Are you attending the Public Media Development Marketing Conference (PMDMC) in Seattle? Meegan White and Amie Miller will be there and would love to see you. The Grant Center is hosting three valuable sessions on successful grantseeking practices, filled with best practices, tips and tricks of the trade.

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.  

 

Getting to Yes (and Beyond): Grantseeking Case Studies

Date and time to be announced

 

Join our station panel for a behind-the-scenes looks at the grantseeking process. You'll learn about building a station commitment to grantseeking, getting past foundation barriers, finding new ways to connect with funders, and communicating outcomes and impact in compelling ways. 

 

When You're Not the 800-Pound Gorilla: Grantseeking and the Smaller Station

Hosted by the Grant Center, a partnership between DEI and APTS

Date and time to be announced

 

Raising support from foundations for smaller stations (and stations that are not the dominant one in their market) can be challenging. How can smaller stations -- especially non-news stations -- position themselves to make a case to foundations? How do smaller shops manage the grantseeking process with limited staff? We'll hear from stations that are making it work, despite the challenges. 

Race To The Top Program Invites School Districts to Apply:
What RTT-D Means for Stations

The latest round of the U.S. Department of Education's Race To The Top (RTT) program will provide funds to school districts, instead of to states, as has been the case in previous competitions. Overall, the Department is focusing on districts that will evaluate teacher, principal, superintendent and school board effectiveness in improving student achievement. However, there is an important hook for public media and digital content development, as well.

Before the guidelines for the new program, called Race To The Top District (RTT-D) are finalized, the Department is accepting public comment on the recently-released proposed requirements for the new program. APTS, through the Grant Center, has submitted comments about ways to improve the program. Overall, the proposed priorities include many leverage points for stations to use while approaching school districts for partnerships. The Department also mentions providing digital resources, although always with an "as appropriate" caveat. (The priorities would be more in line with the Department's purported commitment to building students' technological literacy if digital elements were fully integrated and non-negotiable.)

Continue reading for an analysis of the proposed program and opportunities for stations -- even if the proposed requirements become the final grant requirements.

Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities: The goals of this U.S. Department of Education program are to help address state-identified needs for highly qualified special education personnel and ensure that those personnel have the necessary skills and knowledge to work with children with disabilities. Approximately 30 grants, ranging from $220,000 to $250,000, will be awarded. Deadline: June 25, 2012.

Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities: Stepping-Up Technology Implementation: The emphasis of this U.S. Department of Education program is on effectively implementing evidence-based technology tools to assist students and disabilities. Seven grants, ranging from $475,000 to $500,000 will be awarded. Deadline: July 5, 2012.

Innovative Transit Workforce Development Program: This U.S. Department of Transportation program seeks proposals that promote diverse and innovative workforce development models and programs. An estimated $5m is available for this program, and grants will range from $100,000 to $1m. Deadline: July 6, 2012.

Public Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program: This U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program assists public television stations serving substantial rural populations in transitioning to digital broadcast television transmission. $3m is available for grants in FY 2012, and grants will be for a maximum of $750,000. Deadline: July 17, 2012.

Program Challenge Fund: This program from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) funds high-visibility, high-impact limited series that offer a definitive take on a subject or break new ground in popular, public service media. Only high-definition programs will be funded. Deadline: August 2, 2012.

Art Works: This National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) program encourages and supports the creation of art, public engagement with art, lifelong learning in the arts and the strengthening of communities through the arts. In addition to other types of projects, media art productions are eligible to funded during this competition. Grants will range from $10,000 to $100,000. Deadline: August 9, 2012.

America's Historical and Cultural Organizations: Grants from this National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) program support a wide range of public humanities programs that engage citizens in thoughtful reflection upon culture, identity and history. Both planning grants and implementation grants are available. Planning grants will range from $40,000 to $75,000, and implementation grants will be for up to $400,000. Deadline: August 15, 2012.

America's Media Makers: Development and Production Grants: Grants from this NEH program support projects in a range of formats, including interactive digital media and radio and television programs that engage the public in the humanities and explore stories, ideas and beliefs. Development grants will range from $40,000 to $75,000, and production grants will range from $100,000 to $800,000. Deadline: August 15, 2012.

Enduring Questions: This NEH grant program supports the development of new undergraduate courses that will foster intellectual community through the study of an enduring question. This program will award $25,000 grants for projects serving a single institution. On average, NEH typically makes 19 grants per competition. Deadline: September 13, 2012.

Documenting Democracy: Access to Historical Records Projects: Through this program, the National Archives and Records Administration funds projects that promote the preservation and use of the nation's most valuable archival resources and facilitate and enhance access to primary source materials. Up to 15 grants for up to $200,000 each will be awarded. Optional Drafts due August 1, 2012. Deadline: October 4, 2012.

Advancing Informal STEM Learning: Formerly called Informal Science Education (ISE), this program from the National Science Foundation (NSF) strives to capture the creative and innovative potential of informal STEM learning for the future while targeting learning and learning environments. Optional pre-proposals due August 14, 2012. Deadline: January 14, 2013.

Round Two of the Knight News Challenge is now open. The focus is on new ways of collecting, understanding and visualizing data to inform communities. Deadline: June 20, 2012. 

 

Chicken & Egg Pictures is now accepting applications for its 2012 Open Call, supporting women documentary filmmakers. Deadline: June 29, 2012. 

 

Chesapeake Bay Trust: The Trust is currently accepting applications for outreach and awareness grants. Deadline: July 6, 2012. 

 

Blue & You Foundation Arkansas: Grants from this foundation support initiatives aimed at improving the health of Arkansans. Deadline: July 16, 2012.

 

ArtPlace: This collaborative funding initiative supports "creative placemaking" and will announce its next funding cycle in September 2012. 

 

Compton Foundation: This foundation's new mission includes igniting change through "courageous storytelling," including through art, film, music and social media. 

 

Kresge Foundation: The foundation's future Arts and Culture grantmaking will focus on "creative placemaking." Grants are also available for college readiness and access. 

 

USA Funds: Grants from this foundation are made for post-secondary education readiness, access and success. This is a good option for American Graduate stations.  

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.