FAQ | Nora Roberts Foundation

Frequently Asked Questions

This page includes answers to most Frequently Asked Questions.
Please read the entire page before contacting us.

What is your average grant? How much should we ask for?: Our average grant for local groups is $5,000. Our average grant for non-local groups is $3,000. For first time grant seekers, we recommend asking for $3,000 - $5,000. You can also ask for less than $3,000.

What is considered local?

The following counties are considered local:

Maryland:

Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's, and Washington

Pennsylvania:

Franklin, Fulton

Virgina:

Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun

West Virgina:

Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan

Washington DC

What documents are required?

Request Documents

Please include a budget for requests of $10,000 or more. No other documents are required.

Some optional documents include annual reports or programming materials. We ask that the pertinent information for your request be included in the text of your request summary. If you attach any documents, please let us know in the request summary (i.e. "Budget attached")

Filenames may not use the following characters:

& $ @ = ; : , ? + % ` ' " > < ~ # |

Additionally files can not include two consecutive spaces in their name.

Organization Documents

If you have a document that will not change in the future please email it to us and we will upload it. Typically this is an IRS determination letter if your organization is new / not yet in Guidestar or in the searchable IRS database.

Most other permanent information should be publicly available online, and does not need to be uploaded in our system.

Please contact us if you want an Organization Document removed from your organization.

When will we hear back with a decision? When should we apply?

Most decisions are made within two months of a deadline. Occasionally we will hold an application for our next meeting. A "worst case scenario" would be if an application was submitted on March 2nd - it would not be considered until the July meeting, and if it was held it would be reconsidered at the October meeting - with a final decision by the end of November. This is a rare case, but not impossible.

What is a Non-Discrimination Statement? Can we just write one for this application?

The Nora Roberts Foundation supports organizations that do not discriminate against protected classes in the US. We do not knowingly award grants to organizations that discriminate against their staff, board, volunteers or the clients they serve.

A Non-Discrimination Statement should affirm that your organization does not discriminate. It should be approved by your board and available to the public.

How do you feel about Gen AI

Glad you asked. Here is a link to our policy regarding AI
Generative AI Policy

Will Nora Roberts speak at or attend our event or fundraiser?

No. We appreciate the sentiment behind the offer but Ms. Roberts is very busy. She continues to write books as a more than full-time job, and prefers to contribute financially through her foundation rather than with her time. If you wish to ask her publicist about a potential appearance from the author, you can email Laura at readers@noraroberts.com.

Can we apply through a 501(c)3 fiscal sponsor?

Yes. Register as you normally would, then have someone from your fiscal sponsor register, first as their own organization, and second, as your organization. Once we process their registrations, you can add them as your Signatory, and will be able to list their organization as your sponsor.
Once the registration is done once, you will be able to list them as your sponsor for every request going forward, it will just be the first time that is time consuming.

As the sponsored organization – when you start a new application, put the person from the sponsoring organization as the signatory.

At this point, when you tick the fiscal sponsorship box, you will be able to select the sponsoring organization.

If you change sponsorships / the contact for the sponsoring organization’s changes, you will have to repeat this process.

Fractured Atlas Note:

If you are newly sponsored by Fractured Atlas, or are a new organization to our portal, please register normally and email us to let us know you are sponsored by Fractured Atlas, We will take care of it manually.

How often can we apply?

Once per year. As of 2023 we operate on a calendar year.

Do you fund general operating expenses? Salaries? Office supplies?

The board usually makes granting decisions based on the programming offered by an organization. If the general operating expenses, salaries, and paper clips are needed for the programming then we generally approve funds for gen op use. Your application should be focused on a project or programming. Final decisions about how the funds can be used would happen after approval of a grant.

We applied for the ProLiteracy "Literacy Opportunity Fund"; Can we request funds from the Nora Roberts Foundation too?

Yes. We are separate organizations administering separate grants.

We’ve changed our grant writer | I'm a grant writer who changed organizations. What do we need to do?

Every application can have two separate people connected to it for writing / editing purposes - because of this we recommend anyone who will be involved in the grant writing process to create an account with our portal.
Each new registration feels like you are creating a new organization - once the request comes through we will connect you to the existing organization.
You will only see applications you are connected to as either the Contact or the Signatory.

If you work for multiple organizations or change organizations you will need to re-register with the new organization.
We will reach out to confirm you are the same person we already have in our system.
Once connected your previous login (generally formatted as: firstname_lastname) and previous password will work.
If you are no longer working for an organization let us know and we will "archive" your connection to them.
At that point you will be able to see any applications you previously made, but will not be able to create new ones for the former organization.

I’ve forgotten my password and the reset password is not working.

Are you using the correct username? It usually looks like firstname_lastname?

Password reset emails are valid for 30 minutes.
We have heard that some password reset emails are not getting delivered. If you have checked your login, requested a password reset email and have not received it (please check your junk mail inbox as well) within 30 minutes please email us at registration@norarobertsfoundation.org and a human will assist you as soon as we are able.

We’re approved for a grant! Can we apply again? When do we get our check? Something has changed.

Yes!
Please apply at least one year after you first applied, and include a brief report on how the funds were used.

Checks are sent out the month after decisions are made OR if we have granted to you in the past, we’ll send the check in that month.

Something has Changed: If there is a new contact person for the organization or you need to ask if the funds can be used for a different program or your mailing address has changed
please contact Morgan at reply@norarobertsfoundation.org.

Morgan will email you an approval letter. If you don’t receive your check within 3 months of this approval letter, please email her so we can track it down.

We’ve been declined multiple times. Should we just give up?

Please get in touch with us for a more in depth conversation. Email Kat at kat@norarobertsfoundation.org

I’ve read this entire page, but I still have questions. I just need to talk to a human being.

We understand. Our preference is to answer questions by email.

If you have questions about your registration or Fluxx profile please email: Adanna adanna@norarobertsfoundation.org

If you need an Organization Document removed OR Need an Request Document added after you’ve submitted your application OR have questions about the application/grant process AND have read through the FAQ and Application Guidelines please email Morgan reply@norarobertsfoundation.org

If you would like to schedule a phone call or zoom meeting, please know that our time is limited and we do not suggest waiting for a conversation before submitting your application. If you still feel the need to speak to someone you can email Kat kat@norarobertsfoundation.org to schedule a phone call.