GrantProse, Inc., Newsletter
August 5, 2009
Vol. 2, No. 15
Newsletter Editor: Rita Lewis

North Carolina's leading newsletter for information on grants.
In This Issue
ARRA and NC
Bulletin Board
In the Spotlight
Tips & Resources
Grant Opportunities
Quick Link
Contact Us:
GrantProse, Inc.
919-414-5861
[email protected]

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 now archive these newsletters on the GrantProse website. 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 newly designed, user-friendly environment that provides you the latest and best information on grant development resources.

Bill Carruthers
GrantProse, Inc.
ARRA and NC
News on stimulus funding in North Carolina

Recovery Workshops Scheduled for Small Businesses
The NC Office of Economic Recovery and Investment (OERI) has instituted 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. Three-hour workshops are scheduled for various parts of the state, including Greensboro, Goldsboro and Charlotte in August, and Raleigh, Hickory and Rocky Mount in September.

NC Recovery Funding Opportunities Online
Looking for ARRA funding opportunities in North Carolina? OERI's website now lists competitive grants available to entities in North Carolina. (Click on "Competitive Grants" on OERI's home page.) Arranged by deadline, the listings give the title of the grant; a link to the announcement; information on eligibility and federal agency/contact; and the expected number and amount of awards. 

New ARRA Features on Grants.gov
Grants.gov has unveiled a new feature to help users find and apply for grant opportunities under ARRA. The home page of Grants.gov now has a prominent box ("Recovery.gov") with a link to all Recovery Act opportunities, saving users the time and trouble of searching listings under various agencies. In the same box are links to information on the Recovery Act and the state of recovery, and to a three-part webinar series on finding and applying for Recovery Act opportunities. Webinar registration opens on August 10; the series runs from August 12 to August 20.
Bulletin Board
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.

In the Spotlight
Becoming a Grant Reviewer
Many grant writers become grant reviewers to hone their proposal development skills. Critiquing others' proposals helps reviewers learn what makes a proposal strong or weak--and how to make their own proposals more effective. Federal agencies use both volunteer and paid reviewers.

The Administration of Children, Youth and Families at the US Department of Health and Human Services pays $150 per day for on-site reviews, conducted from May through September in Washington, DC, and via secure website. Training is available for potential reviewers, who must submit a writing sample and resume. . . . . The National Science Foundation uses volunteers to review 240,000 proposals per year, and continually seeks to expand its pool of volunteers. . . . . The USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service allows reviewers to complete and submit reviews online. . . . . US DHHS's Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) seeks reviewers for specific grant programs based on their knowledge, education and experience. HRSA reviews are usually held in Washington, DC, and last for 3-5 days. The agency pays for travel expenses and honoraria. . . . . The National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the US Department of Commerce is soliciting experts to volunteer as panelists to evaluate grant proposals for the $4.7 billion Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) in August and September. . . . . Other review opportunities can be found on the websites of federal agencies such as the US Department of Education, US DHHS's Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Visit the GrantProse Resources page for links to more federal agencies (click on "Federal Websites").

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 [email protected].
Tips & Resources
New Stats on Children and Families
A number of new reports on children and families provide statistics and facts to help grant writers document the need for grant-funded programs. . . . . . The Carsey Institute has released The Forgotten Fifth: Child Poverty in Rural America, which details the special circumstances of the rural poor. Rural child poverty rates are higher than those in urban areas, even though only one in five poor children lives in a rural area. The report considers differences in environment that can affect design and implementation of policies and programs. . . . . . The Forum on Child and Family Statistics has published America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2009, which reports national longitudinal data on many indicators, including family and social environment, economic circumstances, health care and education. . . . . . The Annie E. Casey Foundation profiles the well-being of America's children in the 2009 Kids Count Data Book, which provides national and state data and trends on children and families. The foundation's Kids Count Data Center also offers online access to data on children and youth for states and smaller regions and entities; users can create profiles, maps and rankings of data within or across states.

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.
Grant Opportunities
Deadline: 10/16/09
Program: Lowe's Toolbox for Education
Agency: Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation
Description: Funding for facility enhancement, increasing parent involvement and building stronger community spirit.
Award Amount: $2,000-$5,000
Website: Toolbox for Education
Eligibility: K-12 (and some PTAs)

Deadline: 11/10/09 (draft); 12/01/09 (final)
Program: Weed and Seed Communities Competitive Program
Agency: US Dept. of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Description: Funding to prevent, control and reduce violent crime, drug abuse and gang activity. Weed and Seed is designed for communities with persistent high levels of serious violent crime and corresponding social problems.
Award Amount: Up to $150,000
Website: OJP
Eligibility: Nonprofits (incl. FBCOs), government agencies 

Eleven new grant alerts have been uploaded to the GrantProse website. To view these and many more opportunities, visit www.GrantProseInc.com.