Are you coming to the Public Media Development Marketing Conference (PMDMC) in Seattle? Consider joining us for an all-day, pre-conference workshop on grantseeking, led by the Grant Center's Amie Miller.

Grantseeking 101
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. PDT

Foundations give away more than $40b annually. Is your station getting a share? Whether you're new to grantseeking or refreshing your skills, this session will help you become a successful grantseeker. We'll cover many topics, including:

• Building a compelling case.
• Developing relationships with foundations.
• Crafting effective projects and proposals.
• Communicating meaningful impact.

You'll also learn about what foundations look for and about resources that are available now to help you win grants. The session will be led by Amie Miller, DEI Foundation Support Coordinator, and special guests to be announced. More information is available here. 

Open Competitions at the U.S. Department of Education:
What to Know About Race To The Top, i3 and Promise Neighborhoods

Three signature programs of the Obama Administration have open competitions right now, all of which could be opportunities for public media stations. Through Race To The Top - Early Learning Challenge, Investing in Innovation (i3) and Promise Neighborhoods competitions, the U.S. Department of Education is poised to dole out almost $350 million this year. The Grant Center has covered these programs in the past, but some important changes have been made to the current competitions.

Race To The Top - Early Learning Challenge grants will go to state-level efforts to improve early learning, and grants will only be available in the five states who were high-scoring non-winners in FY 2011: Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon and Wisconsin. Several priorities in the current round of i3 grants are good fits for public broadcasting, including promoting STEM and improving graduation rates in rural schools. Promise Neighborhoods is one of the few Department of Education programs that actually received more funding in FY 2012 than it did in FY 2011; it is currently funded at $60m, twice as much as last year. And, like last year, Promise Neighborhoods applicants that partner with public broadcasting stations can receive up to two additional points.

Continue reading about these programs and resources for stations planning to apply.

Training for Realtime Writers Program: The objective of this U.S. Department of Education program is to promote training and placement of individuals as realtime writers, in order to meet the requirements of closed captioning of video programming. Four grants, ranging from $200,000 to $300,000 will be awarded. Deadline: May 7, 2012.

Tobacco Regulation Awareness, Communication and Education Program: From the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), this program seeks to educate Americans about the risks of tobacco products and increase capacity at the community level in the areas of health communication and education. The FDA intends to fund between 12 and 15 awards, totaling $22.5m. Deadline: May 9, 2012.

Susan Harwood Training Grant Program, Targeted Topic grants: This U.S. Department of Labor program provides funds to develop training materials and to train workers and/or employers to recognize, avoid, abate and prevent safety and health hazards in their workplaces. Approximately $1.2m is available under this solicitation, and grants will range from $15,000 to $120,000. Deadline: May 17, 2012.

Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations: The purpose of this U.S. Department of Labor program is to provide technical assistance to employers and labor unions to assist them in placing women into apprenticeships in nontraditional occupations. Projects should provide education and training services. Six grants of up to $300,000 each are expected to be awarded. Deadline: May 21, 2012.

Native Plant Conservation Initiative: This program, a collaboration between the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), funds multi-stakeholder projects that focus on the conservation of native plans and pollinators under any of six focal areas: conservation, education, restoration, research, sustainability and data linkages. Awards will range from $15,000 to $65,000, and a total of $380,000 is available for this program. Required pre-proposals are due May 25, 2012, and full proposals are due August 24, 2012.

Risk Management Education and Outreach Partnerships Program: The purpose of this U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program is to deliver crop insurance education and risk management training to U.S. agricultural producers to assist them in identifying and managing production, marketing, legal, financial and human risk. An estimated $3m is available for this program, and awards will range from $20,000 to $100,000. Deadline: June 4, 2012.

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring: These awards, from the National Science Foundation (NSF), are granted to outstanding organizational programs or individual mentoring efforts designed to enhance the participation and retention of individuals who might not otherwise have considered or had access to opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Up to 16 new awards are expected in each fiscal year; each award is for $10,000. Deadline: June 6, 2012.

Grants for Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums: Grants from this Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) program will support planning and design activities that will enable grantees to develop comprehensive plans for a Learning Lab, an out-of-school space for experimentation and creativity for young people. Grants will be for a maximum of $100,000, and up to 13 Learning Labs will be funded. Deadline: June 15, 2012.

Bridging Cultures through Film: This National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) program supports projects that examine international and transnational themes in the humanities through documentary films. Both development and production grants will be awarded. Development awards will be for up to $75,000, and production awards will be for up to $800,000. Deadline: June 27, 2012.

Humanities Initiatives at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: These National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grants may be used to enhance the humanities content of existing programs, develop new programs or lay the foundation for more extensive endeavors in the future. Approximately three awards, of up to $75,000 each, will be awarded. Deadline: June 27, 2012.

Preservation and Access Education and Training: These National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grants help the staff of cultural institutions obtain the knowledge and skills needed to serve as effective stewards of humanities collections. Grants to regional organizations will not exceed $175,000; grants to other organizations will not exceed $100,000. Deadline: June 28, 2012.

Humanities Collections and Reference Resources: Funding from this National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) program strengthens efforts to extend the life of important collections of books, manuscripts, photographs, sound recordings and moving images, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, art and material culture and digital objects and make their intellectual content widely accessible. The maximum award is $350,000. Deadline: July 19, 2012.

Promise Neighborhoods -- Implementation Grants: These grants, from the U.S. Department of Education, will support organizations in carrying out their plans to create a continuum of solutions that will significantly improve the educational and developmental outcomes of children and youth in a target neighborhood. Applicants that partner with public television stations can now receive up to two additional points and therefore improve their chances of receiving an award. Awards will range from $4m to $6m, and between five and seven grants will be awarded. Notice of Intent to Apply due June 8, 2012. Deadline: July 27, 2012.

Promise Neighborhoods -- Planning Grants: These grants, from the U.S. Department of Education, will support organizations that need to develop plans to create a continuum of solutions with the potential to significantly improve the educational and developmental outcomes of children and youth in a neighborhood. Applicants that partner with public television stations can now receive up to two additional points and therefore improve their chances of receiving an award. Awards will be for up to $500,000; up to 15 awards will be made. Notice of Intent to Apply due June 8, 2012. Deadline: July 27, 2012.

Innovation Lab for Museums: Collaborations are encouraged in this RFP for museums interested in developing innovations, especially in the areas of youth education, engaging diverse populations and driving participatory experiences. Deadline: May 14, 2012.

 

MetLife Foundation After-school Innovator Awards: Awards will recognize after-school programs for middle school students in digital learning, the arts and more. Deadline: May 15, 2012.  

 

ASPB Education Foundation: Proposals are requested for outreach/education (instructional materials, multimedia educational materials, outreach collaborations) related broadly to plant biology. Deadline: June 8, 2012.

 

Fledgling Fund: Grants for outreach, engagement and production on innovative media projects that target social problems, including education, women and girls, health and more. Next funding cycle opens August 13, 2012.

 

Hartford Foundation for Public Giving: This community foundation is increasing its funding and leadership in the areas of education and workforce training. 

Whether you are seeking federal or foundation funding, the Grant Center website, tailored specifically to public media grant seekers, will help you find just what you need. With over 300 funding opportunities, and growing each day, our user-friendly search options help you find the funding opportunity of your choice.

Visit our website. Then, be sure to check back often to see the most recent funding opportunities and news articles. We also encourage you to subscribe to our RSS feed or follow us on Twitter: @aptsgrantcenter.

The Grant Center is made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Questions? Please email the Grant Center: grantcenter@apts.org, or visit our website: www.apts.org/grantcenter.