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Dear Colleagues,
The GrantProse vision is to provide high quality, personalized services and resources that are reasonably priced and widely accessible. Toward this end, we provide this newsletter free and hope you will forward it to your colleagues. We welcome your suggestions--please email ideas to Rita Lewis, newsletter editor.
We continue to make progress with redesigning the GrantProse website. We've added a new feature of archiving these newsletters. If you've lost track of a website address that we shared, now you can find the newsletter in our Archive. We continue to support favorite links such as Grant Alerts and Web Resources in a more user-friendly environment that provides you the latest and best information on grant development resources.
Bill CarruthersGrantProse, Inc.
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ARRA and NC
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News on stimulus funding in North Carolina
OERI Provides Outreach to Small Businesses
The NC Office of Economic Recovery and Investment (OERI) will implement a statewide awareness campaign directed toward historically underutilized businesses (HUBs), including minority and small businesses. The campaign will reach out to these groups via workshops and other means to offer information and help with funding opportunities available through ARRA. Call OERI at 919.733.1433 for further information on the workshops, which are scheduled for various parts of the state. While workshops are aimed at HUBs, larger contracting organizations, associations and advocates can also benefit.
EPA Awards Clean Diesel Funds in NC
Mecklenburg County has received more than $1.1 million in recovery funds to create jobs, boost local economy and reduce diesel emissions. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the funds to replace and repower diesel engines in the Charlotte metropolitan area. Under ARRA, $300 million was allotted to the National Clean Diesel Campaign, which funded competitive grants across the nation. Funds were awarded to maximize economic impact and emissions reductions, which should help create green jobs and reduce respiratory ailments in areas such as Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
The EPA also awarded $509,000 to the NC Department of Public Instruction to retrofit school buses with emissions-reduction devices and to replace older buses with new, cleaner buses in several counties in North Carolina. To speed distribution of ARRA funds, the EPA is funding proposals from last year's National Clean Diesel Campaign grant competition. The agency plans to award the remaining ARRA clean diesel grants in the next few months. Additional information on the EPA's implementation of recovery funds can be found on its website.
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Bulletin Board
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August 18-19, 2009. GrantProse will conduct a grant-writing training program for individuals with intermediate to advanced grant-writing skills. Specifically designed for North Carolina grant writers, the $205 program is very attractively priced compared to this type of training from national vendors. Bring a laptop and be prepared to critique and be critiqued. You will gain practical experience writing for different sections of the grant proposal, and hone your skills with individualized, expert instruction. Visit the GrantProse website for more information and registration details.
August 19, 2009. Wake County's Cameron Village Library, a cooperating library of the Foundation Center, will offer free training on how to search Foundation Directory Online, a database of more than 90,000 private funding agencies. Space is limited; register via email or phone (919.856.6703).
August 27, 2009. Grants Information Network (GIN) of NC meeting, 9-11 am. Visit GIN's webpage for an agenda and directions.
August-September, 2009. The Council on Entrepreneurial Development, in partnership with the Small Business Technology Development Center, will offer a three-part training program focused on starting and growing a company via local and federal grant funding. The first session is focused on connecting with local and federal granting sources. The second session will provide an entrepreneur's perspective on grants and tips on preparing a grant proposal and identifying funding sources. The third session will offer one-on-one counseling sessions with expert grant writers and specialists. Visit CED's website for more information on the workshops, which will be held August 20, September 10 and September 24.
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In the Spotlight
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Grants Management Certification
You say you're a grants professional, but how do you prove it? For most, the proof is in the doing. But those who need tangible proof can earn a certificate in grants management. The National Grants Management Association is developing a credentialing program to answer that need, and a number of other organizations provide certificate programs. Management Concepts' program offers three tracks: federal (for employees of federal agencies), pass-through (for employees of entities that award federal funds to other organizations), and recipient (for employees of organizations that receive federal funds). Candidates must complete a total of 15 days of training within a three-year period to earn a certificate.
GIN Seeks Members for Working Group
The Grants Information Network (GIN) of North Carolina has organized a working group to study the options for reorganizing GIN as a legal entity (e.g., as a nonprofit organization). At present, GIN functions as an informal resource for North Carolina grants professionals. Working group members--who meet via email, the Internet and teleconferencing--plan to produce a recommendation for GIN members by the next general meeting on August 27. The working group is seeking representation from the eastern and western portions of the state. If you are interested in joining the working group to craft a proposal for GIN, please contact RV Rikard at (919) 995-2721 or rvrikard@ncsu.edu.
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Guest Column
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You Can't Always Get What You Want . . .
By Michele Oros
. . . but you might find you get what you need. The Statement of Need, or Needs Assessment, is typically the first section of a proposal, in which the applicant paints a general picture of the current situation and highlights need in the specific area for which funds are sought. A well-crafted needs assessment introduces the applicant like a firm handshake and places a pin on the reader's mental map, evoking personal images of the organization and heightening engagement.
Bad numbers are good for grantseekers, as funds may be earmarked for the neediest applicants or points awarded for meeting certain thresholds of need. It is possible, however, to overload readers with heartbreaking statistics that validate need but are irrelevant to project goals. Strive for balance in the data you present, beginning with an overview and zooming in to the specific problem your project will address.
Use visual tools like charts, tables and graphs to present large amounts of information in an economical format, but be sure to follow spacing and font guidelines for graphics. Remember to cite all data sources and provide baselines or comparators to inform readers of the degree to which your conditions vary from the norm.
An effective needs assessment provides the foundation for all the other components of your proposal--use it to get what you need.
Michele Oros has written and managed grant-funded projects for Beaufort County Schools since 2003. She also helps organizations in her community find and obtain grants, and teaches grant-writing workshops through NC's community college system.
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Tips & Resources
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Searchable Guide to Stimulus Funds
The East Bay Community Foundation has developed the First Stop Guide to Stimulus Funds, intended to empower nonprofit and faith-based organizations with access to clear information about stimulus funding. The online version of the guide allows users to search for ARRA funds by topic (e.g., education and child care) and narrow results by keyword, which yields such information as the amount of funds available, the federal agency responsible for distributing funds and how to apply. The guide, assembled with the help of California Congresswoman Barbara Lee, can also be downloaded as a .pdf file.
Get LinkedIn with GIN
The Grants Information Network (GIN) of North Carolina has established a professional networking group with LinkedIn, affording you more opportunities to network and share information about developing grant proposals and managing grant programs. If you already have a LinkedIn account, search for "Grants Information Network (GIN) of North Carolina" using the "Search Groups" query and then request to join the group. If you do not have an account, sign up for one for free on LinkedIn, and then search for the GIN group and request to join. If you have questions about GIN on LinkedIn, please email RV Rikard.
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Grant Opportunities
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In this issue we feature "green" grant alerts. Twenty new grant alerts have been uploaded to the GrantProse website, including 11 green opportunities. To view these and many more opportunities, visit www.GrantProseInc.com.
Deadline: 10/05/09
Program: Sustainable Community Innovation Grants Program
Agency: Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, and Southern Rural Development Center
Description: Support for projects that embrace and invest in local strategies intended to link farm and nonfarm economic development with agricultural and natural resource management.
Award Amount: Up to $10,000
Website: SARE
Eligibility: All
Deadline: Ongoing
Program: Annual Grants
Agency: Duke Energy Foundation
Description: Funding supports environment and energy efficiency, economic development and community vitality.
Award Amount: Varies
Website: Duke Energy Foundation
Eligibility: Nonprofits, government agencies (possibly others)
Deadline: Ongoing
Program: Applicant-driven grants
Agency: Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation
Description: Funding for projects that help conserve, protect or sustain the environmental resources in communities and states.
Award Amount: Varies
Website: Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation
Eligibility: Nonprofits
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