GrantStation Insider: July 23, 2020

Volume XIX | Issue 28

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

 

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

Social Science Research Council: Just Tech COVID-19 Rapid-Response Grants
The Social Science Research Council, as part of its Just Tech program, seeks proposals from across the social sciences and related fields that address the risks, opportunities, and challenges posed by public health surveillance stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Proposals that interrogate the role the public and private sectors may play in mitigating or exacerbating the health crisis are specifically encouraged. The grants will support innovative research projects that deploy remote research methods to shed light on the implications of public health interventions for a range of rights, liberties, and public goods. Researchers—based at academic and nonacademic institutions anywhere in the world—who hold a PhD in any social science discipline or related interdisciplinary field are eligible to apply. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Michelson Spark Grants
The Michelson Spark Grant program was created to introduce an innovative grantmaking process to fill urgent needs for education organizations. Grants of up to $25,000 are provided to nonprofit organizations and educational institutions doing work in the United States. The current funding round is focused on the Smart Justice Initiative, which includes a focus on programs based in correctional facilities as well as programs for formerly incarcerated students. The deadline for letters of inquiry is August 3, 2020.

The Alaska Community Foundation: Coronavirus Nonprofit Relief Fund
The State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services has partnered with The Alaska Community Foundation to establish the Coronavirus Nonprofit Relief Fund to support nonprofit organizations in Alaska adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A variety of Alaska nonprofits are eligible to apply for funding, including public charities, faith-based organizations providing social services to the broader community, veterans' groups, tribal organizations, and local governments. Grant awards will range from $25,000 to $1,000,000. The application deadlines are July 29, August 26, and October 14, 2020.

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

 

 

National Funding
Opportunities Throughout the U.S.

U.S. Communities Working to Advance Better Health Honored
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Culture of Health Prize

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Culture of Health Prize elevates the compelling stories of places throughout the country where residents are working together to transform education, jobs, transportation, housing, and more so better health flourishes for all. Up to ten winning communities will each receive a $25,000 cash prize and have their success stories shared broadly, with the goal of raising awareness and inspiring locally-driven change across the United States. For the purposes of this prize, "a community" is defined as one of the following: county, parish, borough, city, town, village, or other municipality with a publicly elected governing body; federally recognized tribe or a state-designated Indian reservation; Native Hawaiian organization; or region defined as geographically contiguous municipalities, counties, and/or reservations. The Phase One application deadline is October 15, 2020; Phase Two applications will be due on December 21, 2020. Visit the Foundation's website to review the call for applications.

Support for Native-Led Organizations Promoting Social Action
Native Voices Rising

Native Voices Rising (NVR), a project of Common Counsel Foundation and Native Americans in Philanthropy, is designed to support organizing, advocacy, and civic engagement in American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities. NVR provides general operating support grants ranging from $20,000 to $30,000 to strengthen Native-led organizations that have a membership base in the community, work to develop leadership, and take collective action to win progressive social change. Grants focus on a wide range of critical issues, from human and civil rights, to reproductive justice, to environmental health and sacred sites protection. Eligible organizations should be based in a Native community and be led by Native people. The application deadline is August 27, 2020. Visit the NVR website for information about the eligibility criteria and the application process.

Access to Justice Efforts Funded
American Bar Endowment: Opportunity Grant Program

The Opportunity Grant Program, an initiative of the American Bar Endowment (ABE), supports new, boots-on-the-ground, innovative projects that serve the immediate and critical legal needs of the public and are of importance to the legal profession and its concerns for access to justice. This program's funding focus areas include the following: 1) access to justice, especially for vulnerable and underserved populations, through innovations to legal services delivery, including maximizing pro bono service delivery; 2) the rule of law and the improvement of the justice system, including ensuring equal justice and the elimination of bias; and 3) increased public understanding of the law and the legal system to foster greater civic engagement. ABE is particularly interested in supporting projects that have a direct effect on the needs of individuals and communities. National organizations that apply should carefully draw the connection between their proposed work and its impact on local communities. Grants typically range up to $25,000. Nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S. and its territories are eligible to apply. Optional letters of intent are due August 21, 2020; the deadline for full proposals is October 2, 2020. Visit the ABE website to learn more about the Opportunity Grant Program.

Grants Benefit Adult Literacy Programs Nationwide
Wish You Well Foundation

The primary focus of the Wish You Well Foundation is to support nonprofit organizations in the United States that teach adults the literacy skills they need to communicate, grow, and thrive within their communities. The Foundation's focus is on the development and expansion of new and existing adult literacy and educational programs. Grants generally range from $200 to $10,000. Requests may be submitted at any time and are reviewed by the Foundation's Board on a rolling basis. Visit the Foundation's website to review a list of funded organizations and to download the Donation Request Form.

 

 

Regional Funding
Opportunities for Specific Areas

Community Organizing Groups in Colorado Supported
Chinook Fund

Chinook Fund supports community organizations working on issues of social and economic justice in the state of Colorado. Chinook provides grants to organizations that engage in community organizing to challenge the root causes of oppression, rather than treating the symptoms. Eligible applicants must be based in communities facing injustice or oppression, including, but not limited to, communities of color, low-income communities, LGBTQ communities, disabilities communities, and immigrant communities. Organizations should have democratic leadership, decision-making, and organizing that is led by and accountable to the people most directly impacted by the issue or injustice. Start-Up Grants of up to $4,000 are provided to groups that are less than four years old; Established Grants of up to $10,000 are provided to groups that have been working successfully on social justice issues for a number of years. The upcoming application deadline for both grant programs is September 21, 2020. Visit Chinook Fund's website to download the funding guidelines and application forms and to access the online grant application portal.

Funds for Environmental Organizations in Alabama and South Florida
The Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation

The Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation primarily provides support for the conservation of natural resources in North America and the Caribbean Basin, with emphasis on the United States. The Foundation's major program areas that are open for application include the following: marine resource conservation and management with a particular interest in fisheries; South Florida ecosystems (Everglades, Biscayne Bay, Florida Bay, and Florida Keys); and Alabama environmental issues. Site-specific grants are limited to South Florida and Alabama. The Foundation's grants, averaging $15,000 to $20,000, require a one-to-one match in the year following approval. The final 2020 deadline for letters of inquiry is September 11. Visit the Foundation's website to learn more about each program area.

Grants Enhance Dental Health Programs in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Dental Association Foundation

The Wisconsin Dental Association (WDA) Foundation is committed to improving the oral health of Wisconsin residents by providing grants to community-based, nonprofit oral health promotion programs throughout the state. The Foundation's Annual Grant Program offers support to initiatives that provide dental care to the underserved and philanthropic endeavors related to dentistry in Wisconsin. Grants of up to $5,000 are considered for dental supplies and equipment for low-income dental clinics, dental health education programs, and other nonprofit dentistry programs. Proposals must be submitted via email by September 15, 2020. (A letter of endorsement from an officer of the local component dental society is required. Please note that submission of a grant application does not guarantee funding, and the decisions of the Foundation are final.) Visit the WDA Foundation's website to review the grant guidelines.

Support for Initiatives Addressing Poverty in South Carolina
Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina

The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina partners with nonprofit and faith-based organizations throughout the state that are working to serve people experiencing poverty. The Foundation's grantmaking focus areas include the following: Breaking the Cycle Grants support organizations that go beyond meeting basic and fundamental life needs by offering services that are creating positive changes in the economic stability and overall well-being of individuals and families served. Immediate Needs Grants support organizations that address immediate needs associated with life and health, education and skills, or access and participation. Systems Change Grants support organizations that work to influence and guide change in structural systems that have created or reinforced the marginalization of families and individuals experiencing poverty. The upcoming application deadline is September 1, 2020. Visit the Foundation’s website to learn more about the funding guidelines.

 

 

Federal Funding
Opportunities from the U.S. Government

Funds Available to Help Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers
Department of Agriculture

The Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers program assists with the owning and operating of farms and ranches and in participating equitably in the full range of agricultural, forestry, and related programs offered by USDA. Supported efforts include, but are not limited to, conferences, workshops, and demonstrations on various farming techniques. The application deadline is August 26, 2020.

Neighborhood Revitalization Planning Supported
Department of Housing and Urban Development

The Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants program supports the development of comprehensive neighborhood revitalization plans that focus on directing resources to address three core goals: housing, people, and neighborhoods. To achieve these goals, communities must develop and implement a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization strategy, or transformation plan, that will become the guiding document for the revitalization of public or assisted housing units while simultaneously directing the transformation of the surrounding neighborhood and positive outcomes for families. The application deadline is September 14, 2020.

 

 

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

Vibrant Yet Under-Resourced: The State of Lesbian, Bisexual, and Queer Movements
If you work on the front lines of the LGBTQ movement, you may want to check out the report by the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice and Mama Cash, titled "Vibrant Yet Under-Resourced: The State of Lesbian, Bisexual, and Queer Movements." This report presents a picture of the current lack of resourcing for lesbian, bisexual, and queer communities and makes a case for why more and effective funding is urgently needed.

 

 

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: Nonprofit Update on the PPP Flexibility Act and the HEROES Act (NEW)
Need to know the latest about nonprofit organizations and all things PPP loan-related? Join Gregg Bossen, CPA, as he presents the most up-to-date information for nonprofits concerning the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, the HEROES Act, and PPP Tracking in QuickBooks. As you know, this information can change on a daily basis, so please join us for this free webinar. The webinar will be held on Tuesday, July 28, 2020.

How to Know if Your Programs Are Effective (NEW)
Strong programmatic outcomes are vital to the success of any grant program. As a nonprofit professional, you know that measuring these outcomes and understanding your organization's impact is important—not only to achieve your mission, but also to communicate your work effectively. But programmatic monitoring and evaluation can be complicated! This 90-minute webinar, presented by Alana Buckner, CEO of Elevate, is for non-experts who want to understand the fundamentals better. It will make monitoring and evaluation easy to understand and focus on practical tips and case studies. We will cover the answers to questions like these: Why is monitoring and evaluation important for every nonprofit? What does monitoring and evaluation mean exactly? What about concepts like theory of change, logic model, data collection, assessment, and instrument, as well as qualitative and quantitative data? How does a nonprofit get started, or improve, their existing monitoring and evaluation? By the end of the webinar, you will be able to understand the purposes of program evaluation, link it to your organization's goals, and have concrete tips and techniques to begin or improve your evaluation efforts. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, July 29, 2020.

FREE Webinar: Mapping Your Capital Campaign During the COVID-19 Crisis (NEW)
Before COVID-19, you had a brilliant roadmap to guide you to your fundraising destinations. This pandemic presented a major roadblock, but it's time to get behind the wheel again! In this FREE 45-minute webinar with additional time for questions, learn from the capital campaign planning and management experts at CampaignCounsel.org how you can plan and manage your capital campaign during COVID-19. We will discuss the importance of evaluating where you are now in your feasibility study or capital campaign and the ways in which COVID-19 impacts how you'll move forward and at what pace. Fear of the unknown, your board's outlook, re-evaluation of your case for support, and fundraising through virtual meetings will be addressed. The perceived internal relevance of your fundraising effort by staff and board, the external relevance of your campaign to the community, and creative, strategic interaction with donors will be explored. The webinar will be held on Thursday, July 30, 2020.

 

 

GrantStation Announcements
The latest updates from GrantStation.

Meet the Grantmakers - Online
Join in a lively conversation with leaders from the world of philanthropy. Ask about the issues that concern you and that shape grantmaking today. Meet the people who understand what drives decisions at the top levels of foundation giving.

We think you'll be impressed and inspired by these leaders' commitment to their communities and by their passion for the nonprofits that work in partnership with them to achieve meaningful change. Come enjoy an hour that’s sure to offer new insights and lift your spirits. This FREE event on July 29, 2020, is brought to you by Foundant for Grantseekers and GrantStation.

Facilitated by Angela Richardson, Senior Trainer, The Grantsmanship Center, and featuring these esteemed panelists:

  • Dallas Dishman, Executive Director, David Geffen Foundation
  • Darrin Goss Sr., President and Chief Executive Officer, Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina
  • Julie Voyles, Senior Program Officer, The Denver Foundation

Learn More and Register Today


TechSoup Global Survey
TechSoup wants to hear from you. Has the COVID-19 pandemic changed how you think about tech? Answer the #TechSoupSurvey and help TechSoup understand how your use of technology has adapted in 2020.

This #TechSoupSurvey will help TechSoup to better understand the barriers to technology adoption for #nonprofits in this rapidly changing world. With your responses, TechSoup can map today's opportunities and challenges so educators, service providers, foundations, philanthropic organizations, and donors will know where to begin and how to have the greatest impact. #NPtech #TechforGood #NPCOVID19


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

 


Information contained in the GrantStation Insider may not be
posted, reprinted, redistributed, or sold without permission.

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

COVID-19 Related Funding
Social Science Research Council: Just Tech COVID-19 Rapid-Response Grants
Michelson Spark Grants
The Alaska Community Foundation: Coronavirus Nonprofit Relief Fund

National Funding Opportunities
U.S. Communities Working to Advance Better Health Honored
Support for Native-Led Organizations Promoting Social Action
Access to Justice Efforts Funded
Grants Benefit Adult Literacy Programs Nationwide

Regional Funding Opportunities
Community Organizing Groups in Colorado Supported
Funds for Environmental Organizations in Alabama and South Florida
Grants Enhance Dental Health Programs in Wisconsin
Support for Initiatives Addressing Poverty in South Carolina

Federal Funding Opportunities
Funds Available to Help Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers
Neighborhood Revitalization Planning Supported