General Application Questions

How do I apply for a Westerman Foundation grant?
Please use the online grant application form, which will be available at thewestermanfoundation.org starting on April 15, 2019 9am EST.

What is the grant application deadline?
The window for all grant applications will officially close on Friday, July 26, 2019 at 5pm EST.  Any applications not submitted online by this date and time will not be accepted or reviewed.

When does The Westerman Foundation board meet to review the grant applications?
The board will meet in the Fall of 2019 to review all approved applications submitted online by the July 26, 2019 deadline.

When, and how, will I know if our organization received a grant or not?
All notifications of grant approval or non-selection will be sent via both U.S. mail and email to the online application account contact by November 30, 2019.  If you have not received notice via letter U.S. Mail or email by November 30th, please follow-up directly with the Westerman Foundation at info@thewestermanfoundation.org to confirm if your organization was awarded a grant.

If approved, when should we expect to receive our funds?
Grant award checks will be mailed to approved grant recipients via U.S. mail by December 31, 2019.

How do I know if my grant application was successfully submitted?
All applicants will receive an email confirmation of receipt of the grant submission within 24 hours of submission. Confirmations will be sent to the email address used to setup the application account.

If I am awarded a grant, are there specific guidelines for submitting grant reports?
Yes. Once approved, grantees must submit any interim and final reports as required in their grant agreement, unless otherwise specified.

Who endows The Westerman Foundation?
Laura Jane Westerman.  Learn more about Mrs. Westerman here.

If I am awarded a grant, are there specific guidelines for submitting interim and final grant reports?
Once approved, grantees must submit all interim and final reports either via online or email as required in their grant agreement, unless otherwise specified.

How can I obtain a copy of The Westerman Foundation’s most recent IRS Form 990?
You may find a copy of our IRS Form 990 on guidestar.org.

Who should I contact to discuss my grant application?
Valerie Goddard serves as the Board Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Director of the Foundation.  All inquiries related to the Foundation, its operations, and the grant award process can be directed to Mrs. Goddard.  You may contact her via email at v.goddard@thewestermanfoundation.org or phone at (813) 257-9477.
 

Submitting Your Application

How do I begin the online application process?
In order to initiate the submission of a 2019 grant application between April 15-July 26, 2019, you will need to create a new username and login by entering your email address and password in the "SIGNUP" box. Even if you have created an account in the past, a new login is required for each new grant year.  After creating your login and password, you will be directed to the 2019 application.

If you have already created a new login for 2019, and have saved a draft of your 2019 application, you can enter your information in the "LOGIN" box.

Can I save my application as a draft and return to it later?
Yes.  Several applicants choose to save and come back to the application at some point.  If you have started an application and saved it as a draft, it’s now associated with the email address and password you entered the very first time.  

Do I have to create an account to access the online application?
Yes. A new account for each new grant cycle year is required in order to access and submit an online application.

How can I retrieve my forgotten username?
Your username is the same as the email address you used to create your online application. You may contact us at info@thewestermanfoundation.org if you are unable to locate your username.

What if I forget my password?
If you have forgotten your password, follow these steps:

• Go to the Account Login page and follow the instructions to retrieve a lost or forgotten password.  

• Click the  ‘Forgot Password’ Link. That will take you to a screen where we’ll ask you for the email address you used when you first created an account. 

• Enter your email and click Reset Password.

• Next, check your email. The system will send you an email which has a new, temporary password.  

• Back on the Wizehive window, click the “ Back to Login” link, this will return you to the main login screen.  Type in your email address and the temporary password from your email. (Note: on your screen, the password will only show up as black dots)

• Create Your New Password. This will take you to a screen where you’ll be asked to supply a new, personalized password to replace the temporary one.  Enter a password that you can easily remember, then click “Change Password and Login”

• This will take you right back to the application you had in progress.  The next time you return to the login screen, you’ll use your email address and the new password.
   

What if I am unable to log into my account?
Close your web browser and reopen it, if you are using Firefox. Or, if you are using Internet Explorer or Chrome, clear the cache in “Internet Options” from the “Tools” menu.

Is my password case-sensitive?
Yes. Please be sure to write down your password just as you created it.

I submitted my application but did not receive a confirmation email?
If you are not 100% certain that you successfully submitted your application, or have not received a confirmation email - there are a couple of measures you can take:
 

• Check Your Main Menu Status

  • First, try logging back into your application.  On your main menu, you should see one of two screen types.

  • One will have a message letting you know " Your application has been submitted." It may contain further instructions.  The main menu options will include Print and Logout.

  • The main menu above indicates that you application has been successfully submitted.

  • If your application has not been submitted, it will be a draft.  

  • On this screen, your main menu is telling you that "Your application is saved as a draft," and you still have access to the Create or Edit Application button.  You must access the draft and click Submit.

• Check Your Spam Folder

  • If you are sure you submitted, and you have waited for more than 15 minutes for a confirmation email, please check your spam folder.

• Send us an email

  • If you are still having issues, and are doubtful if your application has been successfully submitted, please send an email to info@thewestermanfoundation.org detailing out your issue. Note that you will need to allow up to 48 hours for a response.

I submitted an application too early. Can I edit it?
If you fully submitted your application and decided you want to edit it, there are two things you can do:
Go to your main menu and see if the Add or Edit Application button is still present. If it is, click that button and edit your application as needed. If this button is no longer present, you will need to make arrangements with the Westerman Foundation in order to see if we can allow you to make edits. Send an email to  info@thewestermanfoundation.org.

Why I am having trouble uploading files?
If you are having issues uploading the required documentation and attachments, you should check the following:

​

• Is your file the wrong format?

  • Sometimes restrictions are placed on the format for particular upload fields. For example, a field for an applicant picture may only accept images, such as .JPG, .GIF, and .PNG.  If this is the case, an error message should appear letting you know that your file is not an accepted file type.  You should save the file as a different type on your desktop and try uploading again.

• Is your file too large?

  • The file size limit for all attachments is 10MB or smaller.  If your file is too large, you will receive an error message.

• Is your file staying at 0% or not reaching 100%?

  • This could be due to an internet connectivity or browser issue.  Please check your internet connectivity and ensure you are using our  recommended browsers.

• Does your organization have a firewall setup?

  • Sometimes this happens when you are behind a firewall and it is blocking you from uploading files.  If you white list thewestermanfoundation.org, your firewall will not block uploads to them and you should be able to attach the files after that.

How do I know if my answers were saved in my form?
When you are completing an application form, drafts are saved automatically every 10 minutes while you are entering data.You can also click ' Save' at the bottom of the form to manually save data. When you upload a file, please wait for the on-screen notification that the file was uploaded successfully in order to know that the file was attached and saved.

The person started our grant application for this year is no longer with the organization, and I do not know our online account username or password. How can I access our account?
E-mail the Foundation at info@thewestermanfoundation.org and provide the email address of the person who created the account and the name, email address and title of the person the account should be transferred to. You will receive an email indicating the account has been transferred, and you can update the password to suit your preference.

Can I print a copy of the online application to review and prepare my answers, before I actually begin the application?
Yes. At both the beginning and end of the application, you will see an option to “Print” the application.

How secure is the platform that hosts the online application process?
The Westerman Foundation uses the WizeHive software platform.  Your data is stored in a highly secured environment. The servers are in locked area with digital security video surveillance as well as a Biometric security system. To assure continuity the server's infrastructure includes multiple UPS backup units in addition to multiple generators.

Whom should I contact if I have a question concerning the online application?
E-mail info@thewestermanfoundation.org with any technical questions or problems.
 

Eligibility

What if our organization doesn’t have a 990 because we are a nonprofit that has a religious-exempt designation?
The Westerman Foundation will accept a management letter from your organization’s most recent audit, or a copy of IRS Form 990 from Diocese.

What are the funding priorities for the Foundation? Are there specific geographic boundaries?
The Foundation supports IRS-registered, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organizations in four program areas: (1) Catholic Education Assistance; (2) Family Strengthening; (3) Academic Enrichment; and (4) Community/Youth Empowerment and Support). The organization provides funding to organizations throughout the United States.

What types of public charities are eligible to apply to the Foundation?
The Foundation will consider applications from 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. The Foundation does not award grants to private foundations.

What is the maximum grant award amount that our organization can request?
The maximum award annually is limited to $50,000.

Does the Foundation provide multi-year grants?
No, the foundation only awards one-year grants.

Does the Foundation provide emergency grants?
No, not at this time.

Do I need to submit a Letter of Inquiry?
No, the Foundation does not require a Letter of Inquiry prior to submitting an application for consideration.

May I apply for a grant via e-mail or fax?
No, the Foundation does not accept applications via e-mail or fax. The Foundation requires that all organizations submit applications through our online application system.

If we have sent a copy of our 501(c)(3) letter with applications submitted in the past, do we need to submit another copy?
Yes, it is required that each organization submit all required documentation for each grant cycle separately.

May we send a copy of our State Tax Exemption Certificate as proof of our tax-exempt status?
No. We only accept Federal tax-exempt letters (your “501(c)(3) letter”). If you need a copy of your 501(c)(3) letter, contact the IRS at (877) 829-5500.

May I submit an application if I am missing information requested (e.g., financial audit), then submit the missing information once received?
All attachments requested must be included in your application at the time of submission.

If my organization is small and does not have an audit, what kind of financial information should be submitted?
In place of an audit, your organization’s Form 990 filed with the Internal Revenue Service and budgets for the past three years may be submitted.

May I reapply if my organization was turned down in the past? If so, when?
Yes. You may submit one application within a 12-month period. Therefore, if you submitted an application for the 2019 deadline and do not receive funding, you must wait until the following 2020 grant cycle to submit another application.