Dr. Phillips Charities are comprised of two separate, philanthropic organizations, The Dr. P. Phillips Foundation and Dr. Phillips, Inc. These two organizations are committed to enhancing the quality of life by using their resources to make a meaningful impact on the needs of our central Florida community.

2. What is the difference between The Dr. P. Phillips Foundation and Dr.     Phillips Inc.?

The Dr. P. Phillips Foundation is a private foundation organized and established in 1953 by the Phillips Family to respond to needs in the Greater Orlando area. The rules governing a private foundation requires it to distribute to qualified charities at least 5 percent of its average assets each year.

Dr. Phillips Inc. is a Type III supporting organization as defined under Section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. The rules governing a Type III supporting organization require it to distribute substantially all of its ordinary net income annually to those charities named as beneficiaries in its charter. Thirty percent of the amount that is distributed must be given to its primary beneficiary, currently the Central Florida YMCA.

3. How much does Dr. Phillips Charities contribute to nonprofit     organizations in central Florida each year?

Dr. Phillips Charities, comprised of The Dr. P. Phillips Foundation and Dr. Phillips Inc., contribute between $5 million and to more than $7 million a year.

4. If both The Dr. P. Phillips Foundation and Dr. Phillips Inc. award grants,     why is there only the one application?

The Dr. P. Phillips Foundation and Dr. Phillips Inc. jointly review grant requests. Therefore, it is not appropriate to send a request for the same project to both entities. Simply completing the grant application form will ensure that the boards of both charities give consideration to the request. If, after thorough review, we have interest in funding the request at some level, we will determine which Dr. Phillips Charities is the most appropriate entity to make the grant.

5. What do you fund?

Dr. Phillips Charities prefers to make grants that will have significant and lasting impact on the central Florida community, including worthy capital purposes and innovative projects that address a critical community need and that demonstrate a potential for ongoing support from the community. Proposals from well-managed, fiscally sound organizations that address areas of interest are given highest priority. These interest areas currently are: educational programs, children and youth services, social services, cultural programs, and health and rehabilitative services.

6. Do you have a geographical focus?

Although we are not restricted to any geographical area, we generally encourage requests from organizations that are both located in and providing services to the residents of central Florida with Orange and Osceola counties being our primary focus at this time. Funding for organizations outside of this geographic area will generally not be considered. Contributions are also made to a limited number of national organizations whose missions reflect the mission and values of Dr. Phillips Charities.

7. Must an organization be tax exempt to apply?

Yes, grants are only made to organizations and institutions exempt from federal taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 as amended. Generally grants are not made to organizations during their advance ruling period. Applicants for funding beginning Sept. 1, 2006, are asked to have a letter from the Internal Revenue Service dated no more than 10 years old that clearly states their 501(c)(3) status and their 509(a) status.

8. What is the typical size of a grant awarded?

Dr. Phillips Charities gives grants of as little as a few thousand dollars to more than a million dollars. The size of the grant depends upon the purpose of the request, the scope and significance of the project, the overall budget of the applicant organization and the diversity of their funding sources.

9. Are multi-year grants considered?

Yes, but single-year requests are preferred. Multi-year requests are considered when the proposed project requires more than one year to achieve its objectives and to become sustainable. Pledges generally will not exceed a three-year period and the pledge for each year is dependent upon the successful completion of the previous year. In addition, multi-year grants are generally made on a decreasing share basis with the grant funding less of the project costs and the organization funding more of the costs in each year beyond the first year.

10. How often can we apply for funding?

Multiple grants in a 12-month period are not encouraged. We also encourage organizations with a current grant not to apply until after the current grant has been completed. Exceptions can be made for unusual circumstances. Organizations that think they have such a situation are advised to call Dr. Manley at (407) 422-6105 to discuss the specifics.

11. Can funding be for routine operating expenses?

Grants are not typically made for general operating costs. However, grants have been considered to expand innovative programs to serve more people or to continue effective programs for a limited time period of generally no more than six months until ongoing funding can be stabilized. Organizations with questions about whether a specific request fits within these guidelines are encouraged to call for more direction.

12. Are there other things that you do not fund?

We also do not fund individuals, private foundations, or Type III supporting organizations defined under Section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. Requests are not encouraged for endowments, research, trips or tours, scholarships, newsletters or other promotional materials, magazines or books, and television, video or audio production. Requests for vans or other vehicles will generally not be considered. Grants are not made to private schools for projects other than scholarships to increase total enrollment using a nationally accepted screening criteria to determine financial need, to projects of social, religious, fraternal or veterans groups that primarily benefit their own members or adherents, to retire accumulated debt, or for legislative lobbying or other political purposes.

13. Do you require reports after a grant has been received?

Yes, at the end of six months and after a year, we require both a programmatic report compared to the objectives in the grant and a financial report compared to the budget line-items in the grant with invoices to substantiate all expenses. If grant dollars remain after that time, subsequent report dates and requirements will be determined as appropriate.

14. Can requests be submitted at any time?

Proposals are generally accepted three times a year, followed by a site visit to those applicants whose grant requests fit the current priorities of the Charities and appear to be attractive proposals, and considered at subsequent Board meetings after it is verified that all the requested information has been provided. The timeframes for the board meetings to consider requests and the dates that completed proposals must be received in order to be considered are posted in the DEADLINES section of the Web site.

15. What are the most common reasons a proposal is denied?

There are several reasons why a grant request may be denied; however, some of the most commonly declined proposals are those that:

Do not fall within the guidelines of the types of projects that we fund.
Do not follow our general grant making guidelines.
Are for programs or services that are being provided by other organizations.
Are more appropriately funded by another organization, either public or private.
Do not have a viable plan for sustainability without reliance on grants.
Do not have independent audit for most recently completed fiscal year.
Are of lesser priority than other needs, as determined by our directors.
Are beyond the financial capacity of the Charities.

16. If denied a grant request, can you reapply?

If your request has been denied, generally reapplication for the same grant cannot be considered unless the reason for the denial has been cured. However, if you have developed a new program or service that you think has merit and fits within our guidelines, you are encouraged to submit it for our consideration.

17. Can a grant request be e-mailed or faxed?

No, we do not accept faxed or e-mailed grant requests.

18. What is the grant review process?

All requests are screened for completeness, accuracy and consistency with the stated guidelines. Requests that are missing information, inaccurate, or outside the stated guidelines may be denied. Teams of board members, advisory committee members and staff will be assigned to conduct personal interviews or site visits with applicant organizations as appropriate. Requests will then be referred to the full board of directors for a final review and decision. The review process may take several months.

19. What is expected of an applicant organization during a personal       interview or site visit to discuss a specific grant request?

Depending on the proposal that has been submitted, we will be asking questions about the specific request to understand if the project is integral to the mission of the applicant organization and has been carefully developed with the full knowledge of the board and staff of the organization. It is important that key board and key staff members be present and able to participate appropriately in the discussion of the request. Questions will usually be asked about governance, financial management, staff capability and program implementation and evaluation. Most site visits last about one hour and 30 minutes.

20. Is it appropriate to call the staff prior to sending a request or to       receive guidance on how to complete the application package?

Yes. Grantseekers are encouraged to contact Dr. Manley at (407) 422-6105 in advance of submitting a request to determine whether their programs fit within the guidelines. See the GUIDELINES, HOW TO APPLY, DEADLINES, and APPLICATION sections of the Web site for more information. Dr. Manley or her grant making assistant, Pauline White, are also available as you are completing a request to answer specific questions that you may have about how to complete the grant request forms.

21. Is it appropriate to contact staff to receive feedback on requests that       were not funded?

Applicants are notified in writing of the disposition of their requests after they have been reviewed by the board of directors. Organizations are not encouraged to call for more feedback than is in this letter.