Grants On-line Digest (G.O.L.D.)
February 1999
Volume II, number 2
CONTENTS
G.O.L.D. NEWS
Grants On-line Digest has nearly 200 subscribers now. Our readership spans the globe from the States to Canada, Israel, Russia, South Africa and Spain. Thank you all for participating in this forum. If I left anyone out, let me know and I'll make a correction in the next issue. And, no, I don't consider Texas a separate country although some of my closest Texan friends would give me an earful if they heard me speak such blasphemy. If anyone from Texas cares to chime in on this subject, feel free. [email protected] But I digress. Enjoy the issue!
TIPS & TECHNIQUES
Back to basics: where to begin your grant search.
One of the most common questions I am asked is: "where can I find grants to fund our organization's new program?" The answer may be perfectly obvious to me but from talking with a number of nonprofit executives, they don't have the first idea of where to begin a grant search. Let's end the confusion, shall we?
First, if it's federal grants you desire, start with the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance at http://aspe.os.dhhs.gov/cfda/index.htm They provide an index of all federal grants. The information may not be terribly current so it's best to check each department's web site for the most up-to-date grant availability. If the site doesn't have any grant announcements, a quick phone call will answer your questions. Where do you find the federal departments online? Here are a few good sites to point you in the right direction:
Second, if you want state grants, I recommend using The Grant Doctors' state grant directory at http://www.thegrantdoctors.com/states.htm Yes, I am biased but I also know there is no other place on the Net that lists all state grants in one place. In addition to state grant information, you will find three things on this page: First, not all states provide information on their grant programs. There's no excuse for this. If your state does not provide grant information on their web site, contact your governor, state legislature or department directors. Second, some of the information will be outdated. This is most frustrating. I knew when I posted the pages to my web site that some information would be old and very dusty. However, I felt it was important to give people a look at past grant programs--many of which are still in existence despite the lack of current information on the state's web site. At the very least, it gives people phone numbers to call to ask questions. While you're on the phone, tell them to update their web site's information. Finally, some of the links have expired. Please be patient. I update the pages as often as possible.
Third, if you want private or corporate grants, I recommend you use the "Foundation Directory" published by The Foundation Center. There are numerous directories available--in hard copy, CD-ROM and online--but the "Foundation Directory" seems to be the best of the bunch. Be warned, though, the "Foundation Directory" has its limitations: much of the information it provides is outdated and a great number of foundations listed do not accept proposals. I spoke recently with the grants manager of a large California foundation and she doesn't care for any of the foundation directories (term used generically here). Her biggest complaint was that most of the information in the directories is not current. Regardless of this fact, she still refers nonprofits to The Foundation Center because they provide the best resources compared to other foundation information services.
Q: Great, Dave, where can I find the "Foundation Directory?"
A: You can look through a variety of The Foundation Center's publications at Cooperating Collections locations. These are libraries, community foundations and other nonprofit organizations that provide a collection of Foundation Center publications. To find the Cooperating Collection nearest you, visit The Foundation Center online at http://fdncenter.org/collections/index.html
Q: Dave, won't this take business away from you if you tell people where to search for grants?
A: Maybe to a small extent. In general, though, once people see how large the "Foundation Directory" is, they usually decide it's easier, faster, more efficient and more economical to have someone else (i.e., me) do the legwork of a grant search.
Q: I'll give it a shot. What advice do you have before I plunge into the "Foundation Directory?"
A: The single best piece of advice I can offer is this: read each foundation's limitations carefully before looking at any of their other information. The "limitations" section will tell you if a foundation is even accepting applications. There's no point in getting excited over a foundation if all their grants are board-initiated. Further, the limitations will describe the types of programs the foundation does not support and the forms of grants they do not provide. If you want money for a conference or a capital campaign, for example, it's better to learn up front that they don't make such grants before contacting them.
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. Please indicate if you want the text version or the .pdf version of the notice.)
January 29, 1999
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Susan Harwood Training Grant Program--Shipyards
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds and request for grant applications.
SUMMARY: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) awards funds to nonprofit organizations to conduct safety and health training and education in the workplace. This notice announces grant availability for training in safety and health programs for shipyards. The notice describes the scope of the grant program and provides information about how to get detailed grant application instructions. Applications should not be submitted without the applicant first obtaining the detailed grant application instructions mentioned later in the notice.
DATES: Applications must be received by March 26, 1999.
*** *** ***
January 29, 1999
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund
Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) Inviting Applications for the Community Development Financial Institutions Program-Technical Assistance Component
AGENCY: Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, Department of the Treasury.
ACTION: Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) inviting applications.
SUMMARY: The Community Development Banking and Financial Institutions Act of 1994 (12 U.S.C. 4701 et seq.) (the "Act") authorizes the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (the ``Fund'') to select and provide assistance to eligible applicants under the Community Development Financial Institutions ("CDFI") Program. Such assistance may include financial assistance and technical assistance. Technical assistance ("TA") may be used for activities that enhance the capacity of both CDFIs and entities proposing to become CDFIs, such as the training of management and other personnel, the use of consulting services for the development of programs, loan or investment products, improving financial management and internal operations, enhancing a CDFI's community impact, the acquisition of technology to increase operating efficiencies and other activities deemed appropriate by the Fund.
DATES: The original and three copies of the application may be submitted at any time following January 29, 1999. The deadline for receipt of the original and three copies of the application for TA Component funds is 6 p.m. EST on April 27, 1999. Applications received in the Fund's office after that date and time will be rejected and returned to the sender.
*** *** ***
January 28, 1999
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Notice of Funding Availability for the Welfare-to-Work Section 8 Tenant-Based Assistance Program for Fiscal Year 1999
AGENCY: Office of Public and Indian Housing, HUD.
ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA).
SUMMARY: Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Section 8 Welfare-to-Work Rental Voucher program is to provide tenant-based rental assistance that will help eligible families make the transition from welfare to work.
Available Funds: Approximately $248.2 million.
Eligible Applicants: Housing agencies (HAs), Indian tribes, and tribally designated housing entities (TDHEs). Two or more HAs or Indian tribes and TDHEs may apply jointly.
Application Deadline: The application deadline for Section 8 Welfare-to-Work Rental Vouchers under this NOFA is April 28, 1999, at the time described in section I. of this NOFA, below.
*** *** ***
January 27, 1999
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Request for Applications Under The Office of Community Services' Fiscal Year 1999 Assets for Independence Demonstration Program (IDA Program)
AGENCY: Office of Community Services (OCS), ACF, DHHS.
ACTION: Announcement of availability of funds and request for competitive applications under the Office of Community Services' Assets for Independence Demonstration Program.
SUMMARY: The Office of Community Services (OCS) invites eligible entities to submit competitive grant applications for new demonstration projects that will establish, support, and participate in the evaluation of Individual Development Accounts for lower income individuals and families. Applications will be screened and competitively reviewed as indicated in this Program Announcement. Awards will be contingent on the outcome of the competition and the availability of funds.
DATES: To be considered for funding applications must be postmarked on or before April 27, 1999. Applications postmarked after that date will not be accepted for consideration. See Part IV of this announcement for more information on submitting applications.
*** *** ***
January 22, 1999
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Fiscal Year (FY) 1999 Funding Opportunities
AGENCY: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, HHS.
ACTION: Notice of funding availability.
SUMMARY: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), announces the availability of FY 1999 funds for grants for the following activity. This activity is discussed in more detail under Section 3 of this notice. This notice is not a complete description of the activity; potential applicants must obtain a copy of the Guidance for Applicants (GFA) before preparing an application.
Purpose: Under Sec. 561(a) of the Public Health Service Act grants will be awarded to implement, in one or more communities, a broad array of community-based and family-focused services for children with serious emotional disturbance and their families, including individualized case planning and coordination, and to enable communities to integrate child-and family-serving agencies, including health, mental health, substance abuse treatment, child welfare, education, and juvenile justice into a local comprehensive system of care. The statute further requires that an evaluation of the system(s) of care implemented under the Program be conducted and that it include, among other things, longitudinal studies of the outcomes of services provided by such systems. (Sec. 565(c)(1) of the PHS Act).
Eligible Applicants: Eligibility is limited by statute to "public entities." A public entity is defined for this purpose (in Section 561(a)(2) of the PHS Act) as any State, any political subdivision of a State, and Indian tribe or tribal organization (as defined in Section 4(b) and Section 4(c) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act). The applicant entity must be qualified to deliver services under the State Medicaid Plan and have an agreement to do so, either directly or through a service provider organization.
Application Deadline: April 21, 1999
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January 22, 1999
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Availability of Financial Assistance for the Mitigation of Environmental Impacts to Indian Lands Due to Department of Defense (DOD) Activities
AGENCY: Administration for Native Americans (ANA), ACF, DHHS.
ACTION: Announcement of availability of competitive financial assistance to assist eligible applicants address environmental problems and impacts from DOD activities to Indian lands.
SUMMARY: The Congress has recognized that DOD activities may have caused environmental problems for Indian tribes and Alaska Natives. These environmental hazards can negatively impact the health and safety as well as the social and economic welfare of Indian tribes and Alaska Natives. Accordingly, the Congress has taken steps to help those affected begin to mitigate environmental impacts from DOD activities by assisting them in the planning, development and implementation of programs for such mitigation.
DATES: The closing dates for submission of applications are March 12, 1999, November 5, 1999 and November 4, 2000.
SUBSCRIBER SPOTLIGHT
Are you new to Grants On-line Digest or a charter subscriber? Either way, send us some information about your organization and we'll feature it here. Be sure to include a URL if you have a web site.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Hi Dave,
Happy New Year!!
I was wondering if you knew of some comprehensive site on the net that talks about establishing non-profit status.
I know that things are different from state to state but I wanted to be able to introduce some of the general information about this topic to a potential non profit organization.
Though I have found a lot of information scattered around the net, I was just wondering if you could recommend a site that wraps it all up for you.
Thanks and keep up the good work!!
LadyBoss
________
LadyBoss:
The best place to start is: http://www.exemptlaw.com
Thank you for asking a question that allowed me to demonstrate a small portion of my vast knowledge. Your check is in the mail.
Have a question? Ask away! Send your questions to The Grant Doctors.
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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.
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Thank you very much.
Copyright (c) 1999, all rights reserved. Permission is granted
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is attached. The author of this newsletter is David S. Farley.
Contact him by Email at: [email protected].
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