Where to start?

Each foundation that applies to National Standards is assigned a submission deadline 9–12 months after the Community Foundations National Standards Board (CFNSB) receives its Statement of Agreement. It may sound like plenty of time, but it is important to get started today. So where do you begin? Below are my suggested steps and timeline, beginning one year before your submission deadline.

One year before submission deadline:

1. Establish who in the foundation is responsible and give them the needed support. When a foundation submits their Statement of Agreement, it must designate two people to be the official contacts. I suggest one of these people be the individual directly responsible for preparing the materials. At least one contact person needs to invest significant time into learning all the requirements and reviewing the foundation’s documents. Please do not choose someone who will only be with the foundation for a short time, like an intern. Additionally, one of the contacts should hold a position of authority within the foundation because he or she will have to task people and organize work that affects every level of the foundation.

9–12 months before submission deadline:

2. Pull the foundation’s key documents. On the CFNSB website, the suggested documents are under “Core Materials” on each page of the 35 topical requirements. For reconfirmation, you will also need to review the foundation’s confirmation record binder to see which policies have had a material change.

3. Review the requirements and coversheets. Look at the coversheet for each tab and review your foundation’s policy for evidence of compliance with each key element. The reconfirmation coversheets break out each key element as required by reconfirmation, a material change, or the Pension Protection Act (PPA).

4. Use the technical assistance resources. Under each requirement, there is a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and Other Resources section. The “fine print” for each requirement is in the FAQ section, so please read them. You will be invited to join a technical assistance call for your submission group.

3–6 months before your deadline: 

5. Identify documents that need to be created or revised. You can only understand the scope of the work your foundation is going to have to do to comply with the National Standards after you do a thorough review of your documents for each key element.

6. Create a work plan. You should create a work plan for complying with all the requirements and receiving the necessary approvals. Integrate the submission plan into the foundation’s work plans as soon as possible and clearly communicate internal deadlines to staff.

2–6 months before submission deadline

7. Compile the required evidence. Either you will revise all the necessary documents or you will receive them from your co-workers, but you will need to review and compile all the finalized policies, minutes, and other evidence as they are completed. Make sure all the documents have gone through the necessary approvals.

8. Build the record book. Create three copies of the record binder with the 35 coversheets filled out to clearly document where the necessary evidence can be found. Do a final review to make sure you have met all the key elements.

10 days–1 month before submission deadline:

9. Submit the record book. Prepare your payment to the CFNSB and the board resolution that accompanies your submission. Ship two copies to the CFNSB.

10. Celebrate and wait. Keep one copy of your record binder and encourage your staff and board to read it. It represents a great deal of work and effort to uphold the most rigorous standards in the field of philanthropy. Your binder will spot-checked by CFNSB staff upon receipt and you will be notified within 10 days of any missing documents. After the CFNSB receives any requested documents, your binder will continue to the peer review process approximately 8–10 weeks after your submission and you will be notified of the reviewer’s decision or request for additional materials approximately 2–12 weeks later.

Please keep in mind that some of this advice may not be relevant for every foundation, depending on its size, policies, and organizational culture. There is no one-size-fits-all plan, but it is important to get started sooner rather than later. If you have completed your record binder and have some suggested tips, please feel free to include them in the comments section.