GrantStation Insider: February 25, 2021

COVID-19 | National | Regional | Federal | PathFinder | Online Education | Announcements | Subscribe

COVID-19 Related Funding
Opportunities related to the COVID-19 pandemic

Current COVID-19 funding opportunities are available on our website.

National Funding
Opportunities throughout the U.S.

Support for Quick-Action Local Projects
AARP Community Challenge
The AARP Community Challenge grant program will support quick-action projects that can help communities become more livable for people of all ages. Nonprofit organizations and government agencies may apply for grants for community-based projects to improve public spaces, housing, transportation, civic engagement, coronavirus recovery, diversity and inclusion, and more. Projects that demonstrate the ability to accelerate and sustain the community's livability for all, especially those 50 plus, and/or projects that focus on diversity and inclusion are of special interest. Grants will range from several hundred dollars for smaller short-term activities to several thousand or tens of thousands of dollars for larger projects. The application deadline is April 14, 2021. Visit the AARP website to find out more about the Community Challenge and to submit an online application.

Pre-K-12 Social and Emotional Learning Initiatives Funded
Education First: SEL in Action Awards
The SEL in Action Awards, a partnership of the NoVo Foundation with Education First and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, aims to seed projects that foster social and emotional competencies in students in grades pre-K-12. For the 2021-22 school year, applications will be accepted from school-based educators seeking to implement social and emotional learning (SEL) initiatives in classrooms or schools, and district-level applicants seeking to implement SEL initiatives district-wide or across multiple schools within one district. Projects are sought that build and foster greater compassion, honor the lived experiences of students, build skills in people and groups to embrace and understand differences, and work through challenges to promote healing from all forms of trauma and harm. Proposals supporting one or more of the following student populations are of particular interest: students from Indigenous communities, newcomers, English learners, LGBTQIA+ students, girls and young women of color, students disproportionately affected by suspensions or the juvenile justice system, students with learning disabilities, and students impacted by housing inequities or homelessness. Grants of up to $7,500 will be awarded for educator-led projects, and up to $25,000 for district-level projects. All grantees will receive ongoing educator support for the duration of their grant. The application deadline is April 9, 2021. Visit the Education First website to review the 2021 RFP and FAQs.

Grants Champion Contemporary Concert Music
The Amphion Foundation
The purpose of the Amphion Foundation is to promote excellence in, and public appreciation of, contemporary concert music, particularly by American composers. Grants are provided to publicly-supported nonprofit performing ensembles, presenters, festivals, and music service organizations that have a history of substantial commitment to contemporary concert music at a high level of excellence. In general, grants range between $1,000 and $7,500, although larger grants may be awarded to major performing organizations with an extraordinary commitment to contemporary concert music or a particularly significant project. Applying organizations must have been in existence for at least two years, and have completed two full seasons of programming prior to the time of application. Applications from performing ensembles will be accepted through April 1, 2021. (The deadline for presenters, festivals, and music service organizations is September 15, 2021.) Visit the Foundation's website to review grant program guidelines, including COVID-19 modifications.

Youth-Led Service Projects Supported
Riley's Way Foundation
The Riley's Way Foundation's Call for Kindness program empowers young leaders throughout the country to use kindness and empathy to create meaningful connections and positive change. The program will provide grants of up to $3,000 to up to 30 teen-led projects in 2021. Funded projects may tackle anything from pressing equity and social justice issues to building meaningful connections in schools or communities. Five grants will be specifically dedicated to projects related to food insecurity. Teens living in the United States, ages 13-19, may enter by essay or video describing a new project, or an improvement to an existing project. Each project is required to have both a partner organization and an adult mentor. Winners will also join a cohort of fellows from across the country to participate in a dynamic leadership development experience. The application deadline is April 7, 2021. Visit the Foundation's website to review the Call for Kindness program's guidelines.

Regional Funding
Opportunities for specific geographic areas

Funds for Initiatives to Promote Equality and Prosperity in Oregon
Meyer Memorial Trust
Meyer Memorial Trust works with and invests in organizations, communities, ideas, and efforts that contribute to a flourishing and equitable Oregon. The Trust's 2021 Annual Funding Opportunity will accept applications in the following portfolios: Equitable Education will support approaches that meet the resilience of the Trust's priority students with programming in the areas of kindergarten readiness, literacy in the primary grades, high school graduation and college and career readiness, and attendance across the K-12 continuum. Healthy Environment will support efforts to build power in communities to resist the continued exploitation of people and the planet, as well as implement innovative approaches to healing our relationship with nature and each other. Housing Opportunities will focus on opening doors to opportunity and strengthening communities through safe and affordable housing, with emphasis on racial justice. Building Community will support initiatives to promote a more inclusive, participatory democracy and build power for communities at the margins, including people of color, Indigenous communities, and immigrants and refugees. The 2021 Annual Funding Opportunity will be open from March 15 through April 19. Visit the Trust's website to review the funding guidelines for each portfolio.

Grants Focus on Educational Success for South Carolina's Students
Power:Ed
Power:Ed supports nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions that help South Carolina students succeed in school, their careers, and life. Power:Ed's focus areas include supporting low-income, minority, and first-generation students; improving access to college and degree completion; and creating pathways to quality workforce opportunities. However, applications that target any education challenge in South Carolina are reviewed. Grants range from $25,000 to $250,000. Applications are reviewed quarterly; the upcoming deadline is April 1, 2021. Visit the Power:Ed website to submit an online application.

Support for Watershed and Source Water Protection in Company Communities
American Water Environmental Grant Program
The American Water Environmental Grant Program supports nonprofit organizations that address a watershed or source water protection need in local communities within American Water service areas in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Source water protection projects should result in the protection or improvement of the community's public drinking water supplies. Watershed protection projects should focus on activities that improve, restore, or protect one or more watersheds. Grants of up to $10,000 will be provided for environmental sustainability activities such as watershed cleanups, reforestation efforts, biodiversity projects, streamside buffer restoration projects, hazardous waste collection efforts, etc. Applications must be postmarked by March 31, 2021. Visit the company's website to download the 2021 Program Brochure and the Grant Application Form.

School Garden and Cooking Educators in California Funded
Sage Garden Project Awards
The Sage Garden Project (SGP) Awards program is dedicated to helping underserved public California elementary schools by providing funding for garden and cooking educators. The following types of awards are offered: Year One Awards support elementary schools through the initial "Grow Package" that includes $15,000 toward hiring an educator, a fully-equipped mobile cooking cart, and SGP curriculum and trainings. Years Two and Three Awards provide continued $15,000 funding annually for a total of three years to elementary schools based on successful program implementation and impact. Years Four Plus Awards will provide ten schools with funding of up to $10,000 in their fourth and fifth year. School Garden Support Organizations (SGSO) Awards offer funding to SGSOs that provide educators and guidance to underserved California public elementary schools. The application deadline for all of four types of awards is March 19, 2021. Visit the SGP website to learn more about the funding guidelines and application process.

Federal Funding
Opportunities from the U.S. government

Funds Available for Outreach to Violence Victims
Department of Justice
The Grants for Outreach and Services to Underserved Populations program provides support to develop and implement outreach strategies targeted at, and provide victim services to, adult or youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking in underserved populations. Funds may be used to develop or enhance population-specific victim services, develop or enhance outreach strategies to reach underserved survivors, build the capacity of population-specific organizations to serve survivors of these crimes, build the capacity of victim service providers to provide victim services that are population specific, train and educate community partners and the criminal justice system on the needs of survivors from underserved populations, and develop culturally and linguistically appropriate materials for underserved survivors. Applications are due to grants.gov by March 23 and to JustGrants by April 1, 2021.

Program Supports Sports for Disabled Vets and Armed Forces Members
Department of Veterans Affairs
The Grants for Adaptive Sports Programs for Disabled Veterans and Disabled Members of the Armed Forces program offers support to plan, develop, manage, and implement adaptive sports activities. Eligible activities include instruction, participation, and competition in adaptive sports; training and technical assistance to program administrators, coaches, recreation therapists, instructors, VA employees, and other appropriate individuals; and coordination, Paralympic classification of athletes, athlete assessment, sport-specific training techniques, program development (including programs at the local level), sports equipment, supplies, program evaluation, and other activities related to the implementation and operation of the program. The application deadline is March 31, 2021.

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

You Have a Hammer: Building Grant Proposals for Social Change
Are you looking to contribute your skills as a grantseeker toward the greater good? If so, you may want to check out You Have a Hammer: Building Grant Proposals for Social Change, by Barbara Floersch. This book urges readers to build proposals from a perspective of activism, transforming their work from the mundane pursuit of dollars to the life-altering pursuit of lasting change.

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.

Free Webinar: Getting PPP Forgiveness—What's the Latest for 2021? (NEW)
Happy New Year! Join Gregg Bossen, CPA, as he opens 2021 with a free PPP update webinar. This fast-paced and fun webinar will cover the following up-to-date information for nonprofits: information on the second round of PPP; new one-step form for forgiveness; new expense categories that will qualify for forgiveness; new PPP for membership associations, such as 501(c)(6) organizations; and more! Please note that this webinar is for users of BOTH QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, March 3, 2021.

Sustainability Planning: Where Matching Grants and Capacity Building Meet (NEW)
Giving by foundations increased 2.5%, to an estimated $75.69 billion in 2019, reaching its highest ever dollar amount (www.givingusa.org). How can you benefit from this trend? Grants should only be one part of your funding plans, but they can be well worth the time commitment required if cultivated correctly. Often grants, especially matching grants, can help leverage your hard work to increase sustainability, making them an ideal funding stream for long-term growth. While much of the process is the same, matching grants do require a bit more preparation than a traditional grant proposal. In this webinar, Amanda Pearce of Funding for Good, Inc. will identify the benefits of matching grants and discuss how to incorporate them into your fundraising plans. While talking to foundation staff can be daunting, it is a vital piece of successful proposal writing. How do you empower foundation donors to donate more AND become advocates for your cause? This webinar will cover how to communicate with donors that their immediate support could lay the foundation for long-term sustainability and success for your organization. This webinar will break down the key components of "sustainability planning," explain how matching grants are a useful tool in creating long-term sustainability, offer quick tips for including a capacity building component into every proposal or appeal, provide effective communication strategies to engage and retain foundation donors, and identify the top three things that can be leveraged for matching grants. All nonprofits professionals and volunteers will benefit from attending this webinar. The webinar will be held on Thursday, March 4, 2021.

LIVE Workshop: Budgeting in QuickBooks (DESKTOP 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 webinar for the DESKTOP version of QuickBooks will be held on Tuesday, March 9, 2021. The webinar for the ONLINE version will be held on Wednesday, March 10, 2021.

GrantStation Announcements
The latest updates from GrantStation

What's Your World Like?
The State of Grantseeking Survey spotlights recent developments in funding so that organizations can be more strategic in their grantseeking. This year we have a special section specific to the pandemic and its effect on your world.

The resulting—free—State of Grantseeking reports, published in May and June, serve as valuable analytic tools for organizations to review their grantseeking efforts, report on performance, and plan for the future. The benchmarks suggest reasonable levels of funding to expect for an organization based on median awards by organizational budget and mission. This leading-edge information is key data for all organizations.

Please join thousands of others who find value in the State of Grantseeking reports. Complete this survey by March 31, 2021, to offer your insights for the upcoming report.

Funding Alerts
Want to stay on top of upcoming deadlines? Check out the weekly Funding Alerts on the GrantStation homepage.

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