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GrantProse, Inc., Newsletter
October 14, 2009
Vol. 2, No. 19
Newsletter Editor: Rita Lewis
North Carolina's leading newsletter for information on grants.
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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 continue to add
features to better serve
the grants community. If you've lost track of a website address that we've
mentioned, you can find the newsletter in our Archive.
If you have news or a point
of view you'd like to share, please email Rita Lewis, newsletter editor--we're always
interested in items that
might benefit our audience.
Our website continues to support favorite links such as Grant Alerts and Web Resources in a user-friendly environment that provides you the latest and best information on grant development resources. As always, thank you for your appreciation of our work.
Bill CarruthersGrantProse, Inc.
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Bulletin Board
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December 7-8, 2009. The Grants Information Network (GIN) of NC will conduct its popular two-day grant-writing
workshop in coordination with Wake Tech Community College. This workshop is
designed for the novice to beginning grant writer. At $65, it's an inexpensive introduction to the essentials of writing
successful grant proposals. Contact Mary Brady at Wake Tech for information.
December 10, 2009. GIN meeting, 9-11 am.
December's meeting is the annual business and networking
meeting. Everyone interested in anything grant-related--management, writing, funding
opportunities--is welcome to attend. Bring something to eat or drink; GrantProse will provide the coffee to fuel our discussions! Visit GIN's webpage
for directions.
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In the Spotlight
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Signs of the Times
Foundations and other funding agencies seek to serve the
needs of society. As those needs change, funding and philanthropic activities
change. . . . . The Golden LEAF Foundation's Local Foods Initiative aligns with the
public's growing interest in local foods, which means new economic
opportunities for farmers and businesses in North Carolina. Created in 2009,
this initiative is designed to expand farmers' access to commercial, institutional
and retail markets that are increasing their use of local foods--especially
those markets willing to pay more for local products. . . . . Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina offers a focus area to strengthen the organizational capacity of North
Carolina's nonprofit organizations. Community Impact through Nonprofit Excellence provides workshops and training
programs to help nonprofits create financial stability, communicate more
effectively and collaborate with other organizations. It also makes awards to
nonprofits for excellence in the use of technology, innovation and evaluation.
. . . . And while many foundations have suspended some of their grantmaking until the
economy improves, others--especially community foundations--have established
"recession funds" to provide support for those hardest hit by the recession, for
such basic needs as food and shelter.
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Guest Column
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Bull's-eye!
By Michele Oros
It's hard to hit the bull's-eye
if you can't see the target.
Well-crafted grant proposals include a clear description of the entities
or individuals targeted for intervention and the specific criteria that will be
used to determine eligibility. Projects with narrowly defined target
populations and screening rubrics that include both empirical and self-reported
information are more likely to generate results that can be defended and
replicated. Resist the urge to serve the masses, even if needs are great, until
you've demonstrated success on a smaller scale.
Project directors can use
print and broadcast media to round up volunteers who believe they share the
problem being addressed, generate invitations to potential participants based
on public or proprietary data, or recruit program staff such as principals or
teachers in schools to make referrals of candidates to participate in the
program. Candidates must then be screened to verify eligibility, resulting in a
target population with the specific needs and characteristics well matched to
the purposes of the grant program. Budgeting time and money for recruitment and
screening supports the evaluation process and strengthens the overall project
design.
Consider the degree to which
the target population can receive treatment in isolation, as an activity
designed for the target group may be ineffective or even detrimental to
non-targeted individuals. For instance, school-based interventions might be
conducted in elective, after-school settings rather than during the regular
school day if practical or ethical considerations discourage isolation of
target group during the day. If a project hits the bull's-eye with a specific
target population and results are shown to be positive, then the target
population can later be redefined to assess the effect of the intervention on a
different population.
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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The Golden LEAF Foundation is requesting proposals for a program
administrator for its scholarship program. Golden LEAF is a nonprofit
organization devoted to the economic well-being of North Carolinians. Besides
its grantmaking activities, Golden LEAF awards approximately 215 scholarships
per year to children from rural, economically distressed and tobacco-dependent
areas of North Carolina to attend the state's public universities and member
institutions of the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities. The
foundation will accept proposals from qualified organizations until October 19,
2009. For further information, read the foundation's press release, which links to the RFP.
The NC Sheriffs' Association, located in downtown Raleigh, is seeking a director of special
projects to manage grant opportunities from federal, state, foundation and
private funding sources. Besides researching grant opportunities, the
successful candidate will work to secure grants, monitor implementation and
compliance, and assist in financial audits. To be considered for the position, e-mail a resume and
references to the Sheriffs' Association; for further information, call the
association at 919-783-8899.
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Grant Opportunities
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Deadline: 11/19/09
Program: Community Food Projects (CFDA 10.225)
Agency: US Dept. of Agriculture
Description: Grants for projects to meet
the food needs of low-income people; to increase the self-reliance of
communities to provide for their own food needs; to promote comprehensive
responses to local food, farm and nutrition issues; and/or to meet specific
state, local or neighborhood food and agriculture needs.
Award Amount: $10,000 - $300,000
Website: USDA
Eligibility: Nonprofits
Deadline: 11/20/09
Program: Books Across America
Agency: NEA Foundation
Description:
Support for public schools that serve economically disadvantaged
students to purchase books for school libraries
Award Amount: $1,000
Website: NEA Foundation
Eligibility: K-12
Deadline: 12/04/09
Program: Tobacco Trust Fund Grants
Agency: NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
Description: Grants to help alleviate
unemployment and stabilize tobacco-dependent communities, through such vehicles
as diversification initiatives and farmer cooperatives.
Award Amount: Unspecified
Website: Tobacco Trust Fund
Eligibility: Nonprofits, government agencies, businesses
Sixteen new grant alerts have been uploaded to the GrantProse website. To view these and many more opportunities, visit www.GrantProseInc.com.
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