GrantStation Insider: November 30, 2023

Application deadline: January 19, 2024, for statements of interest
Geographic scope: United States, including U.S. territories
Grant amount: Grants ranging from $65,000 to $130,000 each will be awarded to approximately 95 organizations.
Description: ArtsHERE, a new grantmaking initiative from the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with South Arts and in collaboration with the five other U.S. Regional Arts Organizations, supports increased opportunities for arts participation in the United States. ArtsHERE will invest in a range of projects from organizations throughout arts and cultural ecosystems that have demonstrated a commitment to equity within their practices and programming and undertaken consistent engagement with underserved groups and communities. Examples of commitment to equity include programming reflective of the community served, planning activities that are inclusive of diverse voices, and having undertaken consistent engagement with underserved groups and communities that have rich and inspiring artistic and cultural contributions to share. Grants will be provided for specific projects to strengthen each organization’s capacity to sustain meaningful community engagement and increase arts participation for underserved groups and communities. In addition, grantees have access to peer learning and technical assistance opportunities.

Application deadline: January 8, 2024
Geographic scope: United States, including U.S. territories, Haiti, and Mexico
Grant amount: Grants average $5,000.
Description: The Peace Development Fund believes that the change in values needed to establish a more just and peaceful world can come about only if it is strongly rooted in local communities that value the importance of building movements to create systemic social change. The Fund’s Community Organizing Grants support community-based organizations in the U.S., Haiti, and Mexico that are working for social justice. Funding is provided in the following areas: organizing to shift power, working to build a movement, dismantling oppression, and creating new structures. Nonprofit organizations with budgets under $250,000 that are directly engaged in community organizing are eligible to apply.

Application deadline: January 19, 2024
Grant amount: $150,000 to $1.5 million in direct funding or technical assistance over one to three years
Description: The Powering Climate and Infrastructure Careers Challenge, an initiative of the Families and Workers Fund, is a collaborative philanthropic effort to help create at least one million good jobs in the clean energy and infrastructure industries. Through grants and technical assistance to nonprofits, state and local governments, training and education providers, and private sector employer groups, the Challenge aims to tackle the workforce implementation challenges facing the United States on its path toward a net-zero economy and 21st-century infrastructure. Funding will be provided in two tracks: the Training and Career Pathways track, focused on scaling models to train, place, support, and retain a diverse workforce that meets the growing labor demand in clean energy, infrastructure, and related industries, and the Government Planning and Implementation track, focused on supporting government agencies and their community partners to plan for and implement good jobs and effective, inclusive workforce development. Applicants must be using, applying for, or otherwise leveraging climate, infrastructure, or other related public or private funding and must be committed to advancing career opportunities and improving economic mobility, especially for underinvested communities.

Application deadline: The upcoming deadline is January 11, 2024.
Description: The Bob Woodruff Foundation provides support for programs and services that serve the military and veteran community in the United States. The focus is on programs that improve the health and well-being of service members, veterans, and their families and caregivers; improve social determinants of health; decrease barriers to accessing physical and mental healthcare; increase accessibility to programming that fosters a healthy lifestyle; and enhance opportunities for veterans to thrive after service. Nonprofit organizations providing direct services to the military and veteran population are eligible to apply.

Application deadline: Applications will be accepted from December 4, 2023, to January 8, 2024.
Geographic scope: Oregon
Grant amount: Requests up to $40,000 are considered, with grants typically ranging from $5,000 to $30,000. 
Description: The Oregon Community Foundation’s Community Grants Program provides flexible funding for organizations serving communities’ most pressing needs throughout Oregon. The spring 2024 cycle is for general operating support. (The fall cycle will provide support for capacity building, programs and projects, and capital funding.) To be competitive in the spring 2024 cycle, an organization must fit into one or more of the following categories: small rural organizations located in and serving communities with a population of 35,000 or fewer that had less than $250,000 in cash expenses during the most recent fiscal year; culturally specific organizations serving a distinct cultural community, primarily staffed and led by members of that community, and having the ability to describe and adapt their services to the community’s practices, beliefs, and identities; and culturally responsive organizations providing services that have been adapted to maximize the respect of and relevance to the beliefs, practices, culture, and linguistic needs of diverse populations and communities. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, tribal entities, and government entities are eligible to apply.

Application deadline: Large applications are due January 12, 2024. Medium applications are due January 26 and small applications are due February 9, 2024. (Applicants must first submit a letter of intent.)
Geographic scope: Kentucky
Description: The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels’ Good Works Program annually provides over $2.5 million in grants to nonprofit organizations located within Kentucky. In 2023, $3.1 million was awarded to 343 organizations, with a focus on the following categories: community enhancement and support, education, health and rehabilitation, life skills, historic preservation, homelessness, services for low-income populations and those in crisis, veterans services and military, and youth services. Funding is generally limited to items that can be seen or touched. Small grant applications are for requests less than $2,499. Medium grant applications are for requests between $2,500 and $9,999, and large grant applications are for requests exceeding $10,000.

Application deadlines: None
Geographic scope: Wisconsin
Description: The Delta Dental of Wisconsin Foundation supports programs that extend access to dental care, ensure a strong dental workforce, and improve the oral health of underserved and vulnerable populations in Wisconsin. Oral health grants are available for programs providing access to dental care (prevention and treatment), science and research projects, and scholarship programs. Support is provided for both sponsorships of events that have a community benefit and for programs that improve the health of at-risk populations. Community donations focused on at-risk children, special-needs populations, and improving overall health are also provided. 501(c)(3) entities, Native American tribal organizations, government agencies, and public schools are eligible to apply.

Application deadline: Grant applications for 2024 opened on November 1, 2023. Deadlines may vary by geographic location.
Geographic scope: Specific areas of AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NY, NC, SC, TN, and TX
Description: First Horizon Foundation, the private charitable foundation of First Horizon National Corporation, provides support in the communities where the Bank operates, including locations in AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NY, NC, SC, TN, and TX. Areas of interest include arts and culture, education and leadership, the environment, financial literacy, and health and human services.

Application deadline: January 12, 2024
Description: The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program offers the opportunity for communities to acquire and conserve forests. These forests provide public access and recreational opportunities, protect vital water supplies and wildlife habitat, serve as demonstration sites for private forest landowners, and provide economic benefits from timber and non-timber products. Community forests can be owned by local governments, tribal governments, and qualified nonprofit entities. Lands acquired through the program must be actively managed in accordance with a community forest plan to provide community benefits.

Application deadline: January 12, 2024
Description: The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program is designed to increase the availability of local foods in schools and help connect students to the sources of their food through education, taste tests, school gardens, field trips, and local food sourcing for school meals. Grants are available to launch new farm-to-school programs or expand existing efforts. Eligible applicants include schools and other institutions that operate child nutrition programs, Indian tribal organizations, agricultural producers or groups of agricultural producers, nonprofit entities, and state and local agencies.

Are you a nonprofit founder 50 and older?

The AARP Purpose Prize® award celebrates people 50 and older who are using their life experience to make a difference. Through this annual award, AARP celebrates a new story of aging—one full of meaningful impact and limitless possibilities.

Winners who have founded a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization will win $50,000 for their organization. They will also have access to a number of technical supports and resources to help broaden their organizations’ impact. The call for applications ends February 29, 2024. See rules and apply.

As the new year approaches, you may be wondering what challenges lie ahead for your organization. To get a better handle on the upcoming year, you may want to read “What Nonprofits Can Expect in 2024 and How to Be Better Prepared.” Published by CharityVillage, this article looks at the impacts of inflation, high interest rates, declining donations, and talent shortages on nonprofit organizations, and what can be done in response to these trends.

Webinar date: December 4, 2023, 2:00 to 2:45 PM Eastern Time
Description: According to the results of GrantStation’s 2023 State of Grantseeking Report, the lack of time continues to be one of the greatest challenges to grantseeking. This session will cover the steps you can take today to create more time in the future. By embracing practical, time-saving techniques, you can reduce redundant activities and maximize the number of proposals you are able to submit.

Webinar date: December 5, 2023, 2:00 to 3:00 PM Eastern Time
Description: Diversity and equity in hiring allows your nonprofit to better represent your community and openly demonstrates your values. Unfortunately, many organizations struggle to attract and hire candidates from underrepresented backgrounds. It can be challenging to determine what diversity means within your organization and to eliminate implicit bias throughout the interview process. During this webinar, Sneha Shah will provide you with practical strategies you can use to implement a diverse hiring process. You’ll hear practical, step-by-step tips that you can implement right away to hire more diverse team members.

How to Use QuickBooks for Donor Thank-You Letters (DESKTOP and ONLINE)

Webinar date QuickBooks DESKTOP: December 6, 2023, 2:00 to 3:30 PM Eastern Time
Webinar date QuickBooks ONLINE: December 7, 2023, 2:00 to 3:30 PM Eastern Time
Description: Do you struggle to send IRS-required thank-you letters out to your donors? Did you know that you can actually send IRS-compliant donor thank-you letters directly from QuickBooks? In this must-see session, presented by Gregg Bossen, a CPA specializing in auditing nonprofits and President of QuickBooks Made Easy for Nonprofits, you’ll learn what is legally required to be on a donor thank-you letter, how to set up letter templates in QuickBooks that are IRS-compliant, how to email or print these letters directly out of QuickBooks, how to generate year-end reports for donors that list their donations, and how to deal with special event tickets when only a part of the payment is a donation.

GrantStation has four programs designed to add value to the benefits you offer constituent organizations, field offices, or members, no matter your size! 

• By joining the Membership Value Program (MVP), your organization can offer deeply discounted access to the GrantStation website and benefit from a new revenue stream. Contact Juliet Vile, Vice President of Operations, to learn more.

• Already an MVP? Further increase your revenue stream by joining the Product Referral Program (PRP) and sharing GrantStation’s Online Education offerings with your constituents. Contact Juliet Vile, Vice President of Operations, to learn more.

• The Premium Licensing Program (PLP) adds immediate, measurable value to your organization’s membership benefits. Partners can offer their members full access to GrantStation and its numerous benefits via the secure area of their own website. Contact Juliet Vile, Vice President of Operations, to learn more.

• The Volume Purchase Program (VPP) allows organizations and grantmakers to add value to the benefits they already offer to their grantees or constituent organizations through a one-time purchase of a volume of GrantStation Memberships at a significant discount. Training components are included in this purchase. Contact Alice Ruhnke, President, to learn more.

Start now to add value for your organizations!

Like many of GrantStation's staff members, particularly the long-timers, I have a story about my arrival here involving our founder, Cynthia Adams. Back when GrantStation still had a physical office in the heart of Alaska, I had just graduated from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. I was not quite ready to leave the state, and was looking for work in a town of just 30,000 people, a bit of a daunting task. Fortunately, a close friend from the English department told me her employer was hiring.

I met Cindy at the local coffeehouse and told her why I'd be a good fit. She offered me the position on the spot. When I asked if she needed a copy of my resume, which I had dutifully printed out before the interview, she thought about it a moment and said, "Sure, I guess that would be a good idea." She then informed me that she had forgotten her wallet and asked if I could pay for her beverage. I joined the team shortly thereafter.

The ensuing years would solidify how well the company and I were suited to each other. If there has been a mission to my life, it has been words, and helping people to understand them.

In my younger days, I used to teach night classes in technical writing at the university after the GrantStation day was done. At one point, I took a two-year hiatus from the company to go teach English overseas. After I returned to GrantStation, I had the privilege of teaching some of our new team members about the GrantStation ways. And I've had the joy of interacting with our Members, answering their questions about how to use GrantStation most effectively. Words and explanations: they follow me, and are a part of who I am.

As the Vice President of Research, I have the honor of overseeing a wonderful team of researchers, each with their own unique experiences with words. Our work in the research department is all about scouring the wealth of funder information out there—all those words floating around somewhere in cyberspace—and trying to provide it to our members in a user-friendly package. It's that human touch that distinguishes us from our competitors. We don't just hand over a pile of information and say, "Here you go; try to make some sense of it." We have read it ourselves and work to make sure it will make sense to you.

I've learned so much in my time at GrantStation, particularly from my predecessor, Julie Kaufman, and I want to share that information with our Members. I'm here to try to help you with your research needs, as is the rest of our intrepid research crew. Please consider joining us for one of our monthly webinars giving a tour of the GrantStation website, where you can see how we work and get some insights straight from some of our researchers, including myself. Grantseeking can be complicated and daunting, but we're here to help.

Want to stay on top of upcoming deadlines? Check out the weekly Funding Spotlights on the GrantStation homepage. Current opportunities include the 1 Fur 1 Foundation (U.S. national), Maverik Charitable Giving (U.S. local: AZ, CO, ID, NM, NE, NV, NM, OR, SD, UT, WA, and WY), Catapult Canada (Canada), and the WIN WIN Gothenburg Sustainability Award (international).