Purpose: The Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound (ECF) is a pooled fund consisting of

recurring payroll contributions from generous Boeing employees. It funds local nonprofits that help

thousands of families and individuals in the Puget Sound region where Boeing employees live and

Work.

 

Question 1: ECF Focus Area

Answer 1: ECF makes grants to 501(c)3 Health & Human Service nonprofits such as food banks, job-training programs, shelters, transitional housing, mental health services and low-income medical clinics. ECF seeks the “direct client benefit” of each grant to ensure that our employees’ contributions directly help those in need.

 

Question 2: ECF Funding Criteria

Answer 2:

 

ECF has two distinct grant categories – Supporting and Capital Campaign

  1. Supporting Grants:

Consideration is given to nonprofits that are performing well and are seeking to upgrade, replace or modify elements of their infrastructure. These grants help agencies continue to effectively provide services and enhance their direct client benefit by aiding them in procuring items and equipment such as:

– Equipment (office, kitchen, industrial, furniture, etc.)

– Vehicles used to support clients and/or transport food & goods

– Phone systems

– Remodels and/or renovations (must own, or hold at least a 10-year lease)

– Purchase or construction of new buildings

– Computers for direct client benefit/use 

 

Geographical Region: Supporting grants will be considered for agencies in eight Puget Sound counties: King, Snohomish, Pierce, Whatcom, Skagit, Island, Kitsap and Thurston.

Grant Amount: Supporting grants generally do not exceed $40,000. The request amount cannot be more than 10% of an agency’s gross annual revenues.

 

  1. Capital Campaign Grants

Capital Campaign grants are targeted to nonprofit organizations who strive to significantly expand the numbers of people they serve. These grants range in size from $125,000 to $500,000 and are used for renovations, equipment upgrades or to support a portion of a larger capital campaign. A limited number of Capital Campaign grants are made each year and are limited to nonprofits located in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties.

 

ECF prefers to make these larger grants for projects that are nearing their final stages and/or are ready to

break ground. ECF does not fund any “soft costs” such as feasibility studies, architectural drawings and early stage planning. If you would like to be considered for a Capital Campaign grant, please send an email with a brief description of the project to: PSEmployeesCommunityFund@exchange.boeing.com

 

Question 3: What does ECF not fund?

Answer 3:

  • A grant that requests more than 10% of an agency’s gross annual revenue
  • Agency operating costs
  • Agency that has been a 501c3 for less than three years
  • Agency whose mission is either “Pro-Life” or “Pro-Choice.” The issue is too divisive.
  • Agency with annual revenues less than $150,000
  • Animal welfare nonprofits
  • Arts, Cultural, Civic and Environmental nonprofits
  • Churches and places of worship
  • Fundraising foundations (ECF supports nonprofits that are the direct-client provider)
  • Fundraising efforts (including thrift shops) and agency advertising
  • Hospital capital drives
  • Hospitals or other medical organizations with revenues greater than $50,000,000
  • Individuals
  • Medical research
  • National fund drives
  • Pass-through entities
  • Paying off debt
  • Public and Private schools
  • Reimbursement for equipment already purchased or built
  • Scholarships
  • Seed money grants for new programs
  • Specialized software for administrative use
  • Tax-supported institutions (police and fire departments, city parks, libraries, etc.)
  • Vehicles for use by agency staff
  • Warranties and equipment maintenance

 

Question 4: How to be considered for a grant from ECF: 

Answer 4: ECF uses a grant application system called STAR. You can access STAR by going to:

https://boeing.smartsimple.com  – Please see detailed instructions below. 

 

Question 5: Organization Eligibility

Answer 5:

  • Only organizations that are in good financial standing and have had an Internal Revenue Service designation as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public charity (or similar designation under the relevant law for international organizations) for at least two years will be eligible to apply for a grant.
  • Certain types of organizations will be ineligible to apply for grants including: (1) organizations that denigrate or advocate discrimination or violence toward any racial, ethnic or cultural group; (2) political organizations; and (3) fraternal, sectarian, social, religious, or similar organizations.
  • Grant recipients will comply with all applicable laws and regulations of the United States and, where necessary, the nation of registry and/or operations, including, but not limited to, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the USA Patriot Act, and the U.K. Bribery Act.
  • The agency’s services must be open to all regardless of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, and presence of disability, ability to pay or other background. Prioritizing agency services and targeting therapeutic programs to specific populations will not disqualify an agency from consideration. Furthermore, the agency must not discriminate against its staff or volunteers based on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, and presence of disability, or other background.

 

Question 6: ECF Grantmaking Guidelines

Answer 6: All applicants will be required to complete an electronic application that includes a grant proposal and a written agreement setting forth the terms of the grant. The application requires disclosure of the mission statement, the governing board members and their affiliations, the top five highest paid staff members, a breakdown of funding sources, a detailed description of the project for which funding is sought and the community needs that the project will address, the expected outcomes of the project, and the number of people who will benefit from the project.

 

Question 7: Documentation required with application

Answer 7: 

  • Organization’s operating budget
  • IRS 990 and/or audited financial statements
  • Project budget
  • IRS determination letter

 

Question 8: ECF grant application access

Answer 8: 

  • Please follow these instructions if you have previously applied for an ECF or Boeing grant:
  1. Go to Boeing’s grant application website (https://boeing.smartsimple.com/s_Login.jsp).
  2. Enter your password or select Forgot Password.
  3. Enter your organization email address in order to get a link sent to that email with instructions to update your password.
  4. Create an updated password and then log in.
  5. Complete your organization’s profile. (Some information might have carried over from a previous application.)
  6. Initiate and complete the ECF application online.
  • If you have never applied for an ECF or Boeing grant, please contact

PSEmployeesCommunityFund@exchange.Boeing.com to request access to the system.

 

Question 9: Chapter Contact Information

Answer 9: Email: PSEmployeesCommunityFund@exchange.Boeing.com

 

Question 10: Timeline

Answer 10: 

Applications Open

Application Deadline

Awards Announced

12/1/2022

2/28/2023

6/1/2023

6/1/2023

8/31/2023

12/1/2023