Below are some questions and answers regarding McKnight’s Midwest Climate & Energy program (Climate). For more information, we invite you to read the Climate cov tswv yim cov phiaj xwm thiab daim ntawv thov cov lus qhia.

Kev Pabcuam Grantmaking Logistics

1. Muaj pes tsawg lub koomhaum pab nyiaj txiag txhua lub xyoo?

Peb pab neeg tshuaj xyuas cov lus pom zoo raws li lub hauv paus dov, nrog rau lub Cuaj Hlis 1 yog hnub kawg uas yuav tsum tau txiav txim siab rau xyoo tam sim no (cov ntawv thov tau txais tom qab lub Cuaj Hli 1 yuav raug txiav txim siab rau xyoo tom ntej).

Within two weeks of receiving your application, Climate staff will be in contact with you regarding next steps. We will make a funding decision within three months of receiving your application.

2. Lub sijhawm tos ntawm qhov nyiaj pab ntawd yog dab tsi? Koj puas ua multiyear nyiaj pab?

McKnight typically makes grants for one or two years. We work closely with the requesting organization to determine both the grant type (general operations, project, program, etc.) and the grant duration. If you have questions, please contact a Climate cov neeg ua haujlwm pabcuam ua ntej xa koj daim ntawv thov nyiaj pab.

3. Koj cov nyiaj pabcuam yog dab tsi?

The Climate program’s 2022 grantmaking budget is $32 million. Some of those dollars are already committed to multiyear grantees, and we expect to deploy roughly $3 million in new grants in 2023.

4. Will the Climate program allocate its annual grants budget equally throughout the year?

Peb tsis faib ib feem ntawm cov nyiaj pab dawb txhua lub hlis lossis lub quarter nyiaj txiag. Hloov chaw, peb pab neeg ua haujlwm los xyuas kom meej tias peb ua kom muaj txiaj ntsig zoo ntawm cov nyiaj pab nyiaj pub dawb thoob plaws xyoo. Nrog rau qhov loj me me, tsis muaj qhov zoo rau kev thov ua ntej xyoo dhau los.

5. Dab tsi ntawm cov nyiaj pub dawb - kev khiav haujlwm dav dav, cov nyiaj pub rau kev pab cuam, lwm tus?

The Climate program regularly invites both general operating and program/project grants.

6. McKnight puas xav txog phiaj xwm kev npaj nyiaj?

Yog lawm, peb yuav txiav txim siab muab nyiaj pub dawb rau cov phiaj xwm phiaj xwm thiab rau kev nqis tes ua.

7. Puas yog McKnight yuav xav txog cov haujlwm tshawb nrhiav, lossis ntau dua cov haujlwm pabcuam ncaj qha?

McKnight pab nyiaj ntau yam kev ua ub no, los ntawm zej zog kev teeb tsa mus rau kev tshawb fawb, tshuaj xyuas, thiab phiaj xwm. Peb kuj tseem pab nyiaj rau kev tawm tswv yim tsis raws cai thiab ua raws. Txawm li cas los xij, peb ib txwm tsis them nyiaj ncaj qha lossis pabcuam tib neeg.

8. Puas yog nws tseem ceeb rau kev ruaj ntseg txuam nrog cov nyiaj?

Peb saib lub koom haum tag nrho cov peev nyiaj thiab txaus siab thaum cov koom haum txheeb xyuas ntau qhov chaw ntawm kev txhawb nqa. Txawm li cas los xij, peb tsis xav tau cov nyiaj sib piv.

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Kev Muaj Cai Tau Txais

9. Yuav ua li cas hom koom haum tsim nyog?

With very few exceptions, applicants must be classified by the Internal Revenue Service as tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations to be eligible for a grant. Government entities, including state, county, and municipal, may apply for funding for innovative projects. We generally will not fund activities that are traditionally the sole responsibility of the government. Contact Kelsey Johnson, senior program and grants associate, who can connect you to a cov neeg ua haujlwm pabcuam los teb cov lus nug ntxiv txog koj qhov xwm txheej.

10. Yog tias kuv muaj kev txhawb nqa nyiaj txiag, kuv puas tuaj yeem thov nyiaj pab?

Peb txiav txim siab thov los ntawm cov koom haum txhawb nqa tsis raug cai. Cov koom haum, cov haujlwm, lossis cov haujlwm nrog cov neeg txhawb nqa nyiaj txiag yuav tsum hu rau a cov neeg ua haujlwm pabcuam ua ntej xa daim ntawv thov kev pab nyiaj.

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Keeb Kwm

11. Can you clarify terminology about funding in the Midwest? Must the organization be based in the Midwest, or can it be outside the Midwest as long as it has programs applicable to  the Midwest?

Most of the Climate program’s funding supports organizations based in the Midwest. However, we will fund national organizations that have a direct or on-the-ground presence in the Midwest. We recommend contacting a cov neeg ua haujlwm pabcuam los tham txog koj kev ua haujlwm.

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Hom Kev Koom Tes

12. Are you looking to fund more established organizations and projects, newer efforts, or a combination?

The Climate program funds a combination of requests from new partners and from organizations with historic ties to McKnight.

13. Will you fund intermediary organizations? What are your thoughts regarding funding community work at an intermediary level versus closer to the ground?

McKnight feem ntau ua haujlwm nrog ntau tus neeg nruab nrab nrog nyob ze rau kev coj noj coj ua hauv zej zog. Raws li, peb zoo siab tos txais cov lus pom zoo los ntawm cov koom haum nruab nrab. Cov neeg nruab nrab feem ntau siv cov peev txheej tsim khoom ntxiv, muab nyiaj pab thiab lwm yam peev txheej, muab kev pab tswv yim hauv thaj chaw ua haujlwm, thiab koom nrog thiab tsim cov txheej txheem uas txhim kho kev cuam tshuam hauv av.

Ntxiv rau kev pab nyiaj rau tus neeg nruab nrab, peb txiav txim siab thov nyiaj pab uas tuaj ncaj qha los ntawm cov koom tes tshiab uas ze rau hauv av thiab nws txoj haujlwm ua ntej peb lub hom phiaj phiaj xwm. Peb txhawb kom cov koom haum tsis tau txais txiaj ntsig los thov txawm tias tus neeg nruab nrab hauv koj cheeb tsam lossis zej zog twb tau txais nyiaj lawm, thiab peb pom zoo hu rau cov neeg ua haujlwm pabcuam los tham txog koj kev ua haujlwm.

14. How does McKnight view proposals that are relevant to more than one program at McKnight, such as the overlap between the Communities program and the Midwest Climate & Energy program?

Peb koom tes zoo nrog cov neeg ua haujlwm hauv lwm cov haujlwm McKnight, xws li Kos duab & Kab lis kev cai thiab Vibrant & Cov Zej Zog Muaj Sib Luag, thiab peb txais tos cov ntawv thov uas sib tshuam nrog ntau cov kev pab cuam. Hu rau a cov neeg ua haujlwm pabcuam rau cov lus qhia rau txoj kev zoo tshaj plaws.

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Thov Sau Ntawv Thov Nyiaj Pab

15. What is the best link for the grant applications?

Txhawm rau pab koj npaj, koj tuaj yeem saib ua ntej daim ntawv thov kev pom zoo tag nrho (PDF, Lo lus). The link to apply can be found on the “Yuav Thov Licas” page.

16. Do I need to talk to a program staff member before I apply?

Yes, we recommend that you discuss your application with a program staff member. Kelsey Johnson tuaj yeem pab koj txuas nrog pab pawg.

17. What if I’m a current grantee? When should I apply for new funding?

Yog tias koj tab tom thov nyiaj pab rau tib lub hom phiaj ib yam li koj qhov nyiaj pab tam sim no, peb txhawb kom koj thov thaum koj cov nyiaj pab tam sim no tab tom rov thov dua.

Uas tau hais tias, peb xav kom cov koom haum thov thaum nws tsim nyog rau koj. Yog tias koj xav thov rau lub sijhawm sib txawv ntawm lub xyoo tshaj li qhov koj muaj keeb kwm, thov hu rau koj qhov kev pab cuam.

18. How many times can my organization apply in one year? If we are awarded a grant, can we submit another application for a different period?

Txhawm rau txo qis kev ua haujlwm rau koj lub koom haum thiab pab McKnight tswj hwm ntau qhov kev thov peb tau txais, ib lub koom haum yuav tsum thov nyiaj ib zaug ib xyoos nkaus xwb.

Qee lub sij hawm, qhov xwm txheej, xws li cov cib fim tshiab lossis cov xwm txheej nyuaj tam sim no, tuaj yeem nthuav tawm vim li cas rov thov dua. Hu rau a cov neeg ua haujlwm pabcuam yog tias koj ntseeg tias tej zaum yuav muaj kev txaus txaus rau kev thov ntxiv.

19. Is there a maximum grant request?

Tsis muaj qhov thov nyiaj ntau tshaj. Peb pom zoo tias koj tham txog qib kev txhawb nqa uas koj xav tau nrog a cov neeg ua haujlwm pabcuam ua ntej xa daim ntawv thov nyiaj pab.

20. Can grantees have multiple grants with you at one time?

Cov neeg thov tau ntau cov nyiaj pab ua ke, txawm tias peb nyiam txo kev tswj hwm ntawm ob qho tib si McKnight thiab cov neeg ua haujlwm cov neeg ua haujlwm nrog tib qhov nyiaj pab uas tau muab kev txhawb nqa kev khiav haujlwm lossis pab nyiaj ntau txoj haujlwm ib txhij.

21. What is the approximate timeline from submitting to acceptance of a proposal? 

Within two weeks of receiving your application, Climate staff will be in contact with you regarding next steps. We will assign a tus neeg khiav dej num txoj haujlwm rau txhua qhov kev thov xa tuaj. Tus tub ceev xwm yuav ncav cuag los tham txog koj qhov kev thov.

Peb yuav txiav txim siab txog nyiaj txiag tsis pub dhau peb lub hlis tom qab tau txais koj daim ntawv thov.

22. If my proposal does not get selected, will you carry it forward for future consideration?

Cov lus pom zoo tsis tuaj yeem nqa mus rau qhov kev txiav txim siab yav tom ntej.

23. If not selected to receive a grant, will there be an opportunity to receive 1:1 feedback? What is the follow-up process?

kiag li. Yog tias peb tsis lees txais koj qhov kev thov, koj tuaj yeem teem sijhawm los tham nrog a pab neeg thaj.

Rov qab mus rau sab saum toj

Contacting the Climate Team

24. Are individual staff members assigned to each of the strategies—Transform the Energy System, Decarbonize Transportation, Decarbonize Buildings, Working Lands, and Strengthen Democratic Participation?

As our team is growing, we are actively determining designated leads for each area.  Please fill out this form, and we will direct you to the right person for your needs.

25. If we are new to the McKnight Foundation, who is the best staff person to talk with?

Please fill out this form, and we will direct you to the right person for your needs.

26. How can I stay updated?

Lub Midwest Kev Nyuaj Siab thiab Zog nplooj ntawv ntawm McKnight lub vev xaib yog qhov chaw zoo tshaj plaws los nrhiav cov ntaub ntawv tshiab.

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