Nonprofit Liaison Group Update

Our first task in taking a step forward in finding an organization for our grant was to draft a Request for Proposal (RFP). With help from all the groups in our foundation, our RFP outlined the important issues our foundation would like to resolve through the partnership with other organizations. As a class, we discussed that any issues related to youth regarding health, fitness, sport, and recreation would be the main focus of our foundation. We are looking to find organizations that can provide activities or programs that connect to our area of passion.

The RFP outlined what the nonprofit applicant had to include in their proposal, including the organization's background and mission, target population, and the project’s overall cost and budget. We will then evaluate each proposal by the level of long-term impact, the organization’s capabilities to fulfill their promises, and the nonprofit’s ability to create new programs or activities using the grant.

Going forward, our group is excited to send the RFPs out to potential nonprofits and to larger organizations that could connect us to a suitable nonprofit. Our foundation has started to discuss potential organizations that we can send our RFP to. We hope to have a list of 50+ nonprofits so that we have a wide range of organizations to choose from after they submit their proposals. Our list consists of nonprofits within 50 miles of Ann Arbor.

After sending the RFP, it will then be up to the organization to decide whether or not the potential grant suites their potential needs. The proposal will be due by March 6, 2017, so please stop by again soon to check on our progress. We as class are confident that we will distribute the $10,000 grant to nonprofits in our area that will use the money to make a difference in their community while upholding our values and mission as a class.