GrantStation Insider - January 23, 2020

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National Funding
Opportunities Throughout the U.S.

Support for Early Childhood Educator Preparation Programs
Early Educator Investment Collaborative
The Early Educator Investment Collaborative works with the early childhood field to achieve a bigger, bolder vision of the ideal for children and their educators through comprehensive systems change. The Collaborative's current grant opportunity, Transforming Early Educator Lead Teacher Preparation Programs Through Multi-Partner Innovation, will provide two-year grants to support partnerships in expanding or implementing innovative teacher preparation programs in state, territory, and/or Tribal Nation early childhood education systems. In particular, the focus is on proposals that consider things like recruitment and retention of racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse students; curricula informed by recent developmental science; induction supports provided in the early years of teaching; or financial supports for educators to access and complete programs. Eligible partnerships must be comprised of at least the following two entity types: a lead applicant four-year institute of higher education that offers a bachelor's degree program for lead teachers; and a state, local, territory, or tribal government. The total funding amount is approximately $10 million for two years. Grants will vary in size from a minimum of approximately $200,000 to $600,000 and a maximum of approximately $3 million to $5 million. The deadline for letters of intent is March 2, 2020. Visit the Collaborative's website to learn more about the grant opportunity and to download the full announcement.

Organizations Addressing Child Sex Abuse and Social Injustice Funded
Focus for Health Foundation
The mission of the Focus for Health Foundation is to promote advocacy, education, and research to combat the rise of chronic illness occurring around the world. The Foundation's current request for proposals is seeking to fund nonprofit organizations throughout the United States that are going beyond providing services to focus on systemic changes in one of the following areas: 1) ending child sex abuse, or 2) addressing a social injustice that affects health. Applying organizations should have an annual budget under $1 million, and be regional or national in scope or have a model that can be replicated on a larger scale. The deadline for submitting grant requests is February 14, 2020. Visit the Foundation's website for more information on the RFP and the application procedure.

Grants Enhance Youth Garden Programs Nationwide
KidsGardening: Gro More Good Grassroots Grant
The Gro More Good Grassroots Grant, funded by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and administered by KidsGardening, is designed to bring the life-enhancing benefits of gardens to communities across the United States. In 2020, 175 grants worth a total of $100,000 will be awarded for the development of new and expansion of existing youth garden programs and greenspaces serving 15 or more youth. The top 25 programs will receive $1,000; an additional 150 programs will receive $500. Winners will be selected based on their commitment to the maintenance and sustainability of their garden program, including plans for growth and future fiscal stability. Nonprofit organizations and schools in the U.S. and its territories are eligible to apply. Applications must be submitted by February 14, 2020. Visit the KidsGardening website to access the Gro More Good Grassroots Grant guidelines.

School Libraries Serving Disadvantaged Kids Supported
Snapdragon Book Foundation
The Snapdragon Book Foundation seeks to foster children's literacy by providing support to school libraries serving disadvantaged children. Grants are awarded to public, private, and experimental pre-K-12 schools throughout the United States. In a time when many schools are reallocating their funds to technology and audiovisual equipment, the Foundation hopes to make sure that school libraries are still offering children good books to read. Grants typically range from $2,500 to $10,000. The application deadline is February 16, 2020. Visit the Foundation's website to learn more about the application process and review the FAQs.

Regional Funding
Opportunities for Specific Areas

Funds for Education and Youth Programs in Selected Locations
Brady Shines
Brady Shines, a charitable giving program of the Brady Companies, supports nonprofit organizations focused on youth and education in the communities served by the company in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Utah, as well as the Los Angeles, CA; El Paso, TX; and Washington, DC, metropolitan areas. Brady Shines is currently accepting requests from nonprofit organizations, government entities, schools, universities, churches, and faith-based organizations that address the theme of Supporting the Disabled. Grants ranging from $250 to $10,000 and product donations will be provided. (Organizations that address the themes of Healthy Living, Safety and Well-Being, and Schools in Need will be invited to apply on a quarterly basis throughout the rest of 2020.) Requests for the current cycle are due February 29, 2020. Visit the Brady Shines website to learn more about the application process.

Grants Promote Social Justice Initiatives in Alaska
Alaska Community Foundation: Social Justice Fund
The Alaska Community Foundation works to connect people, organizations, and causes to strengthen Alaska's communities. The goal for the Foundation's Social Justice Fund is to support strategic collaborations that prioritize leadership development and allow Alaskans to address the root causes of challenging social justice issues within their communities and across the state. Nonprofit organizations, tribes, schools, faith-based organizations, local government agencies, and grassroots organizations may apply for programmatic and general operating support. Grants will range from $5,000 to $15,000. Applications will be accepted through February 20, 2020. (Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to call Foundation staff prior to submitting an online application.) Visit the Alaska Community Foundation website for more information about the Social Justice Fund.

Support for Efforts to Combat Food Insecurity in Company Communities
Conagra Brands Foundation: Community Impact Grant Program
The Conagra Brands Foundation's Community Impact Grant Program provides support to nonprofit organizations that focus on food insecurity, primarily in the communities where Conagra Brands operates in 26 states. The Program's areas of interest include food access, nutrition education and cooking skills, healthy and active lifestyles, and urban agricultural programs that have a clear community focus and provide entrepreneurial skills to help individuals participate in the farm-to-fork economy. Letters of intent may be submitted through March 1, 2020. Visit the Conagra website to learn more about the Community Impact Grant Program.

Health Projects in Iowa and South Dakota Funded
The Wellmark Foundation: Matching Assets to Community Health
The Wellmark Foundation is dedicated to improving the health of Iowans, South Dakotans, and their communities. The Foundation supports nonprofit organizations and community groups that develop, implement, and enhance sustainable projects that 1) increase access to and consumption of nutritious foods, or 2) promote safe and healthy environments in which to be physically active. The Foundation's Matching Assets to Community Health (MATCH) grant program is designed to bring other funders together to support community health projects. The following two grant opportunities are offered: Large MATCH Grants of up to $100,000 must be matched 100 percent. The application deadline for this program is February 21, 2020. Small MATCH Grants of up to $25,000 must be matched at 50 percent. The deadline for this program is June 5, 2020. Visit the Foundation's website to download the 2020 MATCH Grant RFP.

Federal Funding
Opportunities from the U.S. Government

Tribal Cultural and Historic Projects Supported
National Park Service
The Tribal Heritage Grants program supports cultural and historic preservation projects for Indian Tribes, Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiian Organizations. The focus is on Native language, oral history, plant and animal species important in tradition, sacred and historic places, and the establishment of tribal historic preservation offices. The application deadline is March 11, 2020.

Funds Available for Rural Energy Efforts
Department of Agriculture
The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) provides Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Assistance loans and grants to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Grants may be used for renewable energy systems such as biomass, geothermal, hydropower, hydrogen, and wind, solar, or ocean generation, or for the purchase, installation, or construction of energy efficiency improvements such as high-efficiency HVAC systems, lighting, insulation, cooling or refrigeration units, doors and windows, and other upgrades. The application deadline is March 31, 2020.

Tracks to Success
Feature articles focused on a particular grantmaker or philanthropic trend.

Don’t Psych Yourself Out! You Can Win That Award.
(An interview with the 2019 Winning Grant Proposal Contest winner)
By Cynthia M. Adams, CEO, GrantStation
In 2018, Kristi Albertson, the grantwriter and coordinator for Lake Health District in Lake County, Oregon, was awarded a planning grant for $200,000 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a U.S. federal agency. The proposal focused on a growing opioid problem within the tri-county area, and the need for a collaborative and comprehensive approach to address this problem. Ms. Albertson submitted her winning proposal to GrantStation's 2019 Winning Grant Proposal Competition, taking first place. This is an interview with Ms. Albertson; Francie Winters, the Prevention Coordinator in Lake County; and Jennifer Little, Director of Klamath County Public Health on their collaborative effort to address the opioid crisis in their region.

PathFinder: Featured Resource
A library of quality resources designed to help you develop your career path as a grants professional.

Stateline
Are you a grantwriter looking for state-level data to bolster your grant request, or perhaps an executive director looking to keep up on trends in your area? Then you may want to bookmark Stateline, a blog put out by the Pew Charitable Trusts. This blog provides daily reporting and analysis on trends in state policy.

Upcoming Online Education Trainings
Live Webinars

Unless otherwise noted, all Online Education Trainings are webinars,
are 90 minutes in duration, and are scheduled to begin at 2 PM Eastern Time.

Exploring Public Funding (NEW)
Community nonprofits often struggle to compete with larger organizations for public dollars. This webinar, presented by Mindy Muller, is an opportunity to arm nonprofits with the information needed to make an informed decision about whether or not to pursue these funding options. The webinar will review the structure of public funding from the federal level to the state and local levels, as well as the process of considering the pros and cons of pursuing public funding. Participants will learn more about tapping into public funds, the request for proposal process, and how to prepare, qualify, and apply for public funds. Federal requirements to consider before pursuing public dollars, like OMB Circulars, the Davis-Bacon Act, and environmental reviews, will also be covered. Finally, participants will learn tips on competing for public funds with excellence. Attendees will learn about public funding streams, including federal, state, and local funding; develop strategies to make intentional decisions about pursuit of public funding; acquire an awareness of additional mandates required when using federal funds; and learn about the common request for proposal funding structure. This session is excellent for nonprofits looking to explore public funding as well as experienced proposal writers looking for a refresher. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, February 5, 2020.

Grantwriting 101
If you are new to grantwriting, this webinar is for you! During this 90-minute webinar, Alice Ruhnke, founder and owner of the Grant Advantage, will teach you how to use a Program Planning Framework to plan your grant applications so they tell a strong, consistent story. As we go through the Framework, each section of a typical grant application will be highlighted with information on what funders are looking for and tips on how to write that section. By the time the webinar is over, you will (1) understand what funders are looking for in grant applications; (2) be able to decipher confusing grant-related terminology; (3) have a usable system to connect all the pieces of an application together; and (4) have strategies to infuse your organization's strengths in your proposal to make it strong and competitive. The webinar will be held on Thursday, February 6, 2020.

The Power of 3—Data Visualization With Ann K. Emery
Has your data made it to important meetings only to be tossed aside and soon forgotten about? Your nonprofit's data warrants an attentive audience to ensure that the people your data reflects are receiving the assistance they deserve. During the upcoming Power of 3 series, Ann K. Emery will describe how to transform technical findings into simple, sophisticated visuals. In Great Graphs, you'll move beyond overused charts and learn how to format a new chart so that your message stands out. In Powerful Presentations, you'll reduce Death by PowerPoint and engage your audiences during staff meetings, board meetings, and conference presentations. In Dashboard Design, you'll build a one-page dashboard that gets right to the point so that leaders can understand the numbers and then take action. Join us for all three workshops in the Power of 3 series or as stand-alone learning opportunities. The deadline to register for all three is Thursday, February 13, 2020.

GrantStation Announcements
The latest updates from GrantStation.

Funding Alerts
Have you visited our homepage this week? Additional local, national, Canadian, and international funding opportunities are featured there weekly!

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Editor: Julie Kaufman
Copy Editor: Ashlyn Simmons
Contributing Writer: Kevin Peters