To: Grants.gov Users
From: Philip W. Clark, Grants.gov Program Manager
Subject: Grants.gov Update on the "Boost"
This is the first in an irregular series of updates that I plan to provide to the Grants.gov community on topics of general interest. I encourage your replies regarding specific topics addressed, suggestions for future topics, and whether you find this mode of communication useful to you.
While Grants.gov has been operating very quickly and smoothly over the last several months as a result of improvements made in the April/May 2009 time period, we still needed to do a "boost", consisting of additional server capacity, improved networks, etc. to increase the reliability and sustainability of the system during peak workloads. The boost is being implemented in two phases. The first phase, which went into production on schedule Feb 10 (despite the snowstorm), was focused on the production environment. The second phase, which is expected to go live in late April, will improve our test and training environments.
Since the 10th, the system has run smoothly and we have seen significant increases in speed for a number of processes . Behind the scenes, the system integrator has been working diligently to monitor internal system operations and to make “fine-tuning” adjustments as needed to either achieve optimal performance, or to reset warning thresholds, file sizes and other aspects of the system in response to the higher speed and greater volume experienced in our new environment. Literally hundreds of those adjustments have been made, and they can only be made as we monitor production processing.
Unfortunately, one such adjustment was overlooked. As a result, on Tuesday, February 23, 2010, the Find functions and agency functions such as posting opportunities and downloading applications were affected. We were able to receive applications throughout the outage period, but were unable to process them. All applications submitted to us were received and placed in queues that were cleared by 5 pm the same day.
We are on the equivalent of a system “shakedown” cruise and are continuing the fine-tuning activity to prevent outages like the one we experienced yesterday. While this major system upgrade has gone remarkably smoothly as such upgrades go, there is still some chance, despite our best efforts to avoid it, for another minor glitch to cause an interruption over the next week or two as the system settles in.
Should another outage occur, we will make every effort to communicate with you quickly after confirming the outage and will share what we know with you as soon as possible as we work to resolution, focusing on providing you with the information you need to take appropriate action on your end, whether it is to hold tight, retry, reopen browsers, etc. We are making additional efforts to keep the Contact Center updated as well so they can provide more helpful information to callers.
Work is proceeding on the next and final phase of the boost and will be the subject of a future message.
Sincerely,
Philip W. ClarkProgram Manager,
Grants.govHHS Division of Grants
Thứ Năm, 25 tháng 2, 2010
System status
The Grants.gov website went offline at approximately 10:00AM and came back online at approximately 10:30am.
There was a connectivity problem into the system; however the servers were not down. Applications continued to process.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
There was a connectivity problem into the system; however the servers were not down. Applications continued to process.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
Grants.gov Offline.
The Grants.gov website went offline at approximately 10:00AM and can not be accessed; the PMO is looking into the cause and will send an update as soon as more information is available.
Thứ Ba, 23 tháng 2, 2010
Grants.gov Experienced System Difficulties on 2/23/2010
Grants.gov experienced system difficulties on Tuesday, 2/23/10 from 12:00 AM - 12:00 PM which affected the following:
- Searching and downloading grant opportunities
- Accessing the system as a grantor and associated grantor functions
- Accessing the system as an applicant and associated applicant functions
- Accessing applications for download by agencies
Applications submitted during this period by applicants are being reprocessed. All system issues have been resolved. Should you continue to experience any problems with the above, please try the following:
1. Clear the Cookies from your browser,
2. Clear the Cache from your browser,
3. Exit and restart your browser, or
4. Reboot your computer and try again.
Instructions for #1 & 2 can be found here: http://www07.grants.gov/help/trouble_tips.jsp
We apologize for any inconvenience.
- Searching and downloading grant opportunities
- Accessing the system as a grantor and associated grantor functions
- Accessing the system as an applicant and associated applicant functions
- Accessing applications for download by agencies
Applications submitted during this period by applicants are being reprocessed. All system issues have been resolved. Should you continue to experience any problems with the above, please try the following:
1. Clear the Cookies from your browser,
2. Clear the Cache from your browser,
3. Exit and restart your browser, or
4. Reboot your computer and try again.
Instructions for #1 & 2 can be found here: http://www07.grants.gov/help/trouble_tips.jsp
We apologize for any inconvenience.
Chủ Nhật, 21 tháng 2, 2010
Top Ten Formatting Tips for Any Grant Proposal
Top Ten Formatting Tips for Any Grant Proposal
10. Follow all directions, requests, suggested omissions, and any additional requests in the grant donor's giving guidelines, and any conversations that you have with official representatives from the grant donor's organization, in regard to your grant application.
9. Edit and cull down draft grant proposals, going over them for not just content and readability, but anticipate that whomever will read it at the potential grant donor's office will likely not read it fully, but rather quickly scan it. Remember, they receive many tens of proposals, each grant cycle deadline, and must get key information from each one. Most grant proposal submissions are not fully read, word for word. Formatting key facts (i.e. mission statement, project goals, expected outcomes, etc.) in easy to spot bullet list formats (unless otherwise stated) helps anyone scanning a grant proposal to see key information, even on the fly.
8. Unless the grant donor requests them, do not insert photos, images, or use fancy binding or covers when printing and coalescing the final grant proposal submission if a hard copy is requested. Potential grant donors want to see that the nonprofits that they ultimately donate grant to spend money wisely. Printing proposals in color, with photos inserted, and under cover of a fancy binding can indicate that money has been spent on needless frivolous appearances when it can always be better spent on a nonprofit's programs or services.
7. Be on time. Be sure that you are clear and know when the grant donor's deadline is for grant proposal submissions, plan out all of the work that will be necessary to draft and then finalize an excellent grant proposal, and be certain that the document is not just done but is delivered to the grant donor's office (or wherever they require the proposal be submitted) on time.
6. Have another set of eyes go over the final draft grant proposal, at least. Ideally, it would be good to have two people, who are excellent writers, themselves, go over the document for content, clarity, spelling, grammar, flow of content, etc. It doesn't hurt to ask someone familiar with writing grant proposals to audit your final draft against the grant donor's giving guidelines to be certain that everything that is supposed to (and not supposed to) be in the document is there (or not).
5. Be certain that you know what attachments the grant donor requests be submitted along with the grant proposal application and that they are in the final submission package. It is not unusual for grant donors to require a list of the current board members, the past quarter's financials, and the budget for the proposed program. Each grant donor is different and each one requests different information and attachments be included with the grant applications submitted to them. Double check that, before you submit, you've complied every attachment (in its current, complete, and honest format) that is supposed to be sent in for consideration and that it's in the submitted package.
4. Check and double check word counts, word limits per page, number of pages per document, etc. Some grant donors require that the grant proposal be comprised of answers to questions that they posit and sometimes the answers provided in the grant proposal each have a word or even character limit. Other times, grant donors will limit how many pages the project description, cover letter, or other component of the grant application may be. If a grant donor does not limit any word counts, character counts, or page counts be sure to keep the proposal content concise and to the point, just the same.
3. Do not over use formatting such as bold, italics, underline, etc. Remember, you want the person who reads or scans your organization's submission to get all of the information that they request, in their giving guidelines; but also find a nice flow to the content including a clean presentation of the information. Giving the reader a headache because there's too much going on, per page, is a potential detraction to your proposal and you don't want to give any potential donor a reason to toss your grant request out.
2. Check the math. Most grant donors request that a budget be submitted for the proposed project that the grant is requested for. This usually involves both writing budget details content in the grant proposal, itself, along with providing the actual project budget (financial document). The logic and math in each proposal segment that refers to the budget must match. If, for instance, the budget states that $20,000 will be raised from individual major donors along with the grants being raised (to complete the total necessary income needed for the program); but the budget description in the proposal content says that $25,000 will be raised from individual major donors: that is bad math, at the least, and perhaps poor program management at the worst. Do not leave any room for questions in the reader's mind. Be consistent.
1. Create a proposal package that, when submitted, you are really proud of. This may sound obvious but the fact is that a confident submission is often the precursor to an awarded grant. Having done the due diligence, getting your ducks in a row, creating excellent submissions, and having the benefit of that confidence while you wait for a response is a much better experience than winging it, submitting whatever it is that you can, and crossing your fingers and sweating.
10. Follow all directions, requests, suggested omissions, and any additional requests in the grant donor's giving guidelines, and any conversations that you have with official representatives from the grant donor's organization, in regard to your grant application.
9. Edit and cull down draft grant proposals, going over them for not just content and readability, but anticipate that whomever will read it at the potential grant donor's office will likely not read it fully, but rather quickly scan it. Remember, they receive many tens of proposals, each grant cycle deadline, and must get key information from each one. Most grant proposal submissions are not fully read, word for word. Formatting key facts (i.e. mission statement, project goals, expected outcomes, etc.) in easy to spot bullet list formats (unless otherwise stated) helps anyone scanning a grant proposal to see key information, even on the fly.
8. Unless the grant donor requests them, do not insert photos, images, or use fancy binding or covers when printing and coalescing the final grant proposal submission if a hard copy is requested. Potential grant donors want to see that the nonprofits that they ultimately donate grant to spend money wisely. Printing proposals in color, with photos inserted, and under cover of a fancy binding can indicate that money has been spent on needless frivolous appearances when it can always be better spent on a nonprofit's programs or services.
7. Be on time. Be sure that you are clear and know when the grant donor's deadline is for grant proposal submissions, plan out all of the work that will be necessary to draft and then finalize an excellent grant proposal, and be certain that the document is not just done but is delivered to the grant donor's office (or wherever they require the proposal be submitted) on time.
6. Have another set of eyes go over the final draft grant proposal, at least. Ideally, it would be good to have two people, who are excellent writers, themselves, go over the document for content, clarity, spelling, grammar, flow of content, etc. It doesn't hurt to ask someone familiar with writing grant proposals to audit your final draft against the grant donor's giving guidelines to be certain that everything that is supposed to (and not supposed to) be in the document is there (or not).
5. Be certain that you know what attachments the grant donor requests be submitted along with the grant proposal application and that they are in the final submission package. It is not unusual for grant donors to require a list of the current board members, the past quarter's financials, and the budget for the proposed program. Each grant donor is different and each one requests different information and attachments be included with the grant applications submitted to them. Double check that, before you submit, you've complied every attachment (in its current, complete, and honest format) that is supposed to be sent in for consideration and that it's in the submitted package.
4. Check and double check word counts, word limits per page, number of pages per document, etc. Some grant donors require that the grant proposal be comprised of answers to questions that they posit and sometimes the answers provided in the grant proposal each have a word or even character limit. Other times, grant donors will limit how many pages the project description, cover letter, or other component of the grant application may be. If a grant donor does not limit any word counts, character counts, or page counts be sure to keep the proposal content concise and to the point, just the same.
3. Do not over use formatting such as bold, italics, underline, etc. Remember, you want the person who reads or scans your organization's submission to get all of the information that they request, in their giving guidelines; but also find a nice flow to the content including a clean presentation of the information. Giving the reader a headache because there's too much going on, per page, is a potential detraction to your proposal and you don't want to give any potential donor a reason to toss your grant request out.
2. Check the math. Most grant donors request that a budget be submitted for the proposed project that the grant is requested for. This usually involves both writing budget details content in the grant proposal, itself, along with providing the actual project budget (financial document). The logic and math in each proposal segment that refers to the budget must match. If, for instance, the budget states that $20,000 will be raised from individual major donors along with the grants being raised (to complete the total necessary income needed for the program); but the budget description in the proposal content says that $25,000 will be raised from individual major donors: that is bad math, at the least, and perhaps poor program management at the worst. Do not leave any room for questions in the reader's mind. Be consistent.
1. Create a proposal package that, when submitted, you are really proud of. This may sound obvious but the fact is that a confident submission is often the precursor to an awarded grant. Having done the due diligence, getting your ducks in a row, creating excellent submissions, and having the benefit of that confidence while you wait for a response is a much better experience than winging it, submitting whatever it is that you can, and crossing your fingers and sweating.
Grants for Projects That Will Significantly Reduce or Replace Lab Animal Testing
From The Foundation Center...
Deadline: March 30, 2010
Deadline: March 30, 2010
Alternatives Research & Development Foundation Seeks Proposals for Non-Animal Biomedical Research Methods
The mission of the Alternatives Research & Development Foundation is to fund and promote the development, validation, and adoption of non-animal methods in biomedical research, product testing, and education.
The foundation's 2010 Alternatives Research Grant Program offers opportunities for scientists who have interest and expertise in alternatives research.
Up to $40,000 in total funding is available to support individual projects. Proposals are judged primarily on the basis of the extent to which the project will significantly reduce or replace laboratory animals, and scientific merit and feasibility.
Grants from the foundation are made only to individuals affiliated with a nonprofit tax-exempt institution, organization, or foreign equivalent.
Visit the ARDF Web site for complete program information and application procedures.
Contact:
Link to Complete RFP
Australian Management Scholarships for International Students
International Scholarships and MBA Programs
ICE WaRM offers a scholarship programme and MBA programme to attract high quality international students to education and training in water resources management, delivered by ICE WaRM partner institutions.
The ICE WaRM scholarship programme aims to:
* provide high calibre students with the opportunity to study with ICE WaRM partners to further their knowledge;
* provide students with the opportunity to participate in research and advance their scientific knowledge in water resources management;
* encourage the exchange of ideas on best practice within water-related fields;
* provide students with the opportunity to participate in presentations, conferences, seminars and forums on contemporary issues in water resources management;
* provide the opportunity for MBA scholarship students from organisations and countries currently facing major water issues to participate in programmes which they may not be able to fund; and
* demonstrate a commitment to cultural change and diversity and the international sharing of knowledge and skills related to water resources management.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS, PROGRAMME INFORMATION AND PARTNER UNIVERSITY WEBLINKS
We recommend that you visit the Post-Graduate Programmes page of the website to find out more about the programme.
MBA SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION CLOSING DATES
Semester 1 (July 2010) - Deadline 26th February 2010
Semester 2 (February 2011) - Deadline 27th August 2010
ICE WaRM offers two rounds of scholarships annually, in February and July. Applicants are able to begin applying for current or future rounds at any time. The current round (to commence in Semester 2 - July 2010 has a deadline of 26th February, 2010.
HOW DO I APPLY FOR THE SCHOLARSHIPS AND MBA SCHOLARSHIPS?
1) Complete the online registration form below to gain access to the relevant application forms.
Once you press "submit" you will see a webpage with links to 3 documents:
* Scholarship Guidelines
* Scholarship Application Form
* Scholarships Confidential Referee Report
2) Print and/or save these files. You will also receive an automatic email acknowledgement with a direct link to the application forms.
3) Complete the Scholarship Application Form and send to ICE WaRM with relevant documentation by the deadline.
NOTES:
* ICE WaRM will acknowledge receipt of all applications and advise if any documents are outstanding.
* Completion of the online registration form allows ICE WaRM to monitor interest in the scholarship programme and remind applicants of closing dates.
* Any applications that are incomplete by the application deadline will not be eligible for consideration.
* Hard copy documents (transcripts, parchments, passports/birth certificates) must be original or certified copies - uncertified photocopies will not be accepted.
SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING
ICE WaRM offers full and partial scholarships toward the cost of the programme (fee tuition). For international students the fully funded scholarship is AUD$30,000 and partially funded scholarship is AUD$15,000*.
For more information on other scholarships and stipends, you can visit the following weblinks:
AusAid
DEST, Endeavour Programme
Study In Australia
University of South Australia
University of Adelaide
Flinders University
Deakin University
*Please note: ICE WaRM scholarships do not include a living allowance. Tuition fees are subject to change by the universities on an annual basis.
ICE WaRM CONTACT:
For more information on ICE WaRM's international scholarship programme or your application status, please contact:
ICE WaRM Education Services Coordinator
Email: scholarships@icewarm.com.au
GPO Box 860
Adelaide SA 5000
Phone: +61 8 8236 5200
Fax: +61 8 8236 5236
ICE WaRM offers a scholarship programme and MBA programme to attract high quality international students to education and training in water resources management, delivered by ICE WaRM partner institutions.
The ICE WaRM scholarship programme aims to:
* provide high calibre students with the opportunity to study with ICE WaRM partners to further their knowledge;
* provide students with the opportunity to participate in research and advance their scientific knowledge in water resources management;
* encourage the exchange of ideas on best practice within water-related fields;
* provide students with the opportunity to participate in presentations, conferences, seminars and forums on contemporary issues in water resources management;
* provide the opportunity for MBA scholarship students from organisations and countries currently facing major water issues to participate in programmes which they may not be able to fund; and
* demonstrate a commitment to cultural change and diversity and the international sharing of knowledge and skills related to water resources management.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS, PROGRAMME INFORMATION AND PARTNER UNIVERSITY WEBLINKS
We recommend that you visit the Post-Graduate Programmes page of the website to find out more about the programme.
MBA SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION CLOSING DATES
Semester 1 (July 2010) - Deadline 26th February 2010
Semester 2 (February 2011) - Deadline 27th August 2010
ICE WaRM offers two rounds of scholarships annually, in February and July. Applicants are able to begin applying for current or future rounds at any time. The current round (to commence in Semester 2 - July 2010 has a deadline of 26th February, 2010.
HOW DO I APPLY FOR THE SCHOLARSHIPS AND MBA SCHOLARSHIPS?
1) Complete the online registration form below to gain access to the relevant application forms.
Once you press "submit" you will see a webpage with links to 3 documents:
* Scholarship Guidelines
* Scholarship Application Form
* Scholarships Confidential Referee Report
2) Print and/or save these files. You will also receive an automatic email acknowledgement with a direct link to the application forms.
3) Complete the Scholarship Application Form and send to ICE WaRM with relevant documentation by the deadline.
NOTES:
* ICE WaRM will acknowledge receipt of all applications and advise if any documents are outstanding.
* Completion of the online registration form allows ICE WaRM to monitor interest in the scholarship programme and remind applicants of closing dates.
* Any applications that are incomplete by the application deadline will not be eligible for consideration.
* Hard copy documents (transcripts, parchments, passports/birth certificates) must be original or certified copies - uncertified photocopies will not be accepted.
SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING
ICE WaRM offers full and partial scholarships toward the cost of the programme (fee tuition). For international students the fully funded scholarship is AUD$30,000 and partially funded scholarship is AUD$15,000*.
For more information on other scholarships and stipends, you can visit the following weblinks:
AusAid
DEST, Endeavour Programme
Study In Australia
University of South Australia
University of Adelaide
Flinders University
Deakin University
*Please note: ICE WaRM scholarships do not include a living allowance. Tuition fees are subject to change by the universities on an annual basis.
ICE WaRM CONTACT:
For more information on ICE WaRM's international scholarship programme or your application status, please contact:
ICE WaRM Education Services Coordinator
Email: scholarships@icewarm.com.au
GPO Box 860
Adelaide SA 5000
Phone: +61 8 8236 5200
Fax: +61 8 8236 5236
Chủ Nhật, 14 tháng 2, 2010
Some People Who Contribute To Nonprofits Are Made...Not Born
Philanthropy, the activity of charity, comes from within a person and is also developed within a community. If and how a person, over the course of their life, learns about philanthropy, giving to one's community, and sharing one's time or other contributions with their community; depends on what values they learn, if and how they are exposed to community involvement, what they understand about philanthropy and community, and what they come to value as adults.
No one need be a millionaire to be a philanthropist. Every day, millions of people give contributions (of any kind:volunteer time, expertise, items or goods (i.e. used computer in good condition), or money) to a nonprofit organization of their choice. Contributions may be donating: their used clothes in excellent condition, or two volunteer hours a week, or a regular annual gift of $75.
Often, in the nonprofit sector, in the interest of understanding how to best increase community support, professionals working for the community will consider how to best engage potential donors who have not yet given to the nonprofit that they work for, going about it by attracting involvement through general personal interests (i.e. golf tournaments, gala dinners, auctions, etc.); and engage donors by clearly stating in the press, in the organization's own publications (i.e. newsletters and annual reports, etc.) what the organization does, why it does this work right now, its successes, its current goals, and why it is the best organization to address the issue it does. While engaging the community in these ways are good professional practices, we nonprofit sector professionals need to first consider what philanthropic values, experiences, and knowledge the people in our communities have, or don't have.
There are a myriad of professional services that in part, and some in total, help anyone interested in setting up a charitable trust or even a foundation, to do so. These Certified Financial Planners, Certified Public Accountants, Community Foundations, and others specialize in the activity of philanthropy, and enable those interested in being philanthropists to do so. These services really are aimed at the wealthy or those who are expecting to have acquired a specified amount to designate to their community, perhaps, for instance, in their personal estate, after they pass on. Often the philanthropist, though, comes to these professionals with the interest already established to give charitably. They have gone so far to actualize their intention to give and be active in their communities as donors.
Many people who support nonprofits come to do so through different reasons. Some attend a specific organization's annual comedy festival, every year, and by buying the tickets to do so, contribute. Others give by perhaps donating products or services from their personal business; or donating when a friend or family member passes away and requests that memorials be donated to a specific nonprofit or two; or the woman who volunteers four hours each week with the nonprofit that helped her to get working and able to afford everything that she and her two children need, now, because it is a 'back to work' organization that provided her with self esteem counseling and trained her to be proficient in a new professional skill. Again, though, these are people who perhaps through their own personal experiences came to appreciate what they receive from giving to their communities and what that gift that they gave did in their communities.
Yes, the tax deduction is a nice 'plus' for those who contribute items of value (or assets, or money). Studies have repeatedly shown, though, that donors, while appreciative of the tax deduction they receive for the fair market value of the items of value that they give; donors actually mostly give to effect change where and however they see it is needed. This underscores the value the contributor either already feels for the nonprofit that they gave to, of the value that they would like to feel for the nonprofit that they donated to or volunteered with. The contributor will consider the cause that it works for, and what work it does and how well it does that work (and how well the organization is run). If a person interested in volunteering takes their grave concern for the environment and decides to use that to do something about the issue, by volunteering - then they begin to research which environmental issue and cause they think will best alleviate the environmental issue that most concerns them. The contributor wants to support an organization that takes their asset or money or volunteered time and expertise and succeeds in its mission statement (and what's more, they need to be informed that their contribution allowed for this success to come to be - because...without community support it would not have).
We are still left, though, as nonprofit professionals with those in our community who are new to wealth, and those who do not understand what the nonprofit sector is, what it does, and why they would want to support this critical and vibrant sector. Maybe these people are not millionaires, or they are not even aware of the option to support their community, or perhaps they are so busy in their lives that they are not actively aware of the news and what's going on in the world. A professional nonprofit director may pass these people off as 'a group of people who (as a demographic) are not going to give anyway, so why waste the money or effort to try to engage them'. This assumption, though, would be selling your organization, these folks, and the community's potential short.
The nonprofit sector in a given community (town, region, etc.), can come together as a whole, to together conduct an information campaign, in order to engage people to be sure that community members learn what philanthropy is, what the nonprofit sector is, the value to the community when its members get involved (however they want to, however often they can), and what benefits the individual who contributes (however they can) receives from their community involvement experience. This campaign can even be something as simple as getting the local newspaper to donate a print page and one web page in its most read issue for the nonprofits to articulate the compelling community-involvement facts.
Even if only one or two nonprofits in a region independently, or together, conduct a community campaign simply clarifying what philanthropy is and its benefits - it is a boon for them and the other organizations in their community (and all of the nonprofit organizations in the area owe them a 'thank you').
It's good to remember that some donors are not born - some are made.
No one need be a millionaire to be a philanthropist. Every day, millions of people give contributions (of any kind:volunteer time, expertise, items or goods (i.e. used computer in good condition), or money) to a nonprofit organization of their choice. Contributions may be donating: their used clothes in excellent condition, or two volunteer hours a week, or a regular annual gift of $75.
Often, in the nonprofit sector, in the interest of understanding how to best increase community support, professionals working for the community will consider how to best engage potential donors who have not yet given to the nonprofit that they work for, going about it by attracting involvement through general personal interests (i.e. golf tournaments, gala dinners, auctions, etc.); and engage donors by clearly stating in the press, in the organization's own publications (i.e. newsletters and annual reports, etc.) what the organization does, why it does this work right now, its successes, its current goals, and why it is the best organization to address the issue it does. While engaging the community in these ways are good professional practices, we nonprofit sector professionals need to first consider what philanthropic values, experiences, and knowledge the people in our communities have, or don't have.
There are a myriad of professional services that in part, and some in total, help anyone interested in setting up a charitable trust or even a foundation, to do so. These Certified Financial Planners, Certified Public Accountants, Community Foundations, and others specialize in the activity of philanthropy, and enable those interested in being philanthropists to do so. These services really are aimed at the wealthy or those who are expecting to have acquired a specified amount to designate to their community, perhaps, for instance, in their personal estate, after they pass on. Often the philanthropist, though, comes to these professionals with the interest already established to give charitably. They have gone so far to actualize their intention to give and be active in their communities as donors.
Many people who support nonprofits come to do so through different reasons. Some attend a specific organization's annual comedy festival, every year, and by buying the tickets to do so, contribute. Others give by perhaps donating products or services from their personal business; or donating when a friend or family member passes away and requests that memorials be donated to a specific nonprofit or two; or the woman who volunteers four hours each week with the nonprofit that helped her to get working and able to afford everything that she and her two children need, now, because it is a 'back to work' organization that provided her with self esteem counseling and trained her to be proficient in a new professional skill. Again, though, these are people who perhaps through their own personal experiences came to appreciate what they receive from giving to their communities and what that gift that they gave did in their communities.
Yes, the tax deduction is a nice 'plus' for those who contribute items of value (or assets, or money). Studies have repeatedly shown, though, that donors, while appreciative of the tax deduction they receive for the fair market value of the items of value that they give; donors actually mostly give to effect change where and however they see it is needed. This underscores the value the contributor either already feels for the nonprofit that they gave to, of the value that they would like to feel for the nonprofit that they donated to or volunteered with. The contributor will consider the cause that it works for, and what work it does and how well it does that work (and how well the organization is run). If a person interested in volunteering takes their grave concern for the environment and decides to use that to do something about the issue, by volunteering - then they begin to research which environmental issue and cause they think will best alleviate the environmental issue that most concerns them. The contributor wants to support an organization that takes their asset or money or volunteered time and expertise and succeeds in its mission statement (and what's more, they need to be informed that their contribution allowed for this success to come to be - because...without community support it would not have).
We are still left, though, as nonprofit professionals with those in our community who are new to wealth, and those who do not understand what the nonprofit sector is, what it does, and why they would want to support this critical and vibrant sector. Maybe these people are not millionaires, or they are not even aware of the option to support their community, or perhaps they are so busy in their lives that they are not actively aware of the news and what's going on in the world. A professional nonprofit director may pass these people off as 'a group of people who (as a demographic) are not going to give anyway, so why waste the money or effort to try to engage them'. This assumption, though, would be selling your organization, these folks, and the community's potential short.
The nonprofit sector in a given community (town, region, etc.), can come together as a whole, to together conduct an information campaign, in order to engage people to be sure that community members learn what philanthropy is, what the nonprofit sector is, the value to the community when its members get involved (however they want to, however often they can), and what benefits the individual who contributes (however they can) receives from their community involvement experience. This campaign can even be something as simple as getting the local newspaper to donate a print page and one web page in its most read issue for the nonprofits to articulate the compelling community-involvement facts.
Even if only one or two nonprofits in a region independently, or together, conduct a community campaign simply clarifying what philanthropy is and its benefits - it is a boon for them and the other organizations in their community (and all of the nonprofit organizations in the area owe them a 'thank you').
It's good to remember that some donors are not born - some are made.
Awards for Nonprofits' 2008 - 2009 Outstanding & Innovative Affordable Housing Design & Management
From The Foundation Center...
Deadline: March 31, 2010
Deadline: March 31, 2010
Home Depot Foundation Accepting Applications for Awards of Excellence for Affordable Housing Built Responsibly
The Home Depot Foundation's Awards of Excellence for Affordable Housing Built Responsibly program is designed to identify, recognize, and showcase the outstanding and innovative work of nonprofit organizations in the area of design and management of affordable housing.
Projects submitted by nonprofit housing developers are evaluated according to affordability, creativity in addressing local housing needs, green building design and construction techniques, innovation in financing, quality of design, and whether it can be replicated elsewhere. Projects must have been developed by a 501(c)(3) organization and completed and placed in service between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2009. The foundation defines an affordable home as one for which a person making 80 percent or less of the area median income would spend 30 percent or less of their monthly income on mortgage or rent payments.
There are two award categories, Homeownership and Rental. The foundation awards up to five grants within each category — $75,000 to the winning project, $25,000 to the runner-up, and up to three honorable mention grants of $2,500 each. The grants are to be used at the discretion of the nonprofit to further the goal of producing affordable, efficient, and healthy housing for low- to moderate-income families.
Visit the Home Depot Foundation Web site for complete program guidelines.
Contact:
Link to Complete RFP
Thứ Ba, 9 tháng 2, 2010
Alert-Grant.Gov-Back on Line February 10, 2010
The major upgrade to the Grants.gov system (referred to as the “boost”) was completed and the system put back into production on 12:01 AM ET on February 10, 2010. The Grants.gov system is available for all users.
The upgrade increased the capacity of Grants.gov, along with the system’s reliability and its ability to sustain continuous high volume activity.
The PMO worked closely with agencies that previously posted closing deadlines during the outage period to minimize any impact on the agencies or their applicants. Agencies with previously posted closing deadlines on February 6 – 9, 2010 took appropriate steps to ensure applicants are able to apply for these posted opportunities. Please note the outage period, and any agency instructions for particular grant opportunities, and plan accordingly when applying for grants in the early February time period.
We apologize for any inconvenience this outage period may cause.
Regards,
Grants.gov PMO
The upgrade increased the capacity of Grants.gov, along with the system’s reliability and its ability to sustain continuous high volume activity.
The PMO worked closely with agencies that previously posted closing deadlines during the outage period to minimize any impact on the agencies or their applicants. Agencies with previously posted closing deadlines on February 6 – 9, 2010 took appropriate steps to ensure applicants are able to apply for these posted opportunities. Please note the outage period, and any agency instructions for particular grant opportunities, and plan accordingly when applying for grants in the early February time period.
We apologize for any inconvenience this outage period may cause.
Regards,
Grants.gov PMO
Chủ Nhật, 7 tháng 2, 2010
Applying for Grants Through the Grant Donor's Online Grant Application Wizard or Program
It used to be...as is true with everything, that all grant applications were submitted by printing out documents (the grant application and proposal) and either mailing that or having it delivered by courier. Today, though, especially due to the green movement, many grant donors require that nonprofits applying for grants do so through a virtual portal, of some kind.
Grant donors that require that applicants apply online often have their own grant application wizard or application web pages on their website. Some use a grant application service that allows the grant donor to specify which questions they want the applicants to be asked, but does not require the grant donor organization themselves manage or house the grant application program on their own website (or servers).
Every grant donor is a different organization from the other, having different questions for applicant nonprofits, or requiring different formatting, or requesting different attachments from one another. Usually, when a grant donor requires that applicants apply online, they provide the list of all of the questions that the applicant nonprofit will be asked online, ahead of time, before the time that the agency is applies. It is very important that applicant nonprofits print this list of the actual questions before applying. Using these actual questions and the grant donor's giving guidelines will allow your organization to prepare and write the actual answers to each question (in Word or some similar word processing program) before actually applying. You can then simply copy from Word your already completed answers and paste those into each grant application question's response box or prompt. The benefit of having completed the answers for each question asked, in advance, is also that you and whomever else you ask to review the final drafts of grant submissions to look these over, too, beforehand. It is tempting, in the online grant application prompts, to compose on the fly or edit as you apply; but the danger is not only making errors that go unnoticed (and do not get fixed before submitting your organization's application); the danger is that if they require a limited number of words per answer you may be taking up word count (space in the answer) that could be better used to make an additional compelling point or two. It's better to apply on line already having completed each answer.
If a grant donor does not allow the applicant to get the list of questions, beforehand, (and this is extremely rare) log into the grant application program or wizard, going through the entire application, and print each question out before actually answering them. If even this is not possible - copy and paste from a grant application that has already won your nonprofit a grant having beforehand edited and tailored a copy of that to the grant donor organization's giving guideline's requirements.
Sometimes grant donors requiring that applications be submitted online have a word limit, per response. This word limit should also be built into your nonprofit's responses to each of their questions, in advance.
When a grant donor requires that applicants apply online they may require that the applicant upload the required grant application attachments (which can be anything from the list of the current board of directors, to the most recent annual report, to the financials, or the proposed program's budget). They may also allow applicant organizations to mail their attachments into their office and require that they reference their application when doing so.
Many grant donors will give the applicant organization some kind of confirmation message after the grant writer is done submitting the nonprofit's grant application online. It may be a unique confirmation number or code, or just a simple message saying something like, "...your grant application has been received, thank you...". It's good to note, maybe on a printed out copy of your actual grant application submitted what date and time you submitted the grant application, online, and also note any confirmation number or even generic messages they use to confirm your submission has been received. You won't have to remember any details for each application submitted because you'll have record of these (and these copies and records should be filed into the grant donor's file). If there's any question, in the future, whether your organization actually submitted an application successfully (or on time, maybe) even if you only note their confirmation message, verbatim, you can prove that whomever submitted the grant application got all the way through the process such that they received this direct quote (confirmation) from their grant application system.
If, during the grant application submission process online, you have any difficulties with the actual grant application program or if you have any questions about the application questions or requested attachments; follow the directions that explain how to get assistance, on the grant application wizard or web pages. If they direct the applicant to not contact the grant donor organization, but instead the company that manages the application wizard, then do what they direct. If the grant application wizard's web pages do not provide any clear direction, check the grant donor's giving guidelines for directions. If that does not state what online applicants can do to request assistance, then call the grant donor's main office number.
Grant donors that require that applicants apply online often have their own grant application wizard or application web pages on their website. Some use a grant application service that allows the grant donor to specify which questions they want the applicants to be asked, but does not require the grant donor organization themselves manage or house the grant application program on their own website (or servers).
Every grant donor is a different organization from the other, having different questions for applicant nonprofits, or requiring different formatting, or requesting different attachments from one another. Usually, when a grant donor requires that applicants apply online, they provide the list of all of the questions that the applicant nonprofit will be asked online, ahead of time, before the time that the agency is applies. It is very important that applicant nonprofits print this list of the actual questions before applying. Using these actual questions and the grant donor's giving guidelines will allow your organization to prepare and write the actual answers to each question (in Word or some similar word processing program) before actually applying. You can then simply copy from Word your already completed answers and paste those into each grant application question's response box or prompt. The benefit of having completed the answers for each question asked, in advance, is also that you and whomever else you ask to review the final drafts of grant submissions to look these over, too, beforehand. It is tempting, in the online grant application prompts, to compose on the fly or edit as you apply; but the danger is not only making errors that go unnoticed (and do not get fixed before submitting your organization's application); the danger is that if they require a limited number of words per answer you may be taking up word count (space in the answer) that could be better used to make an additional compelling point or two. It's better to apply on line already having completed each answer.
If a grant donor does not allow the applicant to get the list of questions, beforehand, (and this is extremely rare) log into the grant application program or wizard, going through the entire application, and print each question out before actually answering them. If even this is not possible - copy and paste from a grant application that has already won your nonprofit a grant having beforehand edited and tailored a copy of that to the grant donor organization's giving guideline's requirements.
Sometimes grant donors requiring that applications be submitted online have a word limit, per response. This word limit should also be built into your nonprofit's responses to each of their questions, in advance.
When a grant donor requires that applicants apply online they may require that the applicant upload the required grant application attachments (which can be anything from the list of the current board of directors, to the most recent annual report, to the financials, or the proposed program's budget). They may also allow applicant organizations to mail their attachments into their office and require that they reference their application when doing so.
Many grant donors will give the applicant organization some kind of confirmation message after the grant writer is done submitting the nonprofit's grant application online. It may be a unique confirmation number or code, or just a simple message saying something like, "...your grant application has been received, thank you...". It's good to note, maybe on a printed out copy of your actual grant application submitted what date and time you submitted the grant application, online, and also note any confirmation number or even generic messages they use to confirm your submission has been received. You won't have to remember any details for each application submitted because you'll have record of these (and these copies and records should be filed into the grant donor's file). If there's any question, in the future, whether your organization actually submitted an application successfully (or on time, maybe) even if you only note their confirmation message, verbatim, you can prove that whomever submitted the grant application got all the way through the process such that they received this direct quote (confirmation) from their grant application system.
If, during the grant application submission process online, you have any difficulties with the actual grant application program or if you have any questions about the application questions or requested attachments; follow the directions that explain how to get assistance, on the grant application wizard or web pages. If they direct the applicant to not contact the grant donor organization, but instead the company that manages the application wizard, then do what they direct. If the grant application wizard's web pages do not provide any clear direction, check the grant donor's giving guidelines for directions. If that does not state what online applicants can do to request assistance, then call the grant donor's main office number.
Awards for Enterprising American Middle School & High School Aged Girls
From The Foundation Center...
Deadline: February 26, 2010
Deadline: February 26, 2010
Guardian Life Insurance Invites Entries for Girls Going Places Entrepreneurship Award Program
The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America is accepting entries for its Girls Going Places Entrepreneurship Award Program.
This annual initiative is designed to reward the enterprising spirits of girls between the ages of 12 and 18. In 2010, Guardian will award prizes to fifteen girls who demonstrate budding entrepreneurship, are taking the first steps toward financial independence, and make a difference in their schools and communities.
To be eligible, a nominee must be between the ages of 12 and 18 as of December 31, 2009; be enrolled in middle school or high school; and be a U.S. legal resident.
Prizes totaling $30,000 will be granted to three top winners and twelve finalists to further their entrepreneurial pursuits or save for college. Submissions received after the deadline date will be entered in the 2011 competition.
Visit the Guardian Life Web site for complete program guidelines and entry forms.
Contact:
Link to Complete RFP
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