The QCCC policy is to only review projects before they enter the construction and fundraising stages. This is done to help the QCCC provide meaningful input to a project, enabling it to be a success for both the organization and the community.
If your project is well underway, please contact the QCCC to determine if you qualify for review.
Projects to be reviewed must be submitted by due dates for each meeting. The Council will then discuss the request at its next meeting. At that time it may approve or not approve the project or table a decision awaiting further input from the submitting organization. You will be notified of results as soon as possible.
Non-profit boards are committed to supporting their organization's mission and assuring its long-term stability. One of their responsibilities is to be prudent and thorough in determining the viability and sustainability of any project.
As major donors, members of the Contributors Council want to be sure that the projects they fund are viable, sustainable and needed by the community. To help non-profit organizations develop a good plan and to help donors make prudent decisions about their grants the Contributors Council has developed a thorough questionnaire helping both parties make better decisions about their charitable goals.
The Contributors Council has developed a list of questions as part of its application process. Organizations going through the process for the first time may see it as daunting. However, the Contributors Council believes that these questions offer non-profit managements and boards a template for determining the viability of their projects. Whether they choose to go through the Contributors Council process or not, we believe that boards should answer these questions before approving a project:
Prudent funders will want to know the answers to these and other questions before making a grant. Although approval by the Council does not obligate its members to support your project, it may help your organization raise funds by assuring that it has been well thought out and reviewed by a non-biased outside group. Discussion among Council members may help to give your project wider exposure than it would otherwise receive. Past experience has shown that input from the Council's business and community leaders has helped groups develop a better plan than would otherwise have been the case.
We strongly advise any Quad Cities area group considering a significant capital or endowment campaign to review the Contributors Council process and seek input from the Council before embarking on its project. The community and your organization will benefit from this collaboration.