Organization Readiness Tool

About the Organization Readiness Tool

The goal of the Organization Readiness Tool is to allow potential applicants to develop a clear and candid understanding of whether they will be a strong fit for Boundless San Francisco. While there are no predetermined "right" or "wrong" answers, candid responses can help organizations determine whether this opportunity aligns with their readiness, capacity, and goals.

In advance of submitting an application to the Competition, which we know takes time and resources, all prospective applicants are encouraged to complete the Tool to determine whether to apply. By providing the information contained in the Organization Readiness Tool, alongside the full Application, Evaluation Rubric, and Timeline, Lever for Change’s goal is to allow all potential applicants to make an informed decision about the capacity needed to participate in the Competition, as well as their likelihood of success. In this way, the tool is an integral part of ensuring a transparent process in which all applicants have access to the same set of information with which to make a decision on whether to apply.

The Organization Readiness Tool is a standard and important feature of all Lever for Change initiatives, and we have received positive feedback from applicants across initiatives about its usefulness. The below Organization Readiness Tool is structured according to Lever for Change best practices, however, the questions contained herein have been drafted specifically for this initiative. The guiding questions are preceded by an introduction that outlines the tool’s purpose and context and reiterates the aim of the Competition.

Which of the following best describes your organization? The Lead Organization is a single legal entity that has the legal responsibility, authority for, and control of the use of any grant funds, is responsible for the reporting on any grant funds, and must be able to exercise in fact and law direction, control, and supervision of the proposed project and grant funds.
Option	Response
An entity based in the United States and/or U.S. Territories that has received a tax determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) that it is exempt from federal income tax as an organization described under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) and a publicly supported organization described under section 509(a)(1) or (2) of the IRC, and which a tax determination letter is in effect.	Great! 501(c)(3) publicly supported organizations are eligible to serve as a Lead Organization in this Competition.
A nonprofit organization for a fiscally sponsored project, provided that the nonprofit organization is an entity based in the United States and/or U.S. Territories and has received an IRS determination letter that it is exempt from federal income tax as an organization described under section 501(c)(3) of the IRC and a publicly supported organization described under section 509(a)(1) or (2) of the IRC and which a tax determination letter is in effect (or meets the equivalency standards for entities organized under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction).	Great! Nonprofit organizations serving as fiscal sponsors for a fiscally sponsored project are eligible to serve as a Lead Organization in this Competition, provided the fiscal sponsor exercises discretion and control over any grant funds.
An entity based in the United States and/or U.S. Territories that has received a tax determination letter from the IRS that it is exempt from federal income tax as an organization described under section 501(c)(3) of the IRC and is also classified as a Type I or Type II supporting organization described under section 509(a)(3) of the IRC, and which a tax determination letter is in effect.	Great! 501(c)(3) Type I and Type II supporting organizations are eligible to serve as a Lead Organization in this Competition.
A public or private college, junior college, university, or other similar educational entity that has received a tax determination letter from the IRS that it is exempt from federal income tax as an organization described under section 501(c)(3) of the IRC and is also classified as an educational organization described under sections 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(ii) of the IRC and which a tax determination letter is in effect. The specific program must align with sponsored research guidelines.	Great! Colleges, universities, and other educational institutions of this type are eligible to serve as a Lead Organization in this Competition, provided the specific program aligns with sponsored research guidelines.
A private operating foundation based in the United States and/or U.S. Territories under section 501(c)(3) of the IRC that has received a tax determination letter from the IRS.	Great! Private operating foundations that have received a tax determination letter from the IRS are eligible to serve as a Lead Organization in this Competition.
A U.S. tribal government treated as a State pursuant to IRC Section 7871.	Great! U.S. tribal governments treated as a State pursuant to IRC Section 7871 are eligible to serve as a Lead Organization in this Competition.
An entity organized under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction which has received a tax determination letter from the IRS or has been determined to be the equivalent of a section 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1).	Great! Entities organized under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction that have received a tax determination letter from the IRS, or have been determined to be the equivalent of a 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1), are eligible to serve as a Lead Organization in this Competition.
Affiliates of national organizations as long as the affiliate is a separate 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1) or (2) entity (or foreign equivalent) and has its own board of directors; legal liability rests with the local organization; affiliate’s tax-exempt status was not granted under a group exemption; affiliate makes decisions regarding overall mission, priorities, and strategies of organization and for day-to-day operations; and affiliate does not “fund” general activities of national organization.	Great! Affiliates of national organizations are eligible to serve as a Lead Organization in this Competition, provided the affiliate is a separate 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1) or (2) entity with its own board of directors, and that legal liability rests with the local organization.
An entity that is recognized under the law of the applicable jurisdiction as a non-governmental organization, a charitable organization, a not-for-profit organization, or similar-type entity that is not a for-profit organization or government agency and that is engaged in charitable activities within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the IRC.	Great! Non-governmental, charitable, and not-for-profit organizations engaged in charitable activities are eligible to serve as a Lead Organization in this Competition.
A national, regional, or local governmental entity.	Great! National, regional, and local governmental entities are eligible to serve as a Lead Organization in this Competition.
A for-profit organization, including LLCs, benefit corporations, or hybrid organizations. Award funds granted to a for-profit Lead Organization are subject to expenditure responsibility under IRC §4945(h).	Great! For-profit organizations, including LLCs, benefit corporations, and hybrid organizations, are eligible to serve as a Lead Organization in this Competition. Please note that award funds granted to a for-profit Lead Organization are subject to expenditure responsibility under IRC §4945(h). See "Guidance Related to Non-Charitable Activities" in Section 8 of the Rules for more information.
Individuals and entities that, from a tax perspective, have the tax status of an individual, such as a single member limited liability company (LLC) where the member is an individual.	Individuals and entities with the tax status of an individual are not eligible to serve as a Lead Organization in this Competition. We encourage you to review the eligibility requirements in the Rules before proceeding.
An entity that has received a tax determination letter from the IRS under section 501(c)(4) of the IRC and which a tax letter is in effect.	501(c)(4) organizations are not eligible to serve as a Lead Organization in this Competition, so this initiative may not be a strong fit for your organization. We encourage you to review the eligibility requirements in the Rules before proceeding.
None of the above.	This Competition might not be a fit for your organization.

Will your proposed solution be implemented by more than one organization?
Option	Response
Yes.	Great. Please note that finalist teams comprised of more than one organization proposing to work together must demonstrate through a fully executed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or other similar agreement, executed by all parties, that all parties have agreed that a single eligible entity, the Lead Organization, will serve as the Awardee, if selected. As the Awardee, the Lead Organization will have direction, control, and supervision of the proposed solution and management of all Award funds and be responsible for all reporting requirements. While MOUs will not be collected in the initial Application, teams selected as Finalists at later stages of the Competition may be required to submit MOUs.
No.	Great! Single organizations are more than welcome to apply. The Lead Organization will be responsible for the direction, control, and supervision of the proposed solution and management of all Award funds.

Where is the Lead Organization on your proposal based?
Option	Response
San Francisco, California	Great! Organizations headquartered in San Francisco are eligible to apply in this Competition.
Bay Area, California (outside of San Francisco)	Great! Organizations headquartered in the Bay Area outside of San Francisco are eligible to apply in this Competition, provided the proposed solution is primarily designed to benefit the City and County of San Francisco.
California (outside of the Bay Area)	Great! Organizations headquartered in California outside of the Bay Area are eligible to apply in this Competition, provided the proposed solution is primarily designed to benefit the City and County of San Francisco.
Outside of California	Great! Organizations headquartered outside of California are eligible to apply in this Competition, provided the proposed solution is primarily designed to benefit the City and County of San Francisco.

Is your proposed solution designed to primarily benefit the City and County of San Francisco?
Option	Response
Yes.	Great! This Competition is designed to fund bold, transformative solutions that primarily benefit the City and County of San Francisco.
No.	This Competition may not be a fit for your proposed solution. This Competition is specifically designed to fund solutions that primarily benefit the City and County of San Francisco. Projects that do not meet this requirement are not eligible, so this initiative may not be a strong fit for your organization.

Does your proposed project include or represent any of the following activities?
Option	Response
For non-charitable purposes, i.e., to undertake any activity for any purpose other than one specified in Section 170(c)(2)(B) of the IRC.	Projects undertaken for non-charitable purposes are not eligible in this Competition, so this initiative may not be a strong fit for your organization. We encourage you to review the eligibility requirements in the Rules before proceeding.
For the purpose of lobbying, including to carry on propaganda or otherwise to attempt to influence legislation.	Projects undertaken for the purpose of lobbying or attempting to influence legislation are not eligible in this Competition, so this initiative may not be a strong fit for your organization. We encourage you to review the eligibility requirements in the Rules before proceeding.
To fund political organizations and political work (such as the work of 527s and certain types of work in which Section 501(c)(4) organizations may engage).	Projects designed to fund political organizations or political work are not eligible in this Competition, so this initiative may not be a strong fit for your organization. We encourage you to review the eligibility requirements in the Rules before proceeding.
None of the above.	Great! Please note, projects seeking funding for those activities are not eligible for this Competition.

Is a Program-Related Investment necessary for the successful implementation of your proposed solution? A Program-Related Investment (PRI) is unlike traditional grants (which are essentially gifts). PRIs are structured as loans, loan guarantees, or equity investments that are expected to be repaid.
Option	Response
Yes.	Great! Projects that require a Program-Related Investment (PRI) as part of their funding structure are eligible in this Competition. Please note that there is no predetermined cap on the amount of a PRI request; however, applicants must provide an honest and well-supported assessment of their actual financing needs. Submitting a PRI request does not guarantee that a PRI will be offered. If an application advances to the Finalist stage, the specific terms of any PRI — including amount, structure, and any expectation of repayment — will be determined at that time in the sole discretion of the Competition Sponsor.
No.	Projects that do not require a Program-Related Investment are eligible in this Competition.

Is your organization able to share two years of financial statements?
Option	Response
Yes.	Great. As part of the Competition process, we may ask you to share at least two years of financials and other materials related to your organizational and financial health. In this first stage, financial materials will not be collected, but you will be required to provide these materials should you advance to further stages of the Competition.
No.	As part of the Competition process, we may ask you to share at least two years of financial statements and other materials related to your organizational health. In this first stage, financial materials will not be collected, but you will be required to provide these materials should you make it to further stages. If you will not be able to provide at least two years of financials by March 2027, this competition might not be a strong fit for your organization.

Does your proposed solution align with the Evaluation Criteria of the Competition: Transformative Ambition, Viability, Evidence of Results, and Durability? For further details, see the Boundless San Francisco Evaluation Criteria.
Option	Response
Yes.	Great! This Competition is designed to fund solutions that are transformative, viable, evidence-based, and durable. We look forward to learning more about your proposed solution.
No.	This Competition is designed to fund solutions that demonstrate Transformative Ambition, Viability, Evidence of Results, and Durability. Projects that do not align with these criteria may not be a strong fit. We encourage you to review the Evaluation Criteria in detail before proceeding with an application.

Does your team have the time and capacity to complete an application by the application deadline of Friday, October 9, 2026, and potentially participate in Participatory Review?
Option	Response
Yes.	Great! Please note that some applicants of past LFC initiatives report spending up to 30 hours over the course of the application process. Applicants submitted after the application deadline will not be accepted.
No.	This Competition might not be a fit for your organization. Please note that some applicants of past LFC initiatives report spending up to 30 hours over the course of the application process.

Are you willing to share information about your organization, your work, and your approach with external audiences?
Option	Response
Yes.	Great. Please note that should your organization advance to various stages of the Competition, your proposal will be viewed by at least four peer and Evaluation Panel reviewers, donor team members, and Competition administrators. Your application may be published online and will be distributed to others during the evaluation process. Please visit the Bold Solutions Network to see what information may be displayed from previous Lever for Change initiatives.
No.	If you prefer information related to your organization is not shared with external audiences, this Competition may not be the right fit for you. Should your organization advance to various stages of the Competition, your proposal will be viewed by at least four peer and Evaluation Panel reviewers, donor team members, and Competition administrators. Your application may be published online and will be distributed to others during the evaluation process. Please visit the Bold Solutions Network to see what information may be displayed from previous Lever for Change initiatives.

In what language do you intend to submit your application? Select one.
Option	Response
English.	The entire application must be in English to be considered. We acknowledge and understand the barrier this places on those for whom English is not a first language. However, because of the multiple review processes, English was chosen to provide consistency across all entries and reduce the risk of translation error or misinterpreting an application. We appreciate your accommodation and understanding. Please note, English language skills are not a criterion on which applications will be judged. We welcome and encourage those for whom English is not a first language to apply.
Another language (other than English).	The entire application must be in English to be considered. We acknowledge and understand the barrier this places on those for whom English is not a first language. However, because of the multiple review processes, English was chosen to provide consistency across all entries and reduce the risk of translation error or misinterpreting an application. We appreciate your accommodation and understanding. Please note, English language skills are not a criterion on which applications will be judged. We welcome and encourage those for whom English is not a first language to apply.

Thank you! Based on the information provided above, we encourage you to strongly consider if this Competition is a good fit for your organization. Please take into consideration the information you have gathered from this tool including eligibility requirements, organizational capacity/time required to participate, the likelihood of your application being competitive, etc. If you believe your application may be successful, please register for the Competition by Friday, September 11, at 5:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time. You must register in order to submit an application to the Competition. Applications to the Competition must be submitted by Friday, October 9, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time.

If your organization is not ready to participate in this Competition, we hope you explore opportunities to partner with others or prepare to apply for other future awards. Sign up to learn about future Lever for Change initiatives here.

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