© 1999 The Grant Doctors / 10049 Yukon River Way,
First Floor, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 / 916.638.7309Grants On-line Digest (G.O.L.D.)
January 1999
Volume II, number 1
CONTENTS
TIPS & TECHNIQUES
Strategies for Collaboration
Collaboration has been one of the most popular buzz words in the nonprofit community the past few years; although, the organizations talking about collaboration still outnumber those actually collaborating. The most frequent question by nonprofits that want to get involved with a collaboration is: "how do we develop a strong program, while involving a number of partners, and then turn that idea into a fundable proposal?" Below are a few ideas that, in my experience, work the best.
First, take inventory of other nonprofits in your area that complement your organization's operations-natural partners in any future ventures (i.e., collaborations).
Second, if time is on your side (you don't have a deadline or the deadline is over 30 days away), meet with a core group of collaborators-a steering committee-to develop your program concept, finalize details and identify other community organizations that are needed as program partners. Once the proposal is completed, share it with the organizations you identified as critical partners to bring them on board. Ask them if they can/will participate, take their input, find out how much funding they will need to complete their components of the program and, finally, have them sign letters of commitment. If one nonprofit can't participate, find another that performs similar services and invite them to join your program.
Third, if time is not on your side, the best approach is to sit down with all your collaborators around one table and hammer out a program. Since time is of the essence, you will need to meet at least two or three times per week for two weeks to fully develop your program. At these meetings, decide exactly who will perform which tasks so there is no confusion once the program begins (don't forget the letters of commitment). Set strict deadlines: if you tell collaborators to submit information required for the proposal and they fail to meet the deadline, cut them loose. When time is short, you need collaborators who are serious about participating in the program. Missing a deadline is an indication to the contrary. The third week should be spent writing, proofreading and revising your proposal. You will mail the proposal in the fourth week so you're guaranteed of making the deadline.
Good programs can be developed with less than 30 days before a deadline. I've done it with a collaboration of ten organizations and it was ultimately funded. If people ever say, "there's not enough time," tell them they're wrong. A good rule of thumb is: the less time you have, the less your program should offer. Don't solve all the world's problems in a program/proposal created in less than 30 days. In that short timeframe, your program should be pretty focused and specific.
Finally, limit the number of collaborators in your new program. In my opinion, life becomes too complicated if you have more than five partners working on a program (that's five collaborators plus the lead applicant). As I said above, I worked on a ten-organization collaboration and it was as challenging as herding cats. If you need more than five partners, that's fine but don't add any more than is absolutely necessary.
Good luck. If I can help, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Dave Farley
Next issue: Where to begin your grant search.
INTERVIEW Kresge Foundation (MI)
Below is a summary of a conversation I had with an official from the Kresge Foundation. Also included are some notes from the foundation's annual report.
Q: What's the best way for an applicant to approach your foundation? Letter? Phone call? Proposal?
A: The best way is to write or call and ask for our application package which includes our application, proposal guidelines and also ask for our annual report. That information should give people a good idea for the types of programs we fund and how to approach us.
Q: Do you recommend people call first to see if their program will fit your funding priorities?
A: After they review our brochure thoroughly, if they are still unsure about their eligibility, they can call but they should read all our publications first.
Q: Is there a best time of the year to submit proposals?
A: We accept applications year-round so anytime is a good time to apply. Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Q: What are the main reasons proposals are rejected?
A: The most frequent reasons for declining applications are fund raising concerns that limit the challenge opportunity: sometimes the campaign is too narrow or the outreach to potential new donors is limited. Generally, anything that limits the applicant from raising outside matching funds or donations. Another reason is that applicants don't give us enough information about their organizations.
Q: How do you inform applicants their proposal will not be funded?
A: Whether a proposal is accepted or rejected, applicants will hear from us usually within four to six months. In either case, they're notified in writing. If a proposal is denied funding, the applicant may contact us and discuss our Trustees' decision.
Q: About how many proposals does your foundation receive each year and, of those, how many are funded?
A: Well, in 1997, we received about 610 proposals that fell within our funding parameters. Of those, we made grants to 180 organization. We received far more than 610 applications but the majority of them did not meet our funding criteria and therefore were not eligible for grants. It's very important for the applicants to read our guidelines before they go to the time and trouble of submitting a proposal.
Q: Does your foundation prefer to fund projects in a specific geographic area or do you make grants nationwide?
A: We fund projects all across the country.
Q: How and why was the Kresge Foundation started?
A: Sebastian Kresge founded the foundation in 1924. Kresge founded what is now known as Kmart. The foundation awards challenge grants for capital projects, most often for construction or renovation of buildings, but also for the purchase of major equipment and real estate.
Kresge grants "challenge" the raising of new, private gifts in the midst of an organized fundraising campaign.
The Kresge Foundation's Trustees believe that American philanthropy should serve the needs and concerns of our diverse nation. Accordingly, the foundation's review of grant requests takes into account the extent to which potential grant recipients demonstrate, through their governance, staff, and individuals served, a significant commitment to serving diverse populations.
NEW GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
(If you want the complete Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for any of the following announcements, let us know and we will Email it to you. Please be specific as to which grant notice you want: include the date, federal department and grant title in your request.)
December 29, 1998
Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Environmental Justice Small Grants Program-Application Guidance FY 1999
This guidance outlines the purpose, goals, and general procedures for application and award under the Fiscal Year (FY) 1999 Office of Environmental Justice Small Grants Program. For FY 1999, EPA will make available approximately $1,600,000 in grant funds to eligible organizations; $1,000,000 of this amount is available for superfund projects only. Applications must be mailed to your appropriate EPA regional office (listed in Section III) and postmarked no later than Friday, March 5, 1999.
This guidance includes the following:
*** *** ***
December 29, 1998
Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Emerging Infections Sentinel Networks; Notice of Availability of Funds
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the availability of fiscal year (FY) 1999 funds for a cooperative agreement program for the operation of provider-based Emerging Infections Sentinel Networks (EISN). This program addresses the "Healthy People 2000" priority area of Immunization and Infectious Diseases. The purpose of the program is to assist recipients in operating and enhancing established EISNs or in setting up new networks for assessing emerging infections. These networks will assess emerging infectious diseases, including drug-resistant, foodborne and waterborne, and vaccine-preventable or potentially vaccine-preventable diseases.
Applications may be submitted by public and private nonprofit organizations and by governments and their agencies, that is, universities, colleges, research institutions, hospitals, other public and private nonprofit organizations, State and local governments or their bona fide agents, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments, Indian tribes, or Indian tribal organizations.
Deadline: February 15, 1999
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December 28, 1998
Department of Health and Human Services
Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services
ACTION: Announcement of availability of funds and request for applications under the Office of Community Services' Fiscal Year (FY) 1999 Combined Program Announcement No. OCS.99.01.
SUMMARY: The Office of Community Services (OCS) invites eligible entities to submit applications for FY 1999 funding of competitive grants serving low income persons and families under the following OCS programs:
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December 23, 1998
Department of Agriculture
Rural Housing Service
Housing Preservation Grants
SUMMARY: The Rural Housing Service (RHS) announces that it is soliciting competitive applications under its Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) program. The HPG program is a grant program which provides qualified public agencies, private nonprofit organizations and other eligible entities grant funds to assist very low- and low-income homeowners repair and rehabilitate their homes in rural areas, and to assist rental property owners and cooperative housing complexes to repair and rehabilitate their units if they agree to make such units available to low- and very low-income persons. This action is taken to comply with Agency regulations found in 7 CFR part 1944, subpart N, which requires the Agency to announce the opening and closing dates for receipt of preapplications for HPG funds from eligible applicants. The intended effect of this Notice is to provide eligible organizations notice of these dates.
DATES: RHS hereby announces that it will begin receiving preapplications on December 23, 1998. The closing date for acceptance by RHS of preapplications is March 23, 1999. This period will be the only time during the current fiscal year that RHS accepts preapplications. Preapplications must be received by or postmarked on or before the closing date.
*** *** ***
December 22, 1998
Department of Education
Women's Educational Equity Act Program (WEEA); Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 1999; Notice
Purpose of Program: To promote gender equity in education; to promote equity in education for women and girls who suffer from multiple forms of discrimination based on sex and race, ethnic origin, limited English proficiency, disability or age; and to provide financial assistance to enable educational agencies to meet the requirements of title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
Eligible Applicants: Public agencies, private nonprofit agencies, organizations, institutions, student groups, community groups, and individuals.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 19, 1999.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 19, 1999.
Applications Available: December 22, 1999.
Available Funds: $600,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: Implementation Grants: $90,000-$200,000; Research and Development Grants: $15,000-$38,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: Implementation Grants: $178,000; Research and Development Grants: $26,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: Implementation Grants: 4-6; Research and Development Grants: 1.
*** *** ***
December 22, 1998
Department of Education
Technology Innovation Challenge Grants; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 1999
Purpose of Program: The Technology Innovation Challenge Grant Program provides grants to consortia that are working to improve and expand new applications of technology to strengthen school reform efforts, improve student achievement, and provide for sustained professional development of teachers, administrators, and school library media personnel.
Eligible Applicants: Only consortia may receive grants under this program. A consortium must include at least one local educational agency (LEA) with a high percentage or number of children living below the poverty line. A consortium may also include other LEAs, private schools, State educational agencies, institutions of higher education, businesses, academic content experts, software designers, museums, libraries, and other appropriate entities.
Note: In each consortium a participating LEA shall submit the application on behalf of the consortium and serve as a fiscal agent for the grant.
Applications Available: January 12, 1999.
Deadline for Receipt of Applications: March 12, 1999.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Have a question? Ask away! Send your questions to The Grant Doctors.
REGIONAL NOTES
December 28, 1998
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Notice of Funding Availability for: the HUD-Administered Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program--Fiscal Year 1999, and the Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program for Small Communities in New York State; Correction
ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA); correction.
SUMMARY: On November 25, 1998, HUD published a notice of funding availability (NOFA) announcing: (1) the availability of approximately $54,558,000 in Fiscal Year (FY) 1999 funding for the HUD-administered Small Cities Program in New York State under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program; and (2) the availability of a maximum of approximately $200,000,000-$250,000,000 in FY 1999 funding under the Section 108 Loan Guarantee program for small cities in New York State.
On December 7, 1998, a correction notice was published to clarify that the application due date for this NOFA is February 3, 1999.
This correction notice removes language in the "Final Selection" portion of the NOFA that is not applicable to the FY 1999 funding process for this program.
SHAMELESS MARKETING
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SHARE THE WEALTH
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SHARE THE WEALTH, PART II
G.O.L.D. is a free service of The Grant Doctors. However, people continue to ask me, "Dave, how much does it cost to subscribe?" I can only conclude either (a) people aren't used to receiving something for nothing; or (b) people really want to spend money. Should you fall into the latter category, continue reading.
If you consider Grants On-line Digest a useful tool and you have a burning desire to spend money, please think about making a donation, of any amount, to one (or both) of the following organizations. I support them annually myself. (Giving is not required to receive G.O.L.D.)
Give to the Volunteer Center of Sacramento if you're a people person and want to support an organization that encourages volunteerism and teaches young people how to become responsible citizens.
Volunteer Center of Sacramento
Attn: Martha Bolton, Executive Director
1783 Tribute Road, Suite D
Sacramento, CA 95815
(916) 567-3100
If you like the warm, fuzzy feeling animals give you, donate to the Oregon Coast Aquarium.
Oregon Coast Aquarium
Attn: Greg Starypan, Director of Annual Support
2820 SE Ferry Slip Road
Newport, Oregon 97365
(541) 867-4931
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Please tell each organization you decided to give as a result of Grants On-line Digest or simply because of my own personal magnetism. Both nonprofits asked for this so they can track how effective this donation request works. (That information is for their databases only; I will never know who contributes.)
Again, you are under no obligation to make a donation. No pressure. This isn't like accepting a holiday fruit cake from your in-laws. I only ask that you give the idea some consideration.
Thank you very much.
Copyright (c) 1998, all rights reserved. Permission is granted
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© 1999 The Grant Doctors / 10049 Yukon River Way,
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