Request for Proposals

- The RFP: An Explanation
- Required Online Application - NOW CLOSED FOR 2013
- Frequently Asked Questions

FINANCIALS
- Financials FAQ (PDF)
- Financials glossary (PDF)
- Raffa Presentation (PDF)
- Blank 2013 Financial Worksheet (one of the required financial uploads)

Overview

The mission of the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington is to create strong and vibrant communities by connecting caring citizens with worthy community causes. We do this by raising visibility and resources for the best small community-based nonprofits, and engaging donors in a more meaningful giving experience. To that end we publish an annual print Catalogue that is distributed to 25,000 high net worth individuals, encouraging them to give to vetted, community-based nonprofits. The past few years have seen new channels of distribution open for the Catalogue and its featured nonprofits – through corporate portals and our workplace giving program, a budding school portal program, and partnerships with local media. Nonprofits apply to be featured in the print Catalogue and on the web, to receive the Catalogue's "seal of approval," and to benefit from the resources and programs that we offer.

The RFP: An Explanation walks you through the questions in the online application which reopens on January 2, 2013.

Timeline

Online applications open on the first day after the New Year's holiday and are due around the third week of February. Specific deadline dates will be posted on the site for each application cycle. The evaluation process takes place in March. Final decisions are usually made by mid-May. You will be notified by email whether the decision is positive or not. The new Catalogue comes out in early November -- in time for the "giving season."

Eligibility

501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the Washington region with operating budgets of $3 million or below may be eligible to apply. Organizations featured in our past three print Catalogues -- 2012-13, 2011-12, 2010-11 -- are NOT eligible to reapply this year. Please remember that reviewers consider "appeal to donors" when evaluating an organization: if your appeal is extremely specialized or your group is open to "members only," you may wish to reconsider before applying. See The RFP: An Explanation for detailed information about eligibility.

In order to remain part of the Catalogue family, and to continue being featured on our website, Catalogue charities must reapply every four years. This means that those most recently featured in the 2009-10 Catalogue ARE eligible to reapply in 2013 and MUST reapply in 2013 if they wish to remain part of our network. They will participate in the same review process as new applicants. Those who applied last year or the year before and were re-certified to remain on the web but were not featured in the print Catalogue may reapply this year if they wish.

Why Apply?
The Catalogue for Philanthropy provides a high-profile platform for some of the best small nonprofits in greater Washington. There are many benefits -- and some responsibilities -- associated with being featured in the Catalogue. We do not guarantee a specific financial benefit, but our track record shows that when nonprofits engage in a committed partnership with us, they receive both financial and other returns. (The Catalogue has helped raised over $20mm since 2003.)

Benefits
- Featured nonprofits will be promoted through several Catalogue marketing initiatives. These include, but are not limited to: direct mail distribution of our print Catalogue, a personalized webpage on the CFP website and in the Catalogue's corporate portal, Catalogue events, partnerships with local media (TV, radio, print), and social media (blog, newsletter, facebook, twitter, etc).
- Access to Catalogue co-branded marketing and communications materials
- Invitations to Catalogue and CFP partner workshops and events throughout the year, including in-person workshops, webinars, happy hours, and networking events.
- NOTE: There is no financial obligation of any kind associated with applying to or being featured in the Catalogue for Philanthropy. Leading institutions and generous individuals in the Washington region support the Catalogue as a service to the community.

Kindly note...
If you are selected for the 2013 Catalogue, you will be expected to:
- Work with CFP staff in May and June to approve written content and provide photos or other imagery for your Catalogue feature;
- Attend our October workshop and December launch event with key members of your organization;
- Be faithful reporters of Catalogue-inspired donations throughout the years that you are featured in print and online;
Upload material to the links on your Catalogue webpage for events, media, volunteer opportunities, etc;
- Use the Catalogue's co-branding materials, especially the "One of the Best" stamp, on your homepage, stationery, and email signatures.

Funding: Sponsoring grantmakers and individual donors cover all production costs for the Catalogue and its website. Online donations are processed by Authorize.net or by PayPal, whose fees are among the lowest in the industry. The Catalogue itself charges no fees for donations sent directly to the charities or for any donations we distribute through our Giving Form.

Distribution: The Catalogue is a beautiful, 64-page book distributed in November to over 25,000 high net worth individuals in the Washington region and to small foundations, philanthropic advisers, giving circles, individuals who request catalogues online, and other groups who wish to use it with their members.

Non-Discrimination: The Catalogue for Philanthropy does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, creed, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age, or disability.

Questions: Before you email or call, please read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). If you don't find the answers you are looking for, call us at 202-955-6538 or email us at info@catalogueforphilanthropy-dc.org.

Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.