2015/16 Player Foundation Grant Application Guide

National Football League Foundation
Player Foundation Grant
Application Guide
Each year, the NFL Foundation receives a growing number of Player Foundation Grant applications. In an
effort to streamline the application process for applicants as well as the review process for each submission,
the NFL Foundation has supplemented its online Grant Application Management System (GAMS) with a
helpful guide to walk you through the Player Foundation Grant program.
This application guide contains new and updated submission guidelines and requirements as well as
helpful tips to strengthen your foundation operations. Please read it thoroughly and carefully consider all of
the information provided before beginning this year’s Player Foundation Grant application process.
THE MISSION OF the National Football League Foundation
The NFL Foundation is the league’s nonprofit organization representing the 32 NFL clubs. Its mission is to support the
health, safety and wellness of athletes, youth football and the communities which support our game.
Through its Player Foundation Grant program, the NFL Foundation awards grants each year to recognize and
support the charitable work of current and former NFL players’ nonprofit organizations that either 1) fund and
implement programs; or 2) function as grant-making foundations to other charitable organizations.
Before you begin your application, please review the FAQ section of this guide to determine if you are eligible to
apply for a Player Foundation Grant.
2015/2016 PRIORITIES: The NFL Foundation grant-making focuses for the upcoming grant cycle are Youth Character
Development and Youth Health and Safety. If your foundation works in either of these areas, please carefully detail
your work in the narrative sections of the grant application.
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FAQs
Is my organization eligible to receive a Player Foundation Grant?
The NFL Foundation Player Foundation Grant application is open to all current and former NFL players who meet
the following criteria:
1.Players must have founded a nonprofit foundation and/or work in a full-time, salaried position for a nonprofit
(former players only).
2.The player’s foundation must be defined as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) or Section 509(a) of the IRS code.
Applications without approved tax-exempt status will not be considered.
3.The player’s foundation must be located or operating within the area of the player’s current or former NFL team
and/or in his hometown.
4.The player must demonstrate active involvement with the nonprofit foundation in order to apply for an NFL
Foundation Player Foundation Grant. Board membership, spokesperson functions, volunteering for events and
other similar support positions DO NOT qualify a player as directly or functionally associated with a foundation
and, therefore, the foundation and its work would be ineligible for funding from the NFL Foundation.
5.Players must provide personal financial contributions to their nonprofit foundations. *Please note that this
requirement is waived for former players who are full-time, salaried employees of that foundation and hold no
other jobs.
6. Former NFL players must be vested under the Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Pension Plan.
*The amount of the player’s personal financial contribution to his nonprofit foundation is weighed heavily in the
Player Foundation Grant award determination process. The maximum available Player Foundation Grant will not exceed
up to one-half of that player’s personal financial contribution to his foundation. However, this requirement does not apply
to former players who are full-time, salaried employees of that foundation and hold no other jobs.
How do I apply?
The NFL Player Foundation Grant application process is PAPERLESS and each application must be submitted
online via the NFL Foundation Grant Application Management System (GAMS) at www.nflfoundation.org.
1)Log onto www.nflfoundation.org
2) Register for the site by clicking on “Register” on the top of the homepage.
3) When registering select “NFL Player Foundation Administrator” to describe your role/position.
4)You will receive an email notification to confirm your registration. Click on the link in the email to complete the
registration process. If you do not receive this email shortly after registering, please check your SPAM folder.
5) Login to GAMS and click on “Apply for a Grant” to view the open applications, including the Player Foundation Grant.
Hard copies of the application form and/or any of its associated attachments that are received by mail, fax or
email attachments cannot be processed or stored properly and, therefore, will not be accepted. All required
attachments must be uploaded via GAMS.
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Can I apply for multiple Player Foundation Grants?
No. NFL players and eligible organizations may only apply for one Player Foundation Grant from the NFL Foundation
per fiscal year.
Can I apply for other funding opportunities through the NFL in addition to the Player Foundation Grants?
Yes. In fact, we encourage current and former NFL players to also review the funding eligibility requirements for
all NFL Foundation grants and the NFL Player Care Foundation (former players only) in order to determine the
complete number of funding opportunities available to them. For more information, visit www.nflfoundation.org
and www.nflplayercare.com.
What is the process for determining Player Foundation Grant awards?
The grant determination process for the Player Foundation Grant program is extremely competitive due to popularity of
the grant opportunity. Applications are assessed based on the strength of the applications and overall foundations and
not on a player’s profile or team. All Player Foundation Grant applications are thoroughly reviewed and evaluated.
Proposals then are categorized into different tiers in order to determine funding awards. Tiering is based on specific
factors including:
1) Level of player involvement in his organization
2) Whether the organization provides direct services or partners with other organizations that offer
programming in their communities
3) Quality of the services provided and scope of impact
4) The financial strength of the organization
5) The clarity of the application and presentation of its financial information
6) The amount of the player’s personal financial contribution to his own foundation for the current fiscal year
(applies only for current players and former players who are not full-time, salaried employees for their
organization)
*If a player applicant does not directly work for his nonprofit organization, the maximum grant available to that
player’s foundation will not exceed up to one-half of that player’s personal financial contribution to his foundation.
However, this stipulation is waived for former players who are full-time, salaried employees of that foundation
and hold no other jobs.
How does the NFL Foundation verify that player applicants made personal financial
contributions to their foundations?
Personal contribution amounts that are indicated in the online application form must be validated by uploading irrefutable
documentation such as a copy of the cancelled check, copy of a bank wire, and/or itemization of the player’s gifts in the
annual 990 reporting form. If a player also pledges to make a contribution during the current fiscal year of the application,
it is important to upload supporting documentation of that gift with the other attachments in the following year’s application
and/or with the grant reporting form of the current year that the pledge was made.
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What are the funding levels available for Player Foundation Grants?
In recent years, Player Foundation Grants have ranged from $500 to $20,500. These determinations are made on a
case-by-case basis and according to tiers. Please note that this is subject to change. Start-up grants typically are
awarded to newly created foundations with approved tax-exempt status assuming the foundation meets all grant
program requirements.
After applications are reviewed, can I find out how my application scored against others?
All applicants will receive informative evaluation and recommendation notes addressing their respective
application’s strengths and weaknesses, any programmatic and/or financial deficiencies, etc.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS & CONSIDERATIONS
• For players who have established programs that are managed by donor advised funds with local community
foundations, please be advised that the NFL Foundation can only support a player’s work through community
foundations that are recognized by the Council on Foundations and practicing under National Standards for
U.S. Community Foundations. See www.cof.org for more information.
• The NFL Foundation follows national grant making standards and Better Business Bureau recommendations
and seeks to fund organizations with administrative costs of less than 35% of the total expense budget. For more
information visit: http://www.bbb.org/us/standards-for-charity-accountability/
• Grants cannot be made to memorial foundations that were established on behalf of deceased NFL players.
• Grants cannot be used for game ticket purchases, to purchase tables at fundraising events and/or to pay for
staffing or operating costs.
• The NFL Foundation cannot award Player Foundation Grants to organizations that seek funding solely to
support a youth football camp. For those interested in receiving support for a youth football camp, please visit
www.nflfoundation.org for information on the Youth Football Camp Grant program under the grant section
of the website.
• The NFL Foundation requires that all grant recipients complete a report through GAMS detailing how their
NFL Foundation grant funds were used as well as how the funds impacted the foundation’s target audience
and communities.
• Late or incomplete application packages cannot be considered for funding. All required fields and document
uploads must be completed when an application is submitted. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
• New, or recently created foundations must provide at least one year of financial information in order to be
eligible for a grant. **Projected budgets cannot be used for an NFLF review.
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PLANNING YOUR PLAYER FOUNDATION GRANT APPLICATION
Applying for a Player Foundation Grant is a 5-step process:
Step 1: OPEN AN APPLICATION
For details on how to register, review the information on page 2 of this guide.
Once registered or if already registered, go to www.nflfoundation.org and login to GAMS.
Once logged in, click on “Apply for a Grant” and select the “NFL Player Foundation Grant.” If you do not see
the application, please check your GAMS profile to ensure that you have registered as a “NFL Player
Foundation Administrator.”
Please remember that only one submission per organization per fiscal year is permitted.
Step 2: COMPLETE & SUBMIT FOR REVIEW
Complete the online application by filling in each of the narrative and budget sections with enough
detail so that the reviewers can gain as much descriptive information about the mission and each of the
service areas provided by your nonprofit organization. Required fields and documents are noted with an
* in the application.
Once all required fields are completed and all required documents have been uploaded, you will be able
to submit your application. Please note that changes cannot be made after an application is submitted.
• Fill out all narrative fields with care. Do not assume that because you have applied for grants in the
past that NFL Foundation reviewers are familiar with your work. Write clearly about your work, why it
is important and what your foundation does that is unique and interesting. Relating personal success
stories of your constituents helps to personalize the work of your foundation and engage reviewers.
• Use care when uploading documents – read each heading and upload what is asked for under the
appropriate heading. Do not upload the same document under three or four headings. Each upload asks
for specific and different documentation.
• The budget figures you enter within the GAMS application MUST match the uploaded budget documents
you submit as attachments.
• If you neglect to provide any required narrative, budget or uploaded materials, your application will not
process. If you receive any error messages when trying to submit your application, please go back and
complete the missing information before trying to submit again.
• Once your application has been successfully submitted you will receive an email confirmation with the
status update.
IMPORTANT: The 2015/16 Player Foundation Grant application deadline is February 7, 2016. The application will
close exactly at 11:59 pm Eastern on this date. After this time, you will not be able to make any edits to your
application, even if you are working on the application at the time it closes. Please be sure to submit the application
in advance of the closing time.
Grant determinations will be made in April 2016.
Step 3: AWAITING NFL FOUNDATION REVIEW
The NFL Foundation reviews each grant application and all supporting documents. The Player Foundation Grant application process is very competitive and applicants should not assume that they will receive a
grant. Applications will be assessed based on the strength of the applications and applying organization
and not on a player’s profile, team or number of years in the NFL.
Grant determinations will be made in March-April 2016. Applicants will be notified of the NFL Foundation’s
decision at that time.
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Step 4: GRANT AGREEMENT & GRANT CHECK
If approved, the applicant will receive notification in GAMS that the application has been approved as
well as the amount of the grant.
The applicant will also receive notification when the grant agreement has been generated. Approved
applicants have the ability to electronically sign the grant agreement. If not signing electronically, please
upload a PDF of the signed grant agreement to the system.
Once the signed grant agreement is received, the grant check and final executed grant agreement
document will be mailed along with the grant check in 15-20 business days.
Please ensure that the foundation’s address is entered properly in the application fields. If any
changes occur between the submission and grant award dates, please notify our office of the new
mailing address.
Step 5: FINALIZED
Complete the Grant Report:
As a public charity, the NFL Foundation has an obligation to ensure that its funds and grants are used
prudently. All NFL Player Foundation Grant recipients are required to provide the NFL Foundation with
programmatic and financial reporting information on their respective grant awards through GAMS. By
doing so, the NFL Foundation is able to fulfill this obligation and can be confident that it helps to support
quality grant-making.
• Every organization that receives a Player Foundation Grant award must complete the online grant report
by the date listed in the grant agreement. The grant report will be made available via GAMS.
• Failure to complete the grant report is a violation of the previously signed grant agreement. If the grant
report is not completed, the organization and affiliated NFL player will be ineligible to receive any future
NFL Foundation grants.
**Please note applicants submitting multiple applications on behalf of multiple players will be required
to complete reports for ALL approved grants prior to receiving future funding.
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WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE APPLICATION
Applicant Information:
In this section, the NFL Foundation will ask for the current or former NFL player’s full name and NFL career history.
You will also need to provide contact information for the player’s foundation. The applicant will receive
all correspondence regarding the application. Please ensure that the information listed in the application is
correct. If any information needs to be changed, please update the information in your GAMS profile.
Foundation Background:
In this section, the NFL Foundation asks for a detailed summary of the background, mission, target audience and
specific goals of the player’s foundation. Do not assume that because you have applied for an NFL Foundation Player
Grant in the past that NFL Foundation reviewers know your foundation’s history.
In addition to providing accurate demographic information on the population served by your foundation, take this
opportunity to share your story with us. This would include a brief history about why the mission of this foundation
was set by the player, the proposed programming and philosophies that go into implementing its goals and what
outcomes the NFL player and organization hope to achieve in its work. This narrative section provides adequate
space for you to write about the purpose and mission of the foundation and ways it proposes to positively impact
the socio-economic factors that affect the community that the foundation serves. Providing data and information
detailing successes achieved by your foundation is important to funders. Be sure to communicate these successes
and evaluate your foundation’s goals and objectives using quantifiable and measureable metrics.
The Foundation Background section also requires you to provide a breakdown of your foundation’s paid and volunteer staff.
Foundation Programs:
Foundations that specialize in offering programs and services will need to provide information about the specific
programs that it supports. This section will allow you to share information about three of your organization’s programs.
The NFL Foundation grant making focuses for the 2015/16 grant cycle are Youth Character Development and Youth
Health and Safety. If your foundation works in either of these areas, please carefully detail your work in the narrative
sections of the grant application.
If your organization has more than three programs, please highlight those that may be supported by an NFL
Foundation grant if it is awarded. Also in this section, you will be asked to share your foundation’s best
practices for programming along with information about a unique, impactful and innovative program.
Foundations that specialize in grant making are asked to provide information about grant recipients and awards.
If NFL Foundation grant funds may be used to support grant-making initiatives, please include that information in
this section.
Financial Information – Budget:
In this section you are required to provide a 2014/15 detailed and itemized operating expense budget and a 2015/16
projected budget for the foundation. Additionally, you will need to provide information on contributions (both financial
and in-kind) from foundations, corporate sponsors and other donors that have been secured or are being solicited.
Additionally, information about your organization’s CPA and/or Bookkeeper will be required.
This section also requires you to share the current or former NFL player’s 2015/16 financial contribution to the organization.
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Documentation:
You are required to upload several documents to support your grant application. The required attachments include:
Supporting Documentation:
Required:
• A list of the names and affiliations of your foundation’s board of directors
• Résumés of key staff members and any family members on staff
• Proof of the NFL player’s 2015/16 personal financial contribution to the foundation
Encouraged:
• Detailed list of grant awards made by your foundation which includes the names of the individuals and
organizations that have received grants as well as the amount of funding provided. This is encouraged for
all grant-making organizations.
• Additional supporting documents (e.g., media coverage, press releases, etc.)
Financial Documentation:
Required:
• Your organization’s 2014/2015 full and final budget.
• Your organization’s W9 form. Please ensure that the data in your W9 form matches the information provided
in the Financial Information section. Must be dated by the IRS 2013 or later.
• Proof of your organization’s 501(c)(3) status (IRS determination letter).
• Proof of a third-party management organization’s 501(c)(3) status (IRS determination letter). Required only
for organizations that have a third-party manager.
• Your organization’s most recent IRS 990 tax reporting form.
• Financial statement documentation of actual expenses and revenues for the most recent fiscal year (one
of the following):
– If foundation revenues are less than $10,000, applicant must upload the most recent Financial Statement
or listing of actual revenues and expenses from the previous year for the foundation. The Financial
Statement or listing should reflect actual revenues and expenditures.
– If foundation revenues are less than $25,000 but more than $10,000, applicant must upload the most
recent Audited or Reviewed Financial Statement for the foundation. The Audited or Reviewed Financial
Statement should reflect actual revenues and expenditures from the previous year for the foundation.
– If foundation revenues are more than $25,000, applicant must upload the most recent Audited Financial
Statement for the foundation. The Audited Financial Statement should reflect the foundation’s actual
revenues and expenditures from the previous year.
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TROUBLESHOOTING & GAMS FAQs
Why is there a number on my application?
This is your GAMS ID number which is assigned by the Grant Application Management System to your specific
application for funding. The GAMS ID number should be used on all correspondence relating to your application.
GAMS is showing that my application is incomplete. Why?
Typically, the application is incomplete because you have not completed all of the required fields. To see what
required information has not been completed, please click on “Submit” and review any error messages.
Can I print the application?
Yes. To print a copy of the application, please click on “Print Application” within your application dashboard.
What file formats are accepted as uploads in GAMS?
GAMS will accept most file formats that you will need to upload in order to meet this requirement including but not
limited to Microsoft Word, Excel, pdf, jpeg and tif documents.
How do I contact the NFL Foundation?
Please visit your application dashboard where you have the ability to send a message directly to the NFL
Foundation administrator, or contact Logan Gerber ([email protected]).
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APPENDIX
SOME HELPFUL TIPS FOR PLAYERS TO CONSIDER:
• Work in partnership with your local community and any sponsors to offset operational costs through in-kind gifting
(e.g., office space rental, use of your player’s product allotments for giveaway activities). Work with local high
school or community organizations to secure suitable locations, facilities and fields to host your activities; propose
the donation of any required equipment to the school or organization as reimbursement for location usage.
• Current players should inform the current NFL team of your foundation’s proposed event dates and locations.
Community Relations staff at your team may be able to assist you in securing facilities, volunteers or media
coverage. Ensure that whenever the associated NFL player with your foundation is present at any public
activity that he wears appropriate, NFL team-identified and/or correct sponsor attire to highlight his status as an
NFL player and the team he currently or formerly represents.
SOME HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR NONPROFIT “ROOKIES”:
Many professional athletes want to start their own nonprofit foundations. Their motivations may include desires to
help people in need; to make a difference with respect to a specific issue; to create an on-going institution devoted to
a charitable or educational purpose; to take advantage of the tax benefits; etc.
However, not every NFL player should start a 501(c)(3) foundation.
If you think you want to start your own nonprofit foundation, you should first ask yourself the following questions:
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Why do I want to create a foundation?
What is the foundation going to do?
Who will run my foundation? Am I committed to running this organization? Short-term? Long-term?
How much money do I plan to contribute?
Is my support on-going, or will others be expected to contribute?
Keep in mind that foundations should NOT:
• Give grants to staff, board members, their families or other insiders.
• Lobby (if they are private foundations).
• Spend frivolously.
• Make investments that are wasteful or imprudent.
A 501(c)(3) is NOT a for-profit business and should not be run like one.
Avoid mistakes and ensure that you do NOT apply what you have experienced in a traditional for-profit business
to the world of the nonprofit. The standards are very different, especially when it comes to budget percentages,
travel and expenses, bonuses, vehicles, etc.
Instead of starting your own nonprofit foundation, you may want to first test the waters with an existing organization:
•Take some exploratory steps first by forming an alliance or funding a program with an existing and reputable
nonprofit, such as a local community foundation.
•Observe first-hand how the program could be run (albeit through the existing organization) to gauge interest
and involvement (yours and others), time requirements, reporting requirements, actual costs of programs, etc.
If you still want to start your own nonprofit foundation, get educated on the facts.
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First and foremost, you will need to:
• Write a general mission statement / purpose
• Develop Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws
• Name a Board of Directors and elect Officers
• Apply for federal EIN
• Apply for classification as a tax-exempt nonprofit (IRS Form 1023)
• Register to solicit charitable contributions, where applicable
Develop specific guidelines and eligibility requirements.
• Set a geographic scope
• Determine key topics/areas of impact
• Determine types of causes/organizations that will be eligible (e.g., 501(c)(3), school, church, community group, etc.)
• Create grant procedures, including applications and written grant agreements
Implement proper operations & procedures.
• Ensure that your Board of Directors meets at least once a year to vote on foundation operations and activities
•Create policy manuals that address, for example, how investment decisions are to be made and how conflicts
of interest are to be handled
• Set an amount of annual funding for the foundation
• Develop plans for raising money, where applicable
•Develop a bookkeeping/accounting system, as well as a grant tracking system, to document donations made to
the foundation and grants and other distributions made from the foundation
• Set basic grant levels for recipients/programs
• Create a foundation calendar for giving operations/programs
• Provide tax acknowledgement letters to donors
• Prepare and file annual Form 990 tax returns
Hire expert advisers.
• It is advised to have a nonprofit attorney help you with incorporation, By-Laws and IRS tax filings
• Nonprofit tax experts also should be secured to help advise on tax planning and investment
•Make sure that these advisers are experts in the nonprofit arena and are knowledgeable about
grant-making regulations
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SOME HELPFUL TIPS:
Start slow!
Be wary of employing family members.
There is growing public scrutiny of celebrities using foundations to provide jobs for families and friends. While
a player foundation may employ a friend of a family member, the salary must be reasonable and the employee’s
qualifications must be appropriate for the position.
Remember that your books are public records!
The IRS and the public have the right to review Form 990, which reports among other things your foundation’s
grant activities and expenses. Instances of self-dealing, inappropriate use of funds, etc., will be readily visible
to the public. With social media and easy accessibility of Form 990 on the Internet, this is a growing issue with
celebrities’ foundations.
Ongoing funding can be a burden. Ask yourself the following questions:
• How much will it cost to operate the foundation?
• How much am I going to contribute? Will the foundation need funds from others, or will my support fully fund the
foundation’s proposed activities?
• How will the foundation be supported in the short-term? Long-term?
• Do I plan on holding fundraising events? Fundraising for nonprofits can be tricky!
• Am I prepared to do unavoidable paperwork? Foundations must acknowledge donations, file annual Forms 990, etc.
Avoid the common pitfalls:
• Undefined purpose or confused nonprofit status
• Ballooning administrative overhead
• Lack of financial support by founding NFL player or others
• Lack of diverse funding streams (if other than a private foundation)
• Overpaid and/or under-qualified staff and advisers
• Improper or incomplete financials
• Improper spending (personal loans, excessive expenses)
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Nonprofit GLOSSARY
501(c)(3): Internal Revenue Code section that describes charitable and /or educational organizations.
509(a): Internal Revenue Code section that describes organizations exempt from Federal income taxation and
defines public charities / private foundations.
Annual Report: A voluntary report published by a foundation describing its grant-making and other activities.
Articles of Incorporation: A document filed with the Secretary of State by persons establishing a nonprofit corporation.
By-Laws: Rules governing the internal operation of a nonprofit corporation, such as how directors are elected.
Disqualified Person: Major contributors, organization managers, persons with influence over the organization
and any family members of the above. If a player foundation is a private foundation, applicable law prohibits
financial and other transactions between disqualified persons and the foundation (i.e., self-dealing). If the
player foundation is a public charity, applicable law prohibits the foundation from providing excess benefits
(e.g., compensation for services that exceeds a reasonable amount).
Endowment: Principal maintained intact and invested to create a source of income for a foundation.
Excise Tax: Annual tax of 1-2% of net investment income that must be paid to the IRS by private foundations.
Form 990: IRS form filed by public charities.
Form 990-PF: IRS form filed by private foundations.
Inurement Ban: Essentially, the unjust enrichment of a charity’s insiders.
Operating Foundation: Private foundations that use the bulk of their income to run charitable programs of their
own, rather than making grants to other organizations.
Private Foundation: Private Foundations are charitable organizations that are established with funds from single,
or a limited number of, sources. A foundation supported financially by only a single player, for example, would be
a private foundation. A private non-operating foundation primarily grants money to other charitable organizations while
a private operating foundation primarily runs its own programs for charitable purposes. Both must distribute a
certain percentage of income and cannot do business with major contributors. Donations to private foundations
are typically deductible for Federal income tax purposes, but the rules governing donations are more restrictive
than those applied to public charities.
Public Charity: A public charity is a charitable organization that relies on public support and actively functions
to support other charities. Donations to public charities are generally tax deductible, and the rules governing
donations to public charities are generally more favorable than those applied to private foundations.
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