You may have noticed that the Grantwriting Resources section on the Grant Center website has been updated. Now, our resources are divided into four categories: Grant Basics, By Project, Make Your Case, and Trends.

Grant Basics includes articles about the fundamental aspects of grantwriting. If you're new to grantseeking, make sure to start here.

In the By Project section, you'll find resources for funding specific topics. Interested in serving older Americans, extending your American Graduate project, or funding emergency alert projects? The Grant Center has tailored funding opportunities for each of those project areas, and more.

Check out our Make Your Case section for information about how to prove your worth to a funder using data and anecdotes.

In the Trends section, you'll find information from experts about federal policy trends, general funding trends, and national studies, including one entitled How the United States Funds the Arts from the National Endowment for the Arts.

We will continue to update our Resources, so that you have the most valuable and up-to-date information available. Check the website often, and please let us know if there are any specific resources you'd like us to add.

It's All About Outcomes and Evidence

Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Education announced the winners of the Race To The Top District Competition. Now the hard work begins. Districts will work to implement the innovative, evidence-based plans that won them federal support. They will be expected to show real progress in closing achievement gaps and transforming the learning environment for students.

 

In fact, outcomes and evidence will be a central focus across-the-board for FY 2014. Last May, the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo to the heads of Executive Departments and Agencies on the use of evidence and evaluation in the 2014 budget. The memo directed Agencies to demonstrate the use of evidence throughout their FY 2014 budget submissions, and to include a separate section on agencies' most innovative uses of evidence and evaluation.

 

Read on to learn more about what this memo will mean for federal grant programs.

Are you looking to reach out to your state's Department of Education or to your local school district and begin conversations about how public broadcasting can help meet educational objectives using digital media? If so, you may want to learn more about the 2013 Digital Learning Day (DLD). Stations can use DLD, on February 6, 2013, to highlight their work around educational technology.

Developed by the Alliance for Excellent Education, DLD is a national celebration that places a spotlight on those who have been successful incorporating digital learning into their instructional practice and highlights tools for others to do the same. Public media stations can promote their participation in DLD and the importance of digital learning in many ways. Read on to learn about how your station can participate. 

Sparks Ignition Grants for Libraries and Museums: This funding opportunity from the Institute of Museum and Library Services encourages libraries, archives and museums to challenge existing assumptions about how they operate and the services they provide. These small grants support the deployment, testing and evaluation of promising and groundbreaking new tools, products, services or organizational practices. Grants will range from $10,000 to $25,000, and will last for one year. Deadline: February 1, 2013.

The Big Read: This program, designed by the National Endowment for the Arts and managed by the Arts Midwest Foundation, seeks to revitalize the role of literature in American culture and to encourage citizens to read for pleasure and enlightenment. Grantees must support activities that include reading and discussing a single book or the work of a poet. Grants range from $2,500 to $20,000, and must be matched 1:1 with nonfederal funds. Deadline: February 5, 2013.

Landmarks of American History and Culture: Workshops for School Teachers: This National Endowment for the Humanities program supports a series of one-wekk residence-based workshops for a national audience of K-12 educators. Held at or near sites important to American history and culture, these workshops are academically rigorous and focus on key primary sources, documents and scholarly works relevant to major themes in American history and culture. Awards range from $150,000 to $180,000. Deadline: March 5, 2013.

Institutes for Advanced Topics in the Digital Humanities: Through this program, the National Endowment for the Humanities seeks to support national or regional training programs for scholars and advanced graduate students to broaden and extend their knowledge of digital humanities. Awards range from $50,000 to $250,000. Deadline: March 7, 2013.

Publishing Historical Records: Grants from this National Archives and Records Administration program may be awarded for collecting, describing preserving, compiling, editing and publishing documentary source materials. A top priority is to support projects with plans to provide free online access to the editions they are preparing. As many as 30 grants, totalling up to $2,500,000, are expected to be made. Deadline: June 6, 2013.

Digitizing Historical Records: The purpose of this National Archives and Records Administration program is to support projects that promote the preservation and use of America's documentary heritage essential to understanding our democracy, history, and culture. Up to eight awards, each with a value of up to $150,000, are expected to be granted. Deadline: June 11, 2013.

Ford Foundation: Ford's media funding places heavy emphasis on advancing social justice. Grants support public media, independent documentary, digital media.

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.