GrantStation Insider - June 15, 2017

National | Regional | Federal | Partner Depot | Online Education | Announcements

National Funding
Opportunities Throughout the U.S.

Support for International Theatre Collaborations
Theatre Communications Group: Global Connections
The Global Connections program, administered by Theatre Communications Group (TCG), is dedicated to building bridges between U.S. theatre professionals and their counterparts abroad, identifying theatre professionals who will further the growth of the field, and creating opportunities for the U.S. theatre field to engage in international conversations. Grants are provided to nonprofit organizations and individual artists through the following two initiatives: Global Connections: On the Road will award grants of up to $5,000 to foster new relationships with international colleagues that will inspire each other’s work and aesthetics by creating opportunities for cultural exchange. Global Connections: In the Lab will award grants of $10,000 to further pre-existing international collaborations by supporting residencies that either advance the research and development of a theatre piece or explore elements leading up to a full production. The application deadlines for Global Connections Round Six are September 13, 2017, and March 28 and September 10, 2018. Application guidelines are available on the TCG website.

K-12 Field Trips Funded
Target Field Trip Grants
The Target Field Trip Grants program provides funds for K-12 field trips in order to give students throughout the country the opportunity to explore more of the world outside the classroom. Grants of up to $700 each will be awarded to educators, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, and classified staff who are employed by accredited K-12 public, private, or charter schools. (Parents, volunteers, after-school programs, Pre-K groups, and childcare centers are not eligible to apply.) Types of funded trips include art, science, and cultural museum visits; community service and civic projects; career enrichment opportunities; and other events or activities away from the school facility. Funds may be used to cover trip-related costs such as transportation, ticket fees, food, resource materials, and supplies. Online applications will be accepted between August 1 and October 1, 2017. Visit the Target website to learn more about the program.

Grants Promote ATV Riding
Polaris Industries: T.R.A.I.L.S. Grant Program
The T.R.A.I.L.S. Grant Program, an initiative of Polaris Industries, provides support to national, state, and local organizations in the United States to ensure the future of ATV riding. The grant program encompasses two main objectives – promoting safe and responsible riding, and preserving access. Funds can be used by organizations for trail development and maintenance projects, safety and education initiatives, lobbying, and other projects to increase and maintain land access. Grants of up to $10,000 are provided to nonprofit organizations and government agencies throughout the country. (Fire and rescue organizations are not eligible for this program.) The upcoming application deadline is September 1, 2017. Visit the program’s website to review the grant guidelines and submit an online application.

Organizations Advancing Justice for LGBT People Supported
Arcus Foundation: U.S. Social Justice Program
The Arcus Foundation is dedicated to the idea that people can live in harmony with one another and the natural world. The Foundation’s U.S. Social Justice Program focuses on advancing social justice for LGBT people in the United States, with a significant focus on LGBT youth and communities of color. This program’s grantmaking focuses on the following three goal areas: 1) increased LGBT understanding and acceptance among youth and communities of color through culturally relevant messages and messengers; 2) strengthened leadership among activists working across movements or in alliances where LGBT issues are meaningfully integrated; and 3) increased social and economic protections for LGBT youth, with an emphasis on LGBT youth of color. U.S. nonprofit organizations may submit an online Initial Funding Concept form at any time. Visit the Foundation’s website for more information.

Regional Funding
Opportunities for Specific Areas

Funds for Livable Wage Programs for Colorado Women
Women's Foundation of Colorado
The mission of the Women's Foundation of Colorado is to catalyze community to advance and accelerate economic opportunities for Colorado women and their families. The Foundation’s approach centers on helping low-income women earn livable wages, the gateway to greater access and opportunity that can break the inter-generational cycle of poverty. In 2017, the Foundation will make grants in two areas: Public Policy grants support organizations that advance transformative systems-level changes that strengthen economic self-sufficiency for women. Direct Service grants support organizations working to help women’s acceleration along career pathways to livable wage jobs. Grants in both categories range from $15,000 to $35,000. Grant applications for Public Policy grants and letters of interest for Direct Service grants must be submitted by August 3, 2017, with invited applications for Direct Service grants due on October 16, 2017. Visit the Foundation’s website to review the guidelines for both grant programs.

Grants Enhance Conservation Efforts in Central Appalachia
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program
The Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program, an initiative of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), is offering grants to restore and sustain healthy forests, rivers, and streams that provide habitat for diverse native bird and freshwater fish populations in the Appalachian region of Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Priority will be given to projects that address at least one of the following strategies: Forest Conservation, Connectivity, and Management; and ​Healthy River Systems. Two types of grants, ranging from $50,000 to $200,000, are available: Habitat Restoration Grants will be awarded throughout the central Appalachian region, and Focal Geography Grants will be awarded in specific regions within western Pennsylvania. The proposal deadline is July 27, 2017. Visit the NFWF website to review the Request for Proposals.

Support for Grassroots Organizing in Oregon
MRG Foundation
The mission of the MRG Foundation is to inspire people to work together for justice and mobilize resources for Oregon communities as they build collective power to change the world. The Foundation is currently offering Responsive Grants to nonprofit organizations throughout the state in the following categories: Micro Grants of up to $3,000 support general operating costs associated with grassroots organizing. Critical Response Grants of up to $2,000 support organizations that have an unexpected crisis or opportunity for organizing. Travel Grants of up to $1,000 are limited to rural organizations seeking travel assistance. Requests are reviewed monthly; applications are due by the 15th of each month. (Applying organizations must contact the Grants Coordinator to receive an application.) Visit the Foundation’s website for more information.

Health Programs in the Upper Midwest Funded
Medica Foundation
The Medica Foundation, an affiliate of Medica Health Plans, provides funding to nonprofit organizations and government agencies within the company’s service area. The Foundation’s final funding cycle of 2017 will offer Non-profit Core Mission Grants to organizations located within the regional and rural areas of the Medica service area in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. (Minnesota applicants must be located outside of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area.) These grants of up to $5,000 provide critical support to small organizations, which strengthens regional and rural communities. The focus is on health-related programming that is core to the organization’s nonprofit mission. Letters of inquiry for this funding cycle will be accepted through August 25, 2017. Visit the Foundation’s website to review the application information.

Federal Funding
Opportunities from the U.S. Government

Support Available to Help Low-Income Homeowners
Department of Agriculture
The Rural Housing Preservation Grant program provides support to assist low-income homeowners in repairing and rehabilitating their homes in rural areas. The deadline for pre-applications is July 17, 2017. 

Program Promotes Healthy Communities
Department of Health and Human Services
The Empowered Communities for a Healthier Nation Initiative provides support for minority or disadvantaged communities disproportionately impacted by the opioid epidemic, childhood or adolescent obesity, or serious mental illness. The application deadline is August 1, 2017.

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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.

The Anatomy of a Business Plan for Social Enterprise: It's not brain surgery!
If your nonprofit's traditional funding sources are not as reliable as in the past, it might be time to invest in social enterprise to protect your vital programs and services. Many savvy nonprofits have successfully launched an earned income venture and are generating sustainable funds as a result. Is your organization ready to learn more? In this fast-paced webinar, Jean Block, a nonprofit trainer who has guided nearly 100 nonprofits from idea to business plan, will explain what social enterprise is - and isn't - and explore the critical steps required to develop a business plan for social enterprise. Writing a business plan for a social enterprise isn't difficult when it is based on thorough market research and feasibility studies. It's not brain surgery and it's not rocket science! Follow the necessary steps and your organization, too, can find sustainable funding. This webinar will be held Thursday, July 13, 2017 at 2 pm EDT.

How to Craft a Proposal to a Foundation
Proposal writing is the skill most sought after by savvy nonprofit staff members. On the one hand, writing a grant proposal is quite simple and follows a basic formula. However, submitting a proposal may be your only chance to put the case for funding your organization in front of a foundation, so you want to be sure to do it right. In this webinar, Judith Margolin provides invaluable tips on developing a compelling proposal narrative, what your proposal package should include, how to let your funder take the lead, and advice on writing and submission techniques that get your proposal noticed by foundation decision makers. This webinar is intended for the novice proposal writer. The webinar will be held on Thursday, July 20, 2017, at 2 pm EDT.

How to Secure Funding from Foundations
Foundations are mysterious institutions to those not familiar with them. In this webinar, Judith Margolin demystifies the process of securing foundation funding. The webinar provides a thorough grounding in what foundations are all about, including how many there are, who runs them, and trends in foundation giving. The focus is on what motivates foundations to give and how you can determine why they might or might not support your organization. Topics include types of foundations and styles of approach, determining your organization's funding needs, finding the best prospect, what makes a winning grant proposal, introducing your agency to a foundation, and proposal submission techniques. The webinar will be held on Thursday, August 10, 2017, at 2 pm EDT.

Announcements
What's New at GrantStation?

The Spring 2017 State of Grantseeking Report

Whether you manage a nonprofit organization, an educational institution, or a government agency, there is one truth that is self-evident: there is never enough money to do the good work you feel you need to do. So, we all ask ourselves these questions:

• Who will fund my organization?
• What is a reasonable level of funding to expect for my organization?
• Does my budget, location, or mission affect my organization's ability to be awarded grants?

The free State of Grantseeking™ Report can serve as a valuable benchmark for organizations to review their grantseeking efforts, and will provide leading-edge information months earlier than other annual surveys.

Download your free copy of the State of Grantseeking Report today!

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