Grants

Grantee and Contractor Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What are my reporting obligations to RWJF?
  2. How do I submit my products to RWJF?
  3. What financial reports do I need to file?
  4. What annual reporting is required?
  5. What final reporting is required?
  6. What goes in a narrative report?
  7. What is an Annual Narrative Report?
  8. What is a Final Narrative Report?
  9. What is the difference between an Annual Narrative Report and a Final Narrative Report?
  10. What is a bibliography?
  11. Is a bibliography necessary when delivering an annual report?
  12. When does RWJF want products from my project?
  13. What kinds of products does RWJF want?
  14. Do you want to see the media coverage my project has received?
  15. Are there certain formats I need to use to submit products?
  16. What if the file is larger than 10 megabytes and cannot be emailed?
  17. May I request an extension to the end date?
  18. What do I do if I need more time to complete a report or to provide information to RWJF?
  19. When and how do I revise my budget?
  20. What if the principal investigator transfers to a new organization, or the current organization can no longer provide support to the project, or the project itself becomes a separate organization and wishes to complete grant activities under its own name?
  21. What if the principal investigator changes?
  22. What if the project changes scope or objective?
  23. What is a national program? Where can I find a list of all national program offices?
  24. What is required for national program office reporting?
  25. Are there guidelines for announcing the receipt of my RWJF grant?
  26. Can RWJF funds be used for lobbying or political campaign activity?
  27. What is a Program Results report?
  28. How does RWJF pay out grants?
  29. What nonfinancial help can I get from RWJF to help me achieve the goals of my project?
  30. Are there specific initiatives or resources related to my national program?
  31. How can I find out what other RWJF grantees are doing in subject areas similar to my own?
  32. Can you point me to resources that will help me plan a healthier meeting?
  33. I want to improve my organization's efforts in the community. Do you have helpful tips for working in the community?
  34. What tools and resources are available for research-related tasks?
  35. What sources and guidelines are available for planning and using survey research projects?
  36. How can I create more effective public interest print advertising?
  37. Are there guidelines for using electronic media on behalf of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation?

 

1. What are my reporting obligations to RWJF? (Answer last updated on Feb. 15, 2013)

Grantees of RWJF are responsible for reporting to the Foundation through financial reports, narrative reports, and a bibliography. Refer to your award initial payment letter for due dates of reports. Required reporting includes:

If you have questions about RWJF’s reporting requirements, please contact us.

Grantees of a national program: These RWJF instructions are in addition to and do not replace the reporting requirements of your national program office. For information on those requirements, please contact your national program office.

If you are managing a center or other entity funded through an RWJF authorization, we also want you to file a Summative Program Report at the end of the initiative. The Summative Program Reports provides an opportunity for you to reflect on the overall accomplishments of the initiative, and its challenges and impact. See National Initiative Summative Report Instructions.

 

2. How do I submit my products to RWJF? (Answer last updated on May 14, 2012)

All products are submitted via email to grantreports@rwjf.org. We ask that you submit products from your grant as soon as they are available. You are required to send a Testimony Cover Sheet with any testimony to a legislative or regulatory body.

See RWJF Electronic Submission Standards for more information. 

 

3. What financial reports do I need to file? (Answer last updated on Feb. 15, 2013)

Financial Report forms are attached to your award initial payment email, subsequent payment emails, and budget revision or extension approval emails. Information regarding the specific due dates for your award was included in your award initial payment letter. Unless you are otherwise notified, your financial reports are due 30 days after each reporting period listed on the Financial Report form.

 

4. What annual reporting is required? (Answer last updated on Feb. 15, 2013)

For grants over $500,000, semi-annual financial, and annual financial and narrative reports are required. For grants of $500,000 or less, annual financial and annual narrative reports are required.

Please refer to Grantee Reporting Instructions: Complete Narrative and Bibliography Information for additional information.

 

5. What final reporting is required? (Answer last updated on Feb. 15, 2013)

In addition to annual reporting, grantees of RWJF and grantees of RWJF national programs both are responsible for reporting to the Foundation at the end of their project through a narrative report, a financial report, and a bibliography.

The required documents are:

If you have questions about RWJF’s reporting requirements, please contact us.

If you are a grantee of a national program, RWJF reporting requirements are in addition to and do not replace the reporting requirements of your national program office. For national program office reporting requirements, please contact your national program office.

 

6. What goes in a narrative report? (Answer last updated on Feb. 24, 2012)

In a narrative report, you answer a series of questions to inform RWJF about how your project is meeting its established goals, activities you have engaged in to date to meet those goals and any that have not been completed on schedule, and other issues you are addressing. We expect you to report to us any changes from the planned activities that were described in your proposal. Upon reading your answers to these questions, your program officer may contact you for additional information. At the end of your grant, we also ask you to submit a bibliography of any materials produced during the grant. For more information, please refer to the Grantee Reporting Instructions: Complete Narrative and Bibliography Information.

 

7. What is an Annual Narrative Report? (Answer last updated on Feb. 24, 2012)

Annual Narrative Reports are filed at the end of each year of a multiyear grant, usually at the same time as the annual financial report. Narrative and financial reports are our principal means of staying informed about your project.

With the annual narrative, send the Product Update Form.

Please refer to Grantee Reporting Instructions: Complete Narrative and Bibliography Information for additional information.

 

8. What is a Final Narrative Report? (Answer last updated on Feb. 24, 2012)

Your Final Narrative Report covering the entire grant period is filed at the end of your grant. For multiyear grants, it takes the place of the annual narrative report in the last year of the grant. If your grant is one year or less, you will file only a Final Narrative Report. It is a substantive record of the accomplishments of the project, how they met the goals set forth in your proposal and the activities you conducted to reach these accomplishments. Information from your Annual Narrative Report and Final Narrative Report may be used to summarize the results or findings of the project, both in a Program Results Report (see Program Results for more information) and in other Foundation-related publications published after the grant has closed.

 

9. What is the difference between an Annual Narrative Report and a Final Narrative Report? (Answer last updated on Feb. 24, 2012)

Annual Narrative Reports are filed at the end of each year of a multiyear grant, usually at the same time as the Annual Financial Report. For projects lasting more than one year, Annual Narrative Reports help us to stay informed about your project. During the course of your grant, the Annual Narrative Reports you submit are treated as confidential documents.

Your Final Narrative Report covering the entire grant period is filed at the end of your grant. For multiyear grants, it takes the place of the Annual Narrative Report in the last year of the grant. If your grant is one year or less, you will file only a Final Narrative Report.

 

10. What is a bibliography? (Answer last updated on Feb. 24, 2012)

A bibliography is NOT a comprehensive listing of every product created during your project. It is a record of specific products that are available to the public. It provides the information necessary for the public to access your products. It includes the following:

  • Articles by project/program staff published in journals, magazines, newsletters and newspapers, and special issues of journals.
  • Books & Chapters, both published and unpublished but completed.
  • Communications or Promotions: Materials to communicate the project’s/program’s findings, results, recommendations, or solutions to the media and broader public; and to advocate for change; includes blogs, Facebook, YouTube, and websites.
  • Education or Toolkit: Materials created by the project/program and used to instruct or deliver educational content.
  • Meeting or Conference Materials, include proceedings, transcripts and supporting materials from sponsored meetings/workshops; presentations made by project/program staff at outside conferences; and testimony given to government legislative or regulatory bodies.
  • Reports (including monographs): Analysis, synthesis, evaluation, research findings, results of the work, conclusions, recommendations, strategy, lessons learned, data analysis.

If you produced any of these materials, a bibliography must be provided with your Final Narrative Report.

The Bibliography is a separate document from your Final Narrative Report, however it is submitted when you file your Final Narrative Report:

Please see the final section of Grantee Reporting Instructions: Complete Narrative and Bibliography Information, which includes categories of entries and entry formats for the bibliography.

 

11. Is a bibliography necessary when delivering an annual report? (Answer last updated on Feb. 24, 2012)

No. A bibliography is only necessary when delivering the Final Narrative Report. With the annual narrative, send the Product Update Form.

 

12. When does RWJF want products from my project? (Answer last updated on May 14, 2012)

RWJF wants you to send electronic versions of your products as soon as they are completed, not when you file your reports. You should email them to grantreports@rwjf.org. You should also send products published after your grant closes. See RWJF Electronic Submission Standards for more information.

 

13. What kinds of products does RWJF want? (Answer last updated on Feb. 24, 2012)

RWJF wants you to send all the products you have completed throughout your grant, including the following:

  • Articles by project/program staff published in journals, magazines, newsletters and newspapers, and special issues of journals.
  • Books or Chapters.
  • Communications or Promotions: Materials to communicate the project’s/program’s findings, results, recommendations, or solutions to the media and broader public; and to advocate for change; includes blogs, FaceBook, YouTube, or websites.
  • Education of Toolkit: Materials created by the project/program and used to instruct or deliver educational content.
  • Meeting or Conference Materials: include proceedings, transcripts and supporting materials from sponsored meetings/workshops; presentations made by project/program staff at outside conferences; and testimony given to government legislative or regulatory bodies. If sending testimony, you must also send theTestimony Cover Sheet or RWJF will not accept the testimony.
  • Reports (including monographs): Analysis, synthesis, evaluation, research findings, results of the work, conclusions, recommendations, strategy, lessons learned, data analysis.

Do not send works-in-process or items not listed above. See RWJF Electronic Submission Standards for more information.

 

14. Do you want to see the media coverage my project has received? (Answer last updated on Feb. 24, 2012)

Yes, RWJF wants a specific selection of your media coverage. With your Annual Narrative Reports, RWJF wants you to provide a compilation of national and regional coverage received in the past year, as a package. See the Annual Narrative Report section of Grantee Reporting Instructions: Complete Narrative and Bibliography Information. Also see Electronic Submission Standards for details about submitting radio, television, and web coverage.

 

15. Are there certain formats I need to use to submit products? (Answer last updated on Apr. 21, 2009)

Yes, you must submit your products to RWJF in certain formats and using certain naming conventions. To learn about them, see RWJF Electronic Submission Standards.

 

16. What if the file is larger than 10 megabytes and cannot be emailed? (Answer last updated on Feb. 16, 2012)

You can compress the file (using 'zip' software) and email it. You can also submit the file on a flash drive, CD, or DVD, and mail it to RWJF. Flash drives, CDs, or DVDs will not be returned. See RWJF Electronic Submission Standards for more information.

 

17. May I request an extension to the end date? (Answer last updated on Feb. 15, 2013)

Please refer to the RWJF Guidelines for Extension of Award for how to submit a request for an extension to your award dates, if you feel you need one. Please note that extensions to awards are reviewed for both financial and programmatic appropriateness and are not automatically granted.

 

18. What do I do if I need more time to complete a report or to provide information to RWJF? (Answer last updated on Apr. 21, 2009)

To request a change in the due date for submission of reports and/or project deliverables, follow the instructions at RWJF Guidelines for Extension of Due Dates.

 

19. When and how do I revise my budget? (Answer last updated on Feb. 15, 2013)

Review Budget Revision Guidelines for complete information.

 

20. What if the principal investigator transfers to a new organization, or the current organization can no longer provide support to the project, or the project itself becomes a separate organization and wishes to complete grant activities under its own name? (Answer last updated on Dec. 14, 2009)

You may shift the responsibility for conducting grant activities from one grantee organization to another if the present grant has a balance of $20,000 or more in uncommitted/unexpended funds, and if both organizations involved agree to the transfer. Please refer to Transfer Grant Guidelines for more information.

 

21. What if the principal investigator changes? (Answer last updated on Feb. 15, 2013)

Before the principal investigator (PI) changes or leaves the role, contact your program officer and program financial analyst to discuss or, if your project is funded under a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation national program, contact your national program office.

 

22. What if the project changes scope or objective? (Answer last updated on Feb. 15, 2013)

Contact your RWJF program officer if you are contemplating any changes in program scope or objectives, or your national program office if your project is funded under a RWJF national program, to determine what, if any, formal approval is required. Changes that impact the budget may require a budget revision. Review Budget Revision Guidelines for complete information.

 

23. What is a national program? Where can I find a list of all national program offices? (Answer last updated on Feb. 24, 2012)

A national program consists of a cluster of grantees and other interested parties that work together to create impact in one of the Foundation's program areas. National programs are managed by national program offices. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation currently supports more than 52 national programs with national program offices. View a list of national programs.

Some national initiatives are not managed by national program offices and will not be included in the list above. Some are managed internally and others have different managerial structures, such as a center.

 

24. What is required for national program office reporting?(Answer last updated on Feb. 24, 2012)

National program offices should refer to NPONet (log into myRWJF and click the button for “NPONet” within “MyRWJF websites”) for complete national program reporting instructions. If you are a national program office of the Foundation and do not have access to NPONet, please contact us to request access.

If you are the grantee of an RWJF national program, please complete the same Grantee Reporting Instructions: Complete Narrative and Bibliography Information and Budget Information reporting as other grantees.

 

25. Are there guidelines for announcing the receipt of my RWJF grant?(Answer last updated on Apr. 21, 2009)

News releases announcing the receipt of your RWJF grant and/or grant renewal require advance approval from the Foundation. Announcement guidelines are included in your grant award letter. If you have questions, please contact the communications officer for your grant.

 

26. Can RWJF funds be used for lobbying or political campaign activity?(Answer last updated on Feb. 24, 2012)

RWJF grant funds cannot be used to fund lobbying or political campaign activities. Both of these activities are prohibited by the legal agreements established between the Foundation and the grantee at the beginning of the grant. Sometimes grantees ask if they may lobby with non-RWJF funds. Grantees are free to carry on whatever activities they are otherwise permitted to conduct with other sources of support. Please review the note about advocacy in Question #1 of the annual and final narrative report instructions. See Grantee Reporting Instructions: Complete Narrative and Bibliography Information.

 

27. What is a Program Results Report? (Answer last updated on Feb. 24, 2012)

The Foundation's Program Results Reporting Unit engages writers to produce short reports on the majority of the Foundation's recently closed grants and longer reports on national programs. If a report is assigned on your project, you will receive an email from the Program Results Reporting Unit notifying you about the report and the name of the writer who has been assigned to produce it. Please refer to Program Results for additional information.

 

28. How does RWJF pay out grants? (Answer last updated on May 3, 2010)

It depends on the size of the grant. Refer to Payment Model for details.

 

29. What nonfinancial help can I get from RWJF to help me achieve the goals of my project? (Answer last updated on Jun. 22, 2009)

If your grant is part of a national program, your national program office (NPO) may have a number of consulting, training or research resources that can be applied to your project. You are encouraged to contact your NPO directly.

If you are not part of a national program, contact your program officer. Please be aware that the Foundation has limited resources and cannot guarantee technical assistance to all projects.

This Financial Glossary defines financial terms for RWJF grantees.

 

30. Are there specific initiatives or resources related to my national program? (Answer last updated on Nov. 12, 2008)

National program-specific resources may be available through your national program office's Web site or through the national program office. You can use our website to look up your national program office's website and/or contact information. Note: The national program offices often have information and technical tools available to organizations not funded by RWJF.

 

31. How can I find out what other RWJF grantees are doing in subject areas similar to my own?  (Answer last updated on Nov. 12, 2008)

Peruse the grants list across the Foundation which allows you to search for other grantees by program area, organization, or keyword.

 

32. Can you point me to resources that will help me plan a healthier meeting? (Answer last updated on Feb. 18, 2013)

"Guidelines for Offering Healthy Foods at Meetings, Seminars and Catered Events" is a helpful resource if you are looking for ideas to build healthier meeting menus. The guidelines were developed by the faculty, staff, and students at the University of Minnesota, School of Public Health to help facilitate the selection of healthier food and beverage options and are available from the University of Minnesota, School of Public Health's website. 

Additional meeting planning resources are available to national program offices and Foundation grantees on NPONet  (log into myRWJF and click the button for “NPONet” within “MyRWJF”). If you are a national program office of the Foundation and do not have access to NPONet, please contact us to request access.

 

33. I want to improve my organization's efforts in the community. Do you have helpful tips for working in the community? (Answer last updated on Jul. 6, 2009)

In the Community Tool Box you will find practical information about building healthy communities. The Community Tool Box is a free, Internet-based service to assist you in addressing community health and development issues in your community by connecting people, ideas and resources.

 

34. What tools and resources are available for research-related tasks? (Answer last updated on Jun. 22, 2009)

For grantees and others who need to perform a research-related task or self-evaluation but want guidance about our standards—the Foundation presents these resources, tools and tips in this Guide to Evaluation Primers.

Produced by the Association for the Study and Development of Community (ASDC) for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, this guide offers an orientation to handbooks and basic primers on evaluation. These resources are designed to meet the needs of the nonexpert.

 

35. What sources and guidelines are available for planning and using survey research projects? (Answer last updated on Nov. 7, 2011)

RWJF prides itself on providing reliable and objective information that meets the highest standards for scientific integrity. Much of the research and evaluation work we fund and disseminate includes results from surveys and polls. These activities must be carried out adhering to the highest standards for the design, conduct and reporting of the studies. RWJF standards are consistent with American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR). The following guidelines apply to polls and surveys purchased directly by RWJF or by a grantee or contractor using RWJF funds. Click here to view the RWJF Guidelines for Funding and Releasing Polls and Surveys.

 

36. How can I create more effective public interest print advertising? (Answer last updated on Jun. 22, 2009)

To help you create more effective public interest print advertising the following outline has been adapted from "Why Bad Ads Happen to Good Causes," written by Andy Goodman, designed and published by Cause Communications, (2002).

 

37. Are there guidelines for using electronic media on behalf of the Foundation? (Answer last updated on Oct. 10, 2012)

Because some uses of electronic media can raise privacy issues and other legal and reputation concerns, we have developed guidelines for contractors. If after considering these guidelines you have questions regarding their applicability to a particular project, please contact the Foundation communications officer assigned to your project.

 

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