GrantStation International Insider - March 2018

International | Canadian | U.S. Govt. | Canadian Govt. | PathFinder | Announcements | Online Education

International Funding Opportunities

Grants Improve Aid to Conflict-Affected Communities
Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge
Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge is an initiative of USAID, the UK Department for International Development, and Grand Challenges Canada that funds and accelerates solutions to enable life-saving or life-improving assistance to reach the most vulnerable and hardest to reach people in conflict-generated humanitarian crises. Supported innovations will involve a connection to the private sector and input from affected communities in order to provide, supply, or locally generate safe water and sanitation, energy, lifesaving information, or health supplies and services to help conflict-affected people. The current request for proposals will fund approximately ten to 15 seed projects at up to $250,000 CAD, as well as Transition To Scale innovations of up to $1,000,000 CAD, plus acceleration support. Online applications must be submitted by April 12, 2018; applicants must first register through Grand Challenges Canada’s Community Portal by April 9, 2018. Visit the Creating Hope in Conflict website to access the request for proposals in English, French, Spanish, Swahili, or Arabic.

Competition Promotes Green Growth in North America
North American Youth Innovation Challenge
The North American Youth Innovation Challenge seeks bold ideas for green growth championed by youth. Youth are encouraged to look beyond incremental approaches and propose innovative science, technology, and business solutions that address the complex sustainability challenges facing North America. Innovative ideas will create better or more effective products, processes, services, technologies, business models, marketing, supply chains, or partnerships; contribute to the natural asset base of North American economies; create green jobs or economic opportunities; and make good business sense in terms of profitability and potential for growth. Solutions may be proposed in areas including, but not limited to, clean energy, waste reduction and diversion, clean transportation, the circular economy, and business solutions to climate change. The top three winners receive C$5,000 in seed funding and will present their ideas to North America's top environmental officials at the CEC Council Session. Residents of Canada, Mexico, and the United States aged 18 to 30 are eligible to apply. The deadline to submit an idea is April 3, 2018. Visit https://cec.ideascale.com to learn about the Challenge Steps and submit a new idea. 

Awards Recognize Reporting on Euro-Mediterranean Migration
Migration Media Award
The Migration Media Award (MMA) recognizes and rewards the journalistic excellence, relevance, and newsworthiness of press pieces dealing with migration in the Euro-Mediterranean region. This year’s edition will reward up to 48 published stories resulting from time-intensive, un-sensationalistic, in-depth reporting and contributing to balance the narrative on migration, making it evidence-based, nuanced, and less polarizing. The competition will be run in six categories — TV, radio, online, print, multimedia, and photo­ — and in three languages — English, French, and Arabic. Media outlets and journalists based in countries on both sides of the Mediterranean, including all EU member states and south partner countries, are eligible to apply. Winning journalists are awarded cash prizes in the form of contracts to work on a second production. The deadline to apply is May 15, 2018. Visit the MMA website to submit an online application.

Women's Rights Initiatives Funded
Mama Cash
Mama Cash supports ambitious feminist and women's rights organizations and initiatives led by and for women, girls, trans, and intersex people. Funding is provided for groups and initiatives in most countries of the world that work from a feminist or women’s rights perspective; have the promotion of women, girls’, and trans people’s human rights as their primary mission; push for structural and fundamental change; and focus on issues that are under-addressed or contested. Priority is given to groups that have a budget below 200,000€. Letters of interest will be accepted from March 19 through April 17, 2018. Visit the Mama Cash website to review the funding criteria.

Funding Helps Developing Countries Tackle Climate Change
Green Climate Fund
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a global fund created by 194 countries to help developing countries limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. The GCF seeks to shift to low-emission sustainable development pathways through sustainable land use and forest management; low-emission transportation, energy access, and power generation; and energy efficient buildings, cities, and industries. In addition, the GCF aims to increase climate-resilient sustainable development for enhanced livelihoods of vulnerable populations, resilient infrastructure and ecosystems, and increased health, well-being, and food security. Investments may take the form of grants, loans, equity, or guarantees. Eligible institutions include civil society organizations, international and regional entities, government ministries, and public and private sector entities. In order to access funding, institutions first need to become accredited. Applications for accreditation are accepted on a rolling basis. Visit the GCF website to learn more about the accreditation process.

Grants Promote Civil Society Accountability
CIVICUS: Resilient Roots
CIVICUS exists to strengthen civil society and citizen action around the world. The Resilient Roots initiative aims to test whether organizations who are more accountable and responsive to their roots — namely, their primary constituencies — are more resilient against external threats. The current call for proposals aims to find partners to design and roll out innovative accountability pilot projects that explore the factors that increase public support and trust in civil society organizations in order to identify different pathways to greater, longer-lasting efficacy and legitimacy. Selected projects will receive an initial grant of up to $30,000 to implement the pilot project, with the opportunity to access further resources for the continuation and consolidation of this work. Priority is given to projects based in countries ranked by the CIVICUS Monitor as narrowed, obstructed, or repressed, especially in the Global South. The deadline for the first round of grant proposals is March 18, 2018. Interested applicants can download the current call for proposals from the CIVICUS website.

Math and Science Achievements Celebrated
Breakthrough Prize
The Breakthrough Prize, recognized as the world’s largest science prize, honors achievements in the categories of Fundamental Physics, Life Sciences, and Mathematics. Each year up to four prizes in Life Sciences, one in Fundamental Physics, and one in Mathematics are awarded. Each prize comes with a $3 million award. In addition, up to six New Horizons Prizes, each for $100,000, will be presented to promising early-career researchers in the fields of Physics and Mathematics. Anyone can nominate a candidate for the Prize. (Self-nominations are not accepted.) Nominations can be submitted online through April 30, 2018. Visit the Breakthrough Prize website to learn more about each award category.

Funding Improves Livelihoods in Selected Countries
Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation
The Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation aims to contribute to the sustainable improvement of social, economic, and ecological structures in the Global South, particularly in regions that have been negatively affected by the structures of the global economy. Through its current call for proposals, the Foundation is accepting applications for projects in Argentina, Egypt, India, Mexico, Paraguay, Rwanda, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. Funding ranging between 10.000€ and 50.000€ per year is provided in the following areas: 1) entrepreneurship/social entrepreneurship, including the provision of microcredit, start-up loans, or advice and training possibilities; and 2) income-generating activities, with a focus on capacity building initiatives and training facilities that target youth development as well as further education for adults. Signed and completed applications must be sent by March 23, 2018. Visit the Foundation’s website to review the call for proposals and accompanying materials.

Canadian Funding Opportunities

Grants Expand Access to Sports and Recreation Across Canada
Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities
Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities envisions a Canada where all kids have the chance to fulfill their dreams. Funding is provided through three programs: Accessibility Grants support capital costs of construction and renovations related to improving physical accessibility to, and inclusivity in, recreation facilities for children with disabilities. Community Development Grants fund physical activity, sports, and recreation programming for children aged four to 18 from families in financial need. Finally, grants are provided to families in need to get kids involved in a sport or physical activity program. Applications for Accessibility Grants must be submitted by March 16, 2018. The remaining 2018 deadlines for Community Development Grants are May 1 and October 1. Parents may apply for support on behalf of their children from January 15 through November 1 of each year. Funding guidelines for each program are available on the Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities website.

Support for the Arts, Conservation, and Healthcare in Canada
The Youssef-Warren Foundation
The Youssef-Warren Foundation is devoted to advancing the arts, conservation, and healthcare. Within these three areas of interest, the Foundation focuses its funding on emerging artists, wildlife conservation, and continuing care for the elderly. Applications must be received by June 30 of each year. Visit the Foundation’s website to download the application form, or to submit an online application.

Heritage Training Initiatives in the Yukon Funded
Yukon Heritage Training Fund
The Yukon Heritage Training Fund is designed to give Yukon residents the opportunity to increase their skills and knowledge in the heritage sector. The Fund supports short training directly related to increasing the employability of Yukon’s heritage workers and providing Yukon employers with a better-trained workforce. Training must relate to a heritage sector, such as archaeology, paleontology, toponymy, scientific research, oral history, traditional knowledge, conservation, heritage sites, archives, museums, and interpretive and cultural centers. Grants generally range up to $5,000. Individuals, businesses, collectives, and nonprofit heritage associations or organizations are eligible to apply. The annual application deadlines are January 15, April 15, July 15, and October 15. Visit the Fund’s website to download the application guide and forms.

Seed Funding Improves Access to Justice in Ontario
The Law Foundation of Ontario: Responsive Grants Program
The Law Foundation of Ontario has a mandate to improve access to justice for the people of Ontario. The Foundation’s Responsive Grants Program provides seed funding for ideas generated by nonprofit community groups to improve access to justice. Examples of previously supported projects include a children’s animated series about democracy, legal information support for street youth, a pro bono legal program for immigrants and refugees, and a high school theatrical production about restorative justice. Nonprofit organizations, universities, and community colleges are eligible to apply. The upcoming deadline to submit an application for Small Grants (up to $15,000) or a letter of intent for Major Grants (up to $100,000) is March 31, 2018. Visit the Foundation’s website to review the FAQs.

U.S. Government Funding Opportunities

Funding Targets Immigrants and Refugees in Uganda
U.S. Embassy - Uganda
The Julia Taft Fund supports community-based projects in Uganda that provide sustainable assistance to refugees, internally displaced persons, vulnerable migrants, and stateless persons. Grants up to $25,000 are provided for projects that respond to issues that have not been addressed by larger multilateral refugee programs. Proposals must be submitted by April 6, 2018.

Support for Education and Entrepreneurship Initiatives in Costa Rica
U.S. Embassy – Costa Rica
The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica has issued a call for proposals entitled Funding for English Language, STEAM & Entrepreneurship Programs. Grants support programs and projects in Costa Rica that improve the quality of English language education at the secondary and higher education levels; improve the quality of, and access to, science, technology, engineering, arts and design, and mathematics (STEAM) education for girls at the secondary and higher education levels; or inspire entrepreneurship among youth in under-represented communities, particularly among women, Afro–descendent, and indigenous communities. The application deadline is March 30, 2018.

Canadian Government Funding Opportunities

Capital and Equipment Grants for Canadian Arts Organizations
Canadian Heritage
The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF) supports the improvement of physical conditions for artistic creativity and innovation. CCSF funds the improvement, renovation, and construction of arts and heritage facilities, as well as the acquisition of specialized equipment. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Disease Prevention Initiatives Funded
Public Health Agency of Canada
The Multi-sectoral Partnerships to Promote Healthy Living and Prevent Chronic Disease initiative supports organizations to advance innovative, multi-sectoral approaches to promote healthy living and prevent chronic disease. Supported projects must include multi-sectoral partnerships, have the potential to be expanded or scaled up, and fall under the policy and funding authorities of the Integrated Strategy on Healthy Living and Chronic Disease and the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy. Letters of intent are accepted on a continual basis.

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

Growfund
Are you looking for a unique way to encourage donations to your organization? Growfund is a new type of donor-advised fund for nonprofits to cultivate donors. This charitable giving tool operates like a 401(k) or a personal foundation, allowing donors to make tax deductible contributions in credit, cash, stock, or checks. Donors set up an account, choose how their funds will be invested, then set aside a little or a lot at a time and watch their funds grow for the organization's cause.

GrantStation Announcements
 

International Grant Professionals Day - March 9, 2018

GrantStation has partnered with the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) to announce the fourth annual International Grant Professionals Day on March 9, 2018. International Grant Professionals Day increases awareness internationally of the work grant professionals perform as well as celebrates the work of grant professionals, who serve as administrators, consultants, managers, grantmakers, and writers.

Every day, grant professionals work diligently, usually behind the scenes, to seek grant opportunities, administer projects, and implement important programs for the benefit of society’s disadvantaged and underserved people. These talented professionals are dedicated to providing the highest standard of ethics, quality program development, thoughtful project implementation, and wise financial stewardship. Often, those standards extend beyond the mere financial and include capacity support, long-term solutions to challenges, fundraising assistance, expert project management, sustainable programming, and so much more.

Please Contribute Your Experience to the
Spring 2018 State of Grantseeking™ Survey
The resulting – free – State of Grantseeking Reports can tell you a reasonable level of funding to expect for an organization based on median awards by organizational budget, location, and mission (benchmarks you can really use). And, it can give you a leg up on the competition through awareness of trends, months or even years before other reports reflect the data. Please join thousands of others who find value in the reports by completing this survey and offering your insights for the upcoming report. The survey ends March 31, 2018.

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.

Online Workshop: Simple Spreadsheets - Your Hairiest Nonprofit Spreadsheets Made Simple
Ever feel like you're swimming upstream in data? Need to make sense of spreadsheets, but not sure where to start? Have a gut feeling that you're not getting the most out of spreadsheet programs like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets? Then this webinar is for you! In this session, Ann K. Emery will focus on little-known spreadsheet secrets that can save you time. We'll cover beginner, intermediate, and advanced number-crunching skills from lookup to pivot tables. By the end of this hands-on-webinar, you'll be armed and ready to merge data from multiple sheets and files into a single master spreadsheet; organize your spreadsheets by adding filters and freezing panes; clean and recode messy data to get it ready for analysis; run basic descriptive statistics and frequencies; and explore your data more fully through pivot tables. We'll look at several different types of datasets together. This webinar will be held on Thursday, March 8, 2018. View a sample video at www.annkemery.com/excel to see Ann's teaching style in action.

Logic Models: More Than Just Extra Work!
Logic models are not a passing fad. If you need to create a logic model for your program, but don't know where to start, this webinar is for you! Using Measuring Program Outcomes: A Practical Approach from the United Way of America, Alice Ruhnke will demonstrate why logic models are critical for program planning and evaluation. During this webinar, you will learn how to create and use a logic model to help you improve services and your impact on your community. Executive directors, program managers, and grantwriters from a broad range of nonprofit organizations will benefit from this 90-minute presentation. The webinar will be held on Thursday, March 15, 2018.

Online Workshop: Great Graphs - Tell Your Nonprofit's Story with Data Visualization
Visualizing data through charts, tables, and diagrams helps you deliver bite-sized information that viewers will understand at a glance and retain for the long run. In this workshop, Ann K. Emery will walk you through a step-by-step design process so you can apply critical thinking skills to your own projects. First, you'll learn how to customize your visualization for your audience. Second, you'll learn how to choose the right chart for your message. You'll see familiar friends like pie charts and bar charts as well as new options like waffle charts, Sankey diagrams, tree maps, social network maps, and visual timelines. Third, you'll declutter your visuals, reinforce your branding with custom color palettes and typography, and increase accessibility by ensuring that your visuals are legible for people with color vision deficiencies. Finally, you'll learn to tell a story through saturation and annotation. This webinar will be held on Thursday, March 29, 2018. View a sample graph makeover at www.annkemery.com/agree-disagree-scales/.

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Editor: Diana Holder
Contributing Writer: Ashlyn Simmons