice regarding the questions and requirements of the Grant Application, examples of completed evaluation forms, or access to necessary templates for the Request Budget and Evaluation Plan. 

We hope that this site will answer any questions you may have regarding completion of these forms. However, please feel free to contact your Program Officer for additional assistance.