FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions for Fannie Mae Foundation

Grant Recipients

Q: Will the Foundation make any more new grants this year?

A: No. The Foundation will not be making any new grants this year. It will fulfill all of its legal obligations, including honoring any grants commitments outlined in executed grant agreements.

Q: How can an organization apply for a grant from Fannie Mae?

A: Please direct questions about Fannie Mae's philanthropic giving to 202-752-7000.

Q: The Fannie Mae Foundation has supported our organization in the past. Will Fannie Mae provide support to our organization in 2007?

A: Please direct questions about Fannie Mae's philanthropic giving to 202-752-7000.

We also suggest that you contact The Foundation Center, a nonprofit organization that helps grantseekers find information on grants and grantmakers.

Q: The Fannie Mae Foundation has supported housing research in the past. Will Fannie Mae provide support for housing research in 2007?

A: Please direct questions about Fannie Mae's philanthropic giving to 202-752-7000.

We also suggest that you contact The Foundation Center, a nonprofit organization that helps grantseekers find information on grants and grantmakers.

Annual Housing Conference/ Rouse Lecture

Q: Will there be an Annual Housing Conference and Rouse Lecture in 2007?

A: Please direct questions regarding the future of these programs to 202-752-7000.

Help the Homeless Program

Q: Will there be a Help the Homeless Program in Washington, D.C., in 2007?

A: Yes. 2007 marks the 20^th year for the Help the Homeless Program. The Walkathon on the National Mall is scheduled for November 17, 2007. The Help the Homeless Program will also expand to at least five additional cities. In 2006, the Help the Homeless Program raised more than $8 million to support 180 beneficiary organizations in the Washington metropolitan area.

Q: Will there be a continuing commitment to preventing and ending homelessness when the Foundation closes?

A: As we approach the 20^th Annual Walkathon for the Help the Homeless Program, Fannie Mae has publicly stated that it will build on the Foundation's good work and will seek to bolster national awareness of the need to prevent and ultimately end homelessness.

D.C.-Based Initiatives

Q: Will Fannie Mae continue to provide support to citywide affordable housing efforts such as the tenant purchase system and an affordable housing land trust?

A: Please direct questions about Fannie Mae's philanthropic programs and initiatives to 202-752-7000.

Q: Will Fannie Mae continue to provide support citywide education and literacy efforts such as the Mayor's literacy initiative and out of school time programs?

A: Please direct questions about Fannie Mae's philanthropic programs and initiatives to 202-752-7000.

Q: Will Fannie Mae provide support for citywide initiatives to enhance the quality of life in the District of Columbia?

A: Please direct questions about Fannie Mae's philanthropic programs and initiatives to 202-752-7000.

Innovations Awards Past Recipients

Q: Will there be an Ash Institute's Innovations in American Government Award in 2007?

A: Yes. The Foundation made a grant in 2006 to support an award in 2007 for innovations in affordable housing and community develop as part of the Ash Institute's Innovations in Government Award. The application deadline for the 2007 Innovations in American Government Awards competition has passed. Additional information about this awards program is posted on the Ash Institute's Web site.

Q: What about alumni from the Fannie Mae Foundation leadership programs, such as the Fannie Mae Foundation Fellowship Program at the Kennedy School, the James A. Johnson Community Fellowship Program, the Maxwell Awards of Excellence Program, and the Ash Institute's Innovations in American Government Award?

A: The alumni from the Foundation's leadership programs are part of a broader alumni network of housing leaders. In order to strengthen this network, the Foundation has issued an alumni directory to share contact information with this vast network of alumni from the signature programs. In addition, KnowledgePlex will maintain a Web site for alumni to update their contact information online.

Johnson Fellows/Alumni

Q: The Foundation recently selected its 2007 James A. Johnson Community Fellows. Will the Foundation continue to support its 2007 Johnson Fellows?

A: Yes. The Foundation recently selected the six Johnson Fellows and the Foundation has made provisions to support them throughout the 2007 Fellowship year.

Q: Will there be a 2008 James A. Johnson Community Fellowship Program?

A: Please direct questions about Fannie Mae's philanthropic programs and initiatives to 202-752-7000.

Q: What will happen to past James A. Johnson Community Fellows?

A: The James A. Johnson Community Fellows are part of a broader alumni network of housing leaders. In order to strengthen this network, the Foundation has issued an alumni directory to share contact information with this vast network of alumni from the signature programs. In addition, KnowledgePlex will maintain a Web site for alumni to update their contact information online.

Q: Will the online knowledge tools the James A. Johnson Community Fellows have used in the past continue to be available?

A: Yes. The James A. Johnson Community Fellows group extranet through KnowledgePlex will be maintained and you should continue to interact using this platform and other services available to the affordable housing community through KnowledgePlex.org and DataPlace.org.

Q: What about alumni from the Fannie Mae Foundation leadership programs, such as the Fannie Mae Foundation Fellowship Program to the Kennedy School, the James A. Johnson Community Fellowship Program, the Maxwell Awards of Excellence Program, and the Ash Institute's Innovations in American Government Award?

Kennedy School Fellows/Alumni

Q: Will the Foundation continue to support the Fannie Mae Foundation Fellowship Program to the Kennedy School's Senior Executives in State and Local Government program in 2007?

A: Yes. The Foundation made a grant in 2006 to support up to 35 fellows attending the 2007 Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at the Kennedy School. Additional information can be found at http://www.fanniemaefoundation.org/programs/ksg.html.

Maxwell Awards of Excellence Past Recipients

Q: Will there be a Maxwell Awards Program in 2007?

A: Please direct questions about Fannie Mae's philanthropic programs and initiatives to 202-752-7000.

KnowledgePlex® and DataPlace^TM

Users

Q: What will happen to KnowledgePlex and DataPlace?

A: The Fannie Mae Foundation has supported the creation of KnowledgePlex, Inc. an independent nonprofit organization that will continue to operate KnowledgePlex and DataPlace as valuable information resources for the affordable housing sector. KnowledgePlex and DataPlace will continue to provide the affordable housing field with its key services, such as Week in Review, key community data, and online chats free of charge. This new organization also will pursue other opportunities to apply this technology to other sectors in an effort to democratize information and data for low-income communities.

Q: Will Fannie Mae fund KnowledgePlex and DataPlace after the Foundation closes?

A: The Fannie Mae Foundation currently intends to contribute to KnowledgePlex, Inc. the assets and intellectual property used in the KnowledgePlex and DataPlace programs. In addition, KnowledgePlex, Inc. anticipates receiving significant start-up support that will enable it to maintain KnowledgePlex and DataPlace as these activities move into a standalone entity. During 2007, KnowledgePlex, Inc. will be seeking support from other funders and organizations interested in supporting this innovative technology for 2008 and beyond.

Q: Does this mean I will now have to pay for my subscription to KnowledgePlex once the Foundation funding has stopped?

A: No. The business plan for KnowledgePlex, Inc. will ensure that organizations working to transform communities and neighborhoods have free access to the information and data they need. However, there may be premium services beyond what's available that may require a subscription fee. KnowledgePlex, Inc. will be sharing information and its plans with its subscribers in the coming months.

Q: Will KnowledgePlex's Week in Review and DataPlace's data continue to be updated?

A: Yes. The start-up support for KnowledgePlex, Inc. will cover the costs associated with maintaining and updating all customarily produced content on KnowledgePlex and DataPlace. Beyond 2007, KnowledgePlex is working on how to continue providing that information free of charge.

Q: Is KnowledgePlex, Inc. looking for external funders and other partners?

A: Yes. KnowledgePlex, Inc. is looking for external funders and other partners that it can work with to bring KnowledgePlex and DataPlace-like solutions to the funders' and partners' communities and grantees.

Vendors/contractors:

Q: What will happen to KnowledgePlex and DataPlace?

A: KnowledgePlex and DataPlace will continue to exist, but under the auspices of KnowledgePlex, Inc., a newly established standalone nonprofit organization.

Q: What will happen to my contract after the Foundation spins off KnowledgePlex?

A: Existing commitments and agreements will be assigned to KnowledgePlex, Inc., which will contract with vendors that provide services necessary to operate and maintain KnowledgePlex and DataPlace. KnowledgePlex, Inc.'s goal is to provide uninterrupted service to its users and partners.

Partners and Affiliates:

Q: Will my existing cobrand remain free?

A: Yes. Existing cobrands will not be charged a fee for maintenance services in 2007. While it's possible that the situation may change in 2008, the KnowledgePlex, Inc. team will work with you as it develops its future plans.

Q: Who should I work with from this point on?

A: Continue to work with your current KnowledgePlex contact until you are notified otherwise. If you are having problems reaching your contact, the info@knowledgeplex.org e-mail address will be able to redirect you to someone who can help you.

Q: Will my existing extranet, RSS feed, syndication, ticker, or other Web service I currently get from KnowledgePlex or DataPlace continue to exist and be free?

A: Yes. All existing free services will remain free into the foreseeable future.

Q: Patrick Simmons and/or Troy Anderson have been scheduled to speak or present to our audience and have already been listed in our programmatic materials. Will they still commit to speaking/presenting at our event?

A: Yes. As KnowledgePlex, Inc. becomes its own entity, KnowledgePlex and DataPlace staff, or their comparable representatives, will continue to honor their commitments to speaking at your event. For more details, contact your speaker/presenter directly.

Publications

Q: My article was published in Housing Policy Debate and I've always had to contact the Fannie Mae Foundation to get permission to reproduce it in course packs, etc. Who will I contact now?

A: The Fannie Mae Foundation relinquishes any claim in and to the copyrights in all publications prepared and funded by the Foundation and dedicates any rights it may have in these publications to the public domain. Articles and reports published by the Foundation will be available to the public on KnowledgePlex.

Q: Will the Foundation continue to issue Housing Facts & Findings?

A: No. The Fannie Mae Foundation relinquishes any claim in and to the copyrights in all publications prepared and funded by the Foundation and dedicates any rights it may have in these publications to the public domain. Articles and reports published by the Foundation are available to the public on KnowledgePlex.

Q: Can hard copies be obtained in the future?

A: No. However, the Fannie Mae Foundation relinquishes any claim in and to the copyrights in all publications prepared and funded by the Foundation and dedicates any rights it may have in these publications to the public domain. Articles and reports published by the Foundation are available to the public on KnowledgePlex.

Q: Will Housing in the Nation's Capital be published in 2007?

A: Yes. The Urban Institute is currently working on the 2007 report, which has a late November 2007 release date.

Q: Will Housing in the Nation's Capital be published beyond 2007?

A: Please direct questions about Fannie Mae's future support of Housing in the Nation's Capital to 202-752-7000.

Q: Will the DC Housing Monitor continue to be published?

A: The DC Housing Monitor will be published through 2007.

Q: Will DC Housing Monitor be published after 2007?

A: Please direct questions about Fannie Mae's future support of DC Housing Monitor to 202-752-7000.

Q: Will Focus continue to be published?

A: The final issue of Focus was published in April 2007 and it can be found at http://www.fanniemaefoundation.org/news/fmf_focus.html.

Housing Policy Debate

Q: Will the Foundation continue to publish Housing Policy Debate?

A: At the end of April 2007, the Fannie Mae Foundation transitioned publication of Housing Policy Debate to the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Volume 18, Issue 1 was the final issue published by the Foundation. For new submissions or questions, please contact Katrin Anacker at HousingPolicyDebate@vt.edu.

Q: Will there now be a charge to receive Housing Policy Debate?

A: We do not know at this time because that decision will depend on the policies adopted by the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Q: Will the current Housing Policy Debate editorial board members be asked to stay?

A: We do not know at this time because those decisions will depend on the policies adopted by the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Q: I'm already in the revision process with a manuscript for Housing Policy Debate will I have to start the review process over? Who should I send the revised paper to? My article is under review now-how long until I know its status?

A: The current managing editor, Kristopher Rengert, will work closely with the new editors during the transition to maintain the article pipeline and enable a smooth transition. You can continue to communicate with him at HousingPolicyDebate@vt.edu.

Q: My article was published in Housing Policy Debate and I've always had to contact the Fannie Mae Foundation to get permission to reproduce it in course packs, etc. Who will I contact now?

Other Philanthropic Organizations

Q: Will Fannie Mae be providing support to philanthropic collaborations and membership efforts such as WRAG, Living Cities, and D.C. Support Collaborative?

A: Please direct questions about Fannie Mae's philanthropic programs and initiatives to 202-752-7000.

Q: Will Fannie Mae continue to be a participating member in the Washington Area Regional Grantmakers Association?

A: Please direct questions about Fannie Mae's philanthropic programs and initiatives to 202-752-7000.

Q: Will Foundation staff continue to be involved as board members and committee participants in WRAG, Living Cities, D.C. Support Collaborative, and other boards that they may serve on by virtue of their employment at the Fannie Mae Foundation?

A: As the Foundation is ceasing operations, such board members will no longer be employed by the Foundation. Some organizations may want individuals to continue to serve in their personal capacity. Others may prefer Fannie Mae involvement and should solicit participation from a Fannie Mae representative.

Please direct these requests to 202-752-7000.