Nonprofit Community

Sharon Morneau:

Grants Administrator Ensures Grants Help Community

“My job gives me a chance to help people and the community. And that’s what makes me excited to come to work each day,” said Sharon Morneau, the Foundation’s grants administrator.

Sharon oversees grant management and regularly interfaces with numerous individuals and nonprofit organizations. She is responsible for initial grant evaluations and processes all of the grants awarded by the Foundation, including Endowment Challenge grants, community grants, and grants from Donor Advised and Donor Designated Funds.

“My most important responsibility is to make sure that any grant we award is used for the purpose it was intended and supports the community. That means ensuring that organizations applying for a grant meet its specific criteria and then provide documentation to verify the grant money was used properly,” Sharon said. “For Donor Advised or Donor Designated Fund grants, I ensure that they are awarded according to the purpose of the fund and go to a verified recipient. As a foundation, this is our fiduciary duty.”

Sharon emphasizes that she is always available to explain the granting process. “We’re different than other foundations because we don’t have an ‘open’ granting process. Our grant programs are generated through our board of directors according to a need in the community, and then announced to the public.”

Sharon has a few tips to help you avoid headaches when it is time to prepare a final report for a grant. “I always recommend tracking expenses as the project goes along, rather than trying to do it all at the end,” Sharon said. “Also, problems can arise when there are staff changes. It really helps to make sure a new employee fully understands the purpose of the grant, requirements and time limits to use the grant dollars.”

To contact Sharon, e-mail her at smorneau@CommunityFirstFoundation.org.