GrantStation Insider - February 13, 2020

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National Funding
Opportunities Throughout the U.S.

Support for Innovative K-12 Education Initiatives
The Braitmayer Foundation
The Braitmayer Foundation supports innovative practices in K-12 education throughout the United States. Of particular interest are curricular and school reform initiatives, and preparation of and professional development opportunities for teachers, especially those that encourage people of high ability and diverse background to enter and remain in K-12 teaching. Nonprofit organizations throughout the country that address the Foundation's priorities may apply for seed grants, challenge grants, and matching grants of up to $35,000. Letters of inquiry may be submitted through March 15, 2020; invited proposals will be due October 15, 2020. Visit the Foundation's website to learn more about the funding guidelines and application process.

Music Instrument Instruction Programs Funded
D'Addario Foundation
The D'Addario Foundation identifies the most impactful instrument instruction programs in communities of need throughout the United States and provides support to assist their growth and development. Grants are given to high-quality sustainable music instruction programs on the frontline to improve access to music education. The focus is on programs that bring music back into communities and schools and get kids playing early and frequently, with students receiving instrument instruction multiple days per week, throughout the year, and for as many years as possible in their education. Cash grants averaging $2,500 and D'Addario accessories product donations are available. (The Foundation prefers not to provide funding for the purpose of purchasing equipment or instruments.) Interested applicants should submit a letter of inquiry; invited grant applications will be due March 31, 2020. Visit the Foundation's website to review the guidelines for submitting a letter of inquiry.

Seniors Tackling Social Problems Recognized
AARP Purpose Prize
The AARP Purpose Prize honors extraordinary individuals 50 years of age and older who use their life experience to make a better future for all. The Prize recognizes those with the passion and experience to create new ways to solve tough social problems. Eligible applicants should be the founder of a nonprofit organization, and must be legal residents of the U.S. or U.S. citizens living abroad who have started their work at the age of 40 or later. Five Purpose Prize winners annually receive $50,000 each and a year of technical support to broaden the scope of the work of their organizations. In addition, up to ten Purpose Prize fellows will receive $5,000 for their nonprofit organizations and a year of technical support. The application deadline is March 31, 2020. Visit the Purpose Prize website to read the official rules and FAQs, and to access the application form.

Grants Encourage the Creation of Live Puppet Theater
Jim Henson Foundation
The Jim Henson Foundation awards grants for the creation and development of innovative, new works of live puppet theater in the United States. Production Grants of $7,000 are awarded for the production of new works ready to be presented in the coming year. Workshop Grants of $3,000 are available for the development and workshopping of these pieces. The Foundation also offers Family Grants of $4,000 for new and innovative work specifically for children, families, and teenagers. Grants are provided to nonprofit organizations only; however, individual artists may apply through a fiscal sponsor. Letters of intent must be submitted by March 9, 2020; full proposals will be due by September 7, 2020. Visit the Foundation's website to review the funding guidelines.

Regional Funding
Opportunities for Specific Areas

Rural Arts and Environment Programs in Selected States Supported
Laura Jane Musser Fund
The Laura Jane Musser Fund will begin accepting applications for the Rural Arts and Environmental Initiative grant programs in February. The Fund's Rural Arts program assists arts organizations in targeted states that offer artistic opportunities for adults and children in the areas of literary, visual, musical, and performing arts. Grants of up to $10,000 are provided to organizations in rural communities with a population of less than 20,000 throughout Colorado, Hawaii, and Wyoming, as well as rural communities in selected counties in Minnesota, New York, and Texas. The Fund's Environmental Initiative program supports projects that enhance the ecological integrity of publicly owned open spaces, while encouraging compatible human activities. Organizations throughout Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota, and Wyoming, as well as organizations in selected counties in New York and Texas, are eligible to apply for planning grants up to $8,000 and implementation grants up to $35,000. Applications for the Rural Arts program must be submitted by March 11, 2020; applications for the Environmental Initiative program must be submitted by March 18, 2020. Visit the Fund's website to access the application guidelines for both programs.

Funds for Health and Social Programs for Jewish Seniors in North and South Carolina
Carolina Foundation for Jewish Seniors
The Carolina Foundation for Jewish Seniors is dedicated to enriching the lives of Jewish adults residing in North Carolina and South Carolina in accordance with Jewish values and beliefs. The Foundation supports new, innovative, community-based programs that address the following two priority categories: 1) Health and Wellness Programs, and 2) Socialization Programs. Grants generally range up to $10,000. (Grants of up to $50,000 will be considered in the Health and Wellness category.) The application deadline is March 9, 2020. Visit the Foundation's website to review the grant guidelines and access the application form.

Grants Promote Habitat Protection in Oregon
Jubitz Family Foundation: Environment Program
The Jubitz Family Foundation believes in supporting grassroots nonprofit organizations that work to protect and restore natural forest and freshwater habitats throughout Oregon. The Foundation's Environment Program is offering an anchor opportunity that will fund a network of up to ten regional environmental grassroots organizations in Oregon to protect and recover habitats. Each selected anchor organization will receive a base grant of up to $10,000 and will also be invited to a fall retreat to discuss top environmental issues with the other anchor organizations and the trustees, consultants, and staff of the Jubitz Family Foundation. The application deadline is March 15, 2020. Visit the Foundation's website to learn more about the funding guidelines and application process.

Support for Behavioral Healthcare Efforts in Colorado
The Denver Foundation: Colorado Health Access Fund
The Colorado Health Access Fund, administered by The Denver Foundation, is dedicated to improving health outcomes for underserved Coloradans. The Fund currently focuses on supporting four areas of behavioral healthcare: education of those with high health needs, as well as their families and caregivers; transitions in care; innovation of care delivery; and improved access to care, particularly in rural communities. Grants ranging from $50,000 to $250,000 are provided through two funding opportunities: project/program support and capital improvements. The application deadline is March 6, 2020. (Organizations must register with the web-based application system by February 27, 2020.) Visit The Denver Foundation's website to download the request for proposals.

Federal Funding
Opportunities from the U.S. Government

Funds Available for Low Emission Public Vehicles
Department of Transportation
The Low or No Emission Program (Low-No Program) supports the transition of the nation's transit fleet to the lowest polluting and most energy efficient transit vehicles. This program provides funding to state and local governmental authorities for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, including acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities. The application deadline is March 17, 2020.

Program Supports Community Service
Corporation for National and Community Service
Day of Service Grants offer funding for both the September 11th Day of Service and Remembrance and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. The purpose of the September 11th grant funding is to mobilize more Americans to engage in service activities that meet vital community needs and honor the sacrifice of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, or who rose in service as a result of that tragedy. The purpose of the MLK grant funding is to mobilize more Americans to observe the Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday as a day of service in communities, to encourage those who serve on this holiday to make a long-term commitment to community service, and to bring people together to focus on service to others. The application deadline is March 25, 2020.

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

Philanthropic Predictions for 2020
By Cynthia M. Adams, CEO, GrantStation
Last year when I wrote Grantmaking Predictions for 2019 I drew on the knowledge and input from our staff researchers. It was a heavily read blog post and fun to write. This year I thought I'd focus on the broader theme of philanthropic predictions, and draw on the insights of a number of leaders in the nonprofit sector, including Amy Holmes, Director, Rockefeller Philanthropic Advisors; Gayle Samuelson Carpentier, Chief Business Development Officer, TechSoup; Mike Chamberlain, CEO of Grant Professionals Association; and Marcus Walton, CEO, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, as well as several consultants in the field including Jean Block, Jean Block Consulting, and Jarrett R. Ransom, The Rayvan Group.

It is an interesting mix of thoughts, hopes, and ideas. I hope you both enjoy reading this post and take away something useful for your philanthropic efforts in 2020.

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

Why Earned Income Isn't All It's Cracked Up to Be
Creating a social enterprise is one strategy utilized by nonprofits to create a reliable source of income. But is it worth it? The article "Why Earned Income Isn't All It's Cracked Up to Be" explores some of the drawbacks of earned income for nonprofit organizations and discusses how to determine whether an organization is well positioned to implement earned income strategies.

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.

Logic Models: More Than Just Extra Work!
Logic models are not a passing fad. If you need to create a logic model for your program, but don't know where to start, this webinar is for you! Using the Measuring Program Outcomes: A Practical Approach from the United Way of America, Alice Ruhnke will demonstrate why logic models are critical for program planning and evaluation. During this webinar, you will learn how to create and use a logic model to help you improve services and your impact on your community. Executive directors, program managers, and grantwriters from a broad range of human service organizations will benefit from this 90-minute presentation. The webinar will be held on Thursday, February 20, 2020.

LIVE Workshop: Budgeting in QuickBooks (NEW)
Desktop Version and Online Version
Do you spend hours every month getting budget reports ready for your board meeting? Do you spend hours reentering and then manipulating data in Excel to get that one "challenging" board member the report they want? Do you struggle with getting a Budget to Actual report out of QuickBooks that has prior year/prior period amounts or annual budgets (if budgeting monthly) in the format that you need? If the answer to any of these questions is YES, then this webinar is for you! We are very excited to have Gregg Bossen, a CPA specializing in nonprofits and president of QuickBooks Made Easy for Nonprofits, deliver one of his most popular webinars exclusively for us! In this webinar, we will first explore how to enter budgets and generate budget reports for your organization right in QuickBooks! No more fooling with Excel. Get your board report in minutes—not hours! We will show you how to enter budgets by month, quarter, and year; enter separate budgets for specific programs or projects; enter additional budgets for your restricted grants; and generate multiple budget reports for each of your budgets. Don't miss this opportunity! You will be VERY glad you came! The DESKTOP webinar will be held on Wednesday, February 26, 2020. The ONLINE webinar will be held on Thursday, February 27, 2020.

Organization Evaluation (NEW)
Nonprofits need to focus on more than mission-specific activities to build a strong organization that can continue to serve over time. This webinar, presented by Mindy Muller, provides the opportunity for leaders to consider how to measure the health of their organizations and plan for long-term sustainability. Participants will complete Community Development Professional's Organization Evaluation Tool to get an assessment of the health of their nonprofit in the six areas of Legalities, Board Governance, Image Management, Resource Development, Strategic Planning, and Program Impact. This webinar then covers those six components and offers participants the opportunity to identify next steps to strengthen the health of their organization. Participants will leave this webinar with an understanding of their organization’s key strengths and areas of weakness and be ready to take strategic actions to strengthen the organization. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, March 4, 2020.

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The latest updates from GrantStation.

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