GrantStation Insider: April 9, 2020

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COVID-19 Related Funding
Opportunities Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Peace Development Fund: De Colores Rapid Response Fund
As the outbreak of COVID-19 presents growing and unprecedented challenges for organizers nationwide, the De Colores Rapid Response Fund offers grants of $500 to $1,000 to grassroots organizations working to make positive community interventions through strategic, organizing-focused approaches, especially in marginalized communities of color and working-class communities. More information on the criteria and application instructions can be found here or by emailing the program coordinator: zachary@peacefund.org.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation: COVID-19 Responsive Grants 2020
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation's COVID-19 Responsive Grants 2020, ranging from $5,000 to $25,000, are aimed at addressing immediate needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota. Priority applicants include current Foundation grantees and nonprofit partners of the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, as well as other nonprofit organizations with unique capabilities to serve vulnerable populations. The application deadlines are April 22 and May 6, 2020.

Colorado COVID Relief Fund
The Colorado COVID Relief Fund's purpose is to raise and coordinate allocation of funds based on prevention, impact, and recovery needs of community-based organizations in Colorado. Through the Fund, eligible community-based organizations across Colorado may apply for a general operating grant of up to $25,000. The application deadlines are April 18, May 2, May 16, and May 30, 2020.

For more grant opportunities, visit our COVID-19 Related Funding page.

National Funding
Opportunities Throughout the U.S.

Support for Nonprofits Seeking to Increase Client Feedback
Fund for Shared Insight: Listen4Good
Fund for Shared Insight is a funder collaborative working to improve philanthropy by elevating the voices of those least heard. Shared Insight's signature grantmaking initiative, Listen4Good (L4G), supports nonprofits in implementing high-quality feedback loops, a systematic and rigorous way to listen and respond to the people they serve. To participate in the 2020 co-funded L4G grant round, a nonprofit must be customer-facing, have a minimum annual budget of $500,000, and be nominated by an existing or new funder. Grantees will receive $30,000 over 18 months. Nominating funders agree to contribute $15,000, which is matched by Fund for Shared Insight. The application deadline, recently extended, is July 17, 2020. Visit Shared Insight's website to learn more about the L4G grant process.

Efforts to Address Poverty and Hunger Funded
ELCA Domestic Hunger Grants
ELCA World Hunger is a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). ELCA World Hunger's Domestic Hunger Grants accompany congregations and their partners throughout the United States and the Caribbean as they draw on the strengths of communities to address local issues such as food security, clean water, housing, job readiness, human rights, policy change, leadership development, and more. Together, these ministries are part of a comprehensive approach to breaking the cycle of poverty and hunger—for good. Grant applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and be able to demonstrate an established relationship with an ELCA congregation. Organizations may register to apply through May 8, 2020; the application cycle will be open through June 1, 2020. Visit the ELCA website to review the funding guidelines.

Grants Strengthen Pro Bono Financial Planning Services
Foundation for Financial Planning
The mission of the Foundation for Financial Planning is to help people take control of their financial lives by connecting the financial planning community with individuals and families in need. The Foundation awards grants to community-based organizations and nonprofit organizations nationwide to support the delivery of pro bono financial planning to populations who could not otherwise afford or access financial planning services. Grants ranging from $5,000 to $40,000 fund programs helping many diverse groups, including active military members and veterans, people with cancer, seniors and family caregivers, domestic violence survivors, low-income families, etc. Grants are provided to organizations that engage Certified Financial Planner professionals as volunteers, include one-on-one engagements between financial planner volunteers and pro bono clients, and help people in need of financial guidance or in a financial crisis who are underserved by the market and couldn't ordinarily access quality, ethical advice. Online applications must be submitted by June 1, 2020. Grant guidelines and application information are available on the Foundation's website.

K-12 STEM Projects Supported
Toshiba America Foundation
The Toshiba America Foundation is dedicated to promoting quality science and mathematics education in our nation's K-12 schools. The Foundation provides grants through the following two initiatives: Grants for Grades K-5 of up to $1,000 are provided to teachers in public or private schools to help them bring innovative projects into their classrooms. The application deadline is October 1, annually. Grants for Grades 6-12 are provided to teachers who have an idea for making science and mathematics more fun for their students. Requests for grants of up to $5,000 may be submitted throughout the year and are reviewed quarterly. The annual application deadlines for large grants of $5,000 or more are May 1 and November 1, annually. Visit the Foundation's website for details about each of the grant programs.

Regional Funding
Opportunities for Specific Areas

Funds for Organizations Aiding Families in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia
Peoples Bank Foundation
The Peoples Bank Foundation seeks to enhance the quality of life for the residents of communities served by the bank in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. The primary goal of the Foundation is to provide grants to nonprofit organizations that assist low- to moderate-income families in markets where Peoples Bank currently has office locations. The Foundation focuses its charitable giving in four major areas: health and human services, arts and culture, youth and education, and community and economic development. The remaining application deadlines for 2020 are June 1, September 1, and December 1. Visit the Bank's website to learn more about the Foundation's guidelines and application procedure.

Major Grant to Enhance the Quality of Life for Texans
Lone Star Prize
The Lone Star Prize, sponsored by Lyda Hill Philanthropies and administered by Lever for Change, is a statewide competition designed to source a pipeline of philanthropic "big bets" and scale a proven, transformative solution that improves the quality of life for Texans. A major award of $10,000,000 will be provided to one initiative to improve the quality of life for Texas residents and their communities across one or more of the following three key solution categories: Improving Health Outcomes, Protecting the Environment, and/or Boosting the Workforce. Nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, social enterprises, and for-profit companies are eligible to apply. Interested applicants must register online by June 23, 2020; the application deadline is July 22, 2020. Visit the Prize's website to learn more about the key solution categories and the application process.

Support for Youth and Health Initiatives in Arizona, California, and Nevada
Del E. Webb Foundation
The Del E. Webb Foundation provides support to nonprofit organizations that are located in the states of Arizona, California, or Nevada. The Foundation focuses its grantmaking primarily on child, youth, and health initiatives. Priority is given to projects and programs that diagram a pathway to self-sufficiency. The Foundation prefers to fund results-based programs that will impact the future of society by allowing it to reach its maximum potential. The remaining 2020 application deadlines are June 16, September 15, and December 8. Visit the Foundation's website to learn more about the funding guidelines and application process.

Animal Welfare Organizations in Maine Funded
Elmina B. Sewall Foundation
The Elmina B. Sewall Foundation supports work in Maine to improve the well-being of people, animals, and the environment while fostering relationships that strive for social equity and community resilience. The Foundation provides grants to animal welfare organizations working to build the sector's capacity and to address the common issue of unwanted cats facing communities and animal shelters throughout Maine. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for unrestricted funds will be prioritized. Online applications may be submitted from April 17 to June 15, 2020. Visit the Foundation's website to learn more about the funding guidelines for animal welfare organizations.

Federal Funding
Opportunities from the U.S. Government

Pollution Prevention Efforts Funded
Environmental Protection Agency
The Source Reduction Assistance Grant Program supports research, investigation, study, demonstration, education, and training using source reduction approaches to prevent pollution. The focus is on reducing or eliminating pollutants from entering any waste stream or otherwise being released into the environment prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal. The program seeks to improve public health and the surrounding environment by reducing the use of hazardous substances, reducing toxic pollutants, supporting efficiencies in reducing resource use (e.g. water and energy), and reducing business expenditures and liability costs. The application deadline is May 15, 2020.

Program Supports Good Food Choices for Low-Income Consumers
Department of Agriculture
The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program supports projects to increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables among low-income consumers participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by providing incentives at the point of purchase. Priority is given to projects that use direct-to-consumer sales marketing; provide locally or regionally produced fruits and vegetables; have demonstrated the ability to provide services to underserved or economically distressed communities; coordinate with multiple stakeholders, such as farm organizations, nutrition education programs, cooperative extension services, public health departments, private and public health insurance agencies, cooperative grocers, grocery associations, and community-based and non-governmental organizations; offer supplemental services in high-need communities, including online ordering, transportation between home and store, and delivery services; and include food retailers that are open for extended hours and most or all days of the year. The application deadline is May 18, 2020.

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

How Nonprofits Can Use Crowdfunding to Raise More Money
Are you looking for ways to diversify your funding sources? The webinar "How Nonprofits Can Use Crowdfunding to Raise More Money," hosted by Nonprofit Tech for Good and GoFundMe Charity, will explain how nonprofits can leverage the trend of online fundraising to increase donations and awareness for their cause. It will also discuss how to increase crowdfunding campaigns through multi-channel marketing, increase engagement with event fundraising, and make donor data actionable. This webinar will be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2020.

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.

Tracking In-Kind Contributions in QuickBooks (DESKTOP and ONLINE Versions)
Do you get in-kind contributions of stuff (computers, furniture, food, clothing, household items for clients, auction items, etc…)? What about services (IT help, advertising, graphic design, professional services, rent, etc…)? In-kind gifts are an important way nonprofits receive support from donors and are REQUIRED to be booked by nonprofits. More than that, they can frequently count towards meeting the matching requirements of traditional grants and when booked more accurately reflect the true cost of running your nonprofit. Figuring out what can be booked, how to value them, and how to get them into your QuickBooks file can be challenging. If you receive in-kind donations of either stuff or services, 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 everything you ever wanted to know about in-kind gifts but didn't know who to ask. Topics include the following: What kinds of goods and services received can I book as in-kind gifts? What are the rules for when I can book services received? How do I determine the value I book? How do I book these things in QuickBooks? What am I required to report to the donor? Don't miss this opportunity! The webinars will be pre-recorded and sent to you—along with the PowerPoint and resource materials. The webinar for the DESKTOP version of QuickBooks will be sent by Friday, April 24, 2020. The webinar for the ONLINE version will be sent by Saturday, April 25, 2020.

Essential Capital Campaign Preparations: Needs Assessments and Feasibility Studies (NEW)
Do your plans pencil out? Do you have the horsepower to get through? Before you start to raise funds, it is important to assess what your organization should build and what it can sustain. For most, this includes a needs assessment followed by a feasibility study. A needs assessment examines operations and programs to determine your current and future capacity and demand, and the external factors that will impact both. A feasibility study will help you determine the financial capacity of your organization and its donor prospects. In this webinar you will learn to identify why you might need these formal assessments; understand what data is gathered to establish needs and feasibility; and know what you should come away with from these assessments. Find out what to expect during these pre-campaign preparations from real-world examples as well as how to get the most out of the preparations. The webinar will be pre-recorded and sent to you—along with the PowerPoint and resource materials—by Friday, May 1, 2020.

Advanced Storytelling
We all know money talks. The important question is: HOW does YOUR organization talk about money? In this session, Lori L. Jacobwith will dive into the topic of talking about money as a fundraising strategy. You'll learn how to share "mission moment" stories that include your need for support, but don't sound like "begging" for money. The secret tool that makes this an advanced storytelling session is discovering how to share action-causing stories. During this webinar, you will (1) learn what your money story is; (2) learn how to talk about money so it inspires more giving; and (3) learn the best questions to ask so you can gather story nuggets to craft action-causing stories. This webinar will benefit executive directors, and fundraising and communication staff, as well as board members. The webinar will be pre-recorded and sent to you—along with the PowerPoint and resource materials—by Saturday, May 2, 2020.

GrantStation Announcements
The latest updates from GrantStation.

COVID-19 Related Funding
We understand the challenges being faced by nonprofits, educational organizations, and individuals across the globe. To help during this unprecedented time we have launched a COVID-19 Related Funding page. Plus, as a longstanding cloud company, we are fully resourced to serve our Members who may be focusing on grantseeking instead of event fundraising due to the growing needs in communities in the U.S. and abroad. As always, our staff is working diligently to provide you with high quality and accurate information about grantmakers across the globe.

Please know that GrantStation Members, as well as our partners and subscribers, are foremost in our minds.

The GS Team

Fundraising Innovation During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Nonprofit organizations are moving quickly to recoup funds lost from cancelled events while maintaining or transitioning programs and services during this time of social distancing. Please tell us what and how your organization is doing by answering this short survey. Thank you!

Funding Alerts
Don't forget to check out the additional Funding Alerts on our homepage—you don't want to miss them!

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