Application Guidelines

The following are guidelines for submitting the information required to apply for a 2011 $25,000 Wachovia Wells Fargo NEXT Award. As noted above, only online applications will be accepted.

1. Applicant Information

An online questionnaire will prompt applying organizations to enter the category for which they are submitting an application (Advocacy, Community Impact, Financing or Innovation); the legal name and address of the headquarters of the applicant; the name, phone, fax and email address of a contact person from the applicant organization; and, if applicable, copy(ies) of 501(c)(3) and 509(a) determination letter(s) from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service regarding the applicant organization's charitable purpose and tax-exempt status.

Applicants will need to certify that they are currently in compliance with all financial covenants, reporting requirements, and performance obligations stipulated by private, public, and philanthropic providers of capital and grants

IMPORTANT NOTES: An organization does not have to be a member of the Opportunity Finance Network to be eligible to apply.

An organization that is tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service code does not have to be certified by the U.S. CDFI Fund.

An organization that does not have tax exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) must be certified by the U.S. CDFI Fund, but that alone does not automatically guarantee eligibility. Additional documentation may be needed to determine whether the activities that would be supported by the Wachovia Wells Fargo NEXT Award comply with relevant government rules and regulations for charitable giving and the policies of The Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation and MacArthur Foundation. We will contact you to request additional documentation that may be needed based on a review of your specific case.

2. Statement of Excellence

Organizations that apply for these awards will be asked to upload a statement (maximum 1,000 words) explaining the ways in which the applicant has defined excellence in the selected category within the last two years. The statement should address the selection criteria for the appropriate category by specifically answering the questions asked and, to the extent possible, the special consideration items applicable to all categories. The statement must be submitted in a Word document.

3. Most Recent Audited Financial Statement or National Credit Union Administration Statement of Financial Condition (5300 report)

An applicant must upload their most recently completed audited financial statement. If the applicant is a credit union and does not have an audited financial statement, the applicant may upload their most recent NCUA Statement of Financial Condition (5300 report).

Note: Application Guidelines are subject to change without notice. Check back regularly for the most current guidelines.