Frequently Asked Questions

    You asked, we answered.

    Following the close of our 2020 grant cycle, applicants were asked to complete an anonymous survey describing their user experience.  Here is a list of the most frequently asked questions about using the online portal. Words that are highlighted and underlined will link to screen shots. If you have any additional questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to reach out and share your thoughts.

    If you feel like you need a demonstration how to do anything in Foundant or Adobe, please reserve time with Heather and she will be happy to walk you through it.

    Individual users have permissions to edit their organization information and their personal contact information.  When you see additional active contacts on your organization’s record, you will notice that you are unable to edit them.  This is because each of these contacts is a user in the system for the organization and only they can update their contact information. If you notice a user that has changed their contact information or that no longer works for the organization, simply contact Heather Fraser to update the record on your behalf.

    Please note that inactive contacts will remain on the organization’s record but will not have access to enter the portal.

    Yes!  In fact, we hope that you will read through the application, our grant-making guidelines, and our funding policies prior to opening an application. You can preview the application by clicking on the Preview button underneath the application you will be using. You can also find a PDF of the questions you can expect to see on The Champlin Foundation website.

    Note: Want to print the questions?  Just click on the Question List icon in the upper right hand corner.

    Our goal when initially building the applications was to make the process as simple as possible. To do this, we relied heavily on branching questions – meaning that certain follow up queries are “unlocked” based on previous application answers. The benefit of this is that your organization is spared from answering vehicle specific questions, for example, if you are requesting funds for an HVAC system. Unfortunately, this makes numbering questions impossible because applications would be randomly jumping from 1 to 4 to 7 depending on your specific request.

    Character counts in the Foundant system include letters, numbers, spaces and special characters. If you are working in Word, you can check the character count by selecting Review and then Word Count.  Be sure to follow the character count with spaces totals and not the word count totals.

    Please don’t feel overwhelmed by high character counts. Initially, we kept these parameters low so as not to set unnecessary expectations. Much of the feedback we received was to increase these character counts across the board. We now allow for higher character counts but please do not feel compelled to fill each space. We understand that every organization is different and we trust that you will explain your organization, your mission and your project in ways that are thorough, compelling and concise.

    Unfortunately, no. Each upload field only allows for one document, so multiple documents must be combined prior to uploading. You can do this with a scanner, with a fax machine, or with certain Adobe licenses. Foundant does have a tool called Fax to File which will make this easier for you. Just click the link in the portal and follow the provided instructions.

    Having trouble figuring it out? Don’t have access to the necessary office tools? Don’t worry, simply send your documents to Heather Fraser with direction on where you need them uploaded.

    Based on user feedback, we added an additional upload field in the Project section of the application where you can share photos, diagrams, plans, etc. If you have additional documents you would like attached to your application, simply send them to Heather Fraser along with a brief description and she will add them for you.

    Please only send documents that enhance your application.  Upload options and file sizes are limited to ensure that the system can operate smoothly.

    If you find that your file is too large, please email it to Heather Fraser who will add it to your application. Please include a description of your file so we know what it is in reference to.

    Please only send documents that enhance your application.  Upload options and file sizes are limited to ensure that the system can operate smoothly.

    Yes!  At any time prior to or after submission, you can click on the Application Packet button in the top right-hand corner of your screen. This will give you a full PDF of the application with answers as well as any documents you have attached.  The PDF can be saved and/or printed.

    You can, but it’s important to understand how the Foundant technology works. The system uses email addresses as unique identifiers for organization contacts. This means that your email can only be linked to one organization. To submit on behalf of multiple organizations, you can:

    • Use a different email address for each organization.  This means that you will have different login credentials for each location.
    • Have someone in the organization invite you to collaborate on their applications. The benefit here is that you will have one login that will allow you to view, edit and submit all of the applications you are working on. Just remember that, if you choose this option, someone in the organization will need to be the main application contact.