Excerpts for the week of June 30, 2008

Industry News

Research Reports Address Social and Economic Issues
RAND Corporation
The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decision making through research and analysis. RAND provides objective analysis and effective solutions that address the challenges facing the nation and the world, including such critical social and economic issues as education, poverty, crime, and the environment, as well as a range of national security issues. RAND shares its research findings broadly as a public service. A list of reports can be accessed online. [more]

Conferences & Training

Introduction to Economic Development offered by Montana Economic Developers Association

Conference Gathers Workforce Development Leaders
Workforce Innovations 2008
Workforce Innovations, co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration and the American Society for Training & Development, is the premier annual conference promoting collaboration among leaders from workforce development, business, economic development, education, community-based organizations, and philanthropy. This year's conference, "Success Decoded," will bring together local, state, and national strategic workforce investment partners to learn from successes and cultivate the talent development solutions needed in today's global economy. The conference will be held July 15-17, 2008, in New Orleans, LA. [more]

Retreat Addresses Arts Education Issues
National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts: Northwest Chapter Retreat
The National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts is the national service organization for nonprofit organizations providing arts education in urban, suburban, and rural communities throughout the United States. The Guild's Northwest Chapter Retreat will gather executive directors, trustees, and development and marketing staff from arts education organizations throughout the Northwest for professional development and networking opportunities. The retreat includes a workshop on increasing diversity, participation, earned revenue, and support of community arts education. Both Guild members and nonmembers are encouraged to attend. The retreat will be held July 15, 2008, in Seattle, WA. [more]

Conference Offers Training for CCI Professionals
The Conference Board: Corporate Community Involvement Conference
The Conference Board's 2008 Corporate Community Involvement (CCI) Conference, "Strategic Corporate Community Involvement - Meeting Business and Community Challenges," offers essential training and practical tools for today's CCI professionals. The goal of the conference workshops, led by corporate contributions practitioners from the highest echelons of corporate community involvement, is to provide participants with strategies to use in their operations by giving them exposure to best-in-class examples. Throughout the conference, participants will also have the opportunity to interact with hundreds of colleagues who are addressing similar hurdles in their CCI programs. The conference will be held July 31 - August 1, 2008, in San Francisco, CA. [more]

GrantStation Announcements

Tracks to Success
Understanding the Philanthropic Landscape
It's not necessary that you completely understand the intricacies of philanthropic giving in the U.S. – or elsewhere in the world – to be a successful grantseeker. However, it is good to know the general lay of the land, to recognize significant trends that have occurred or are occurring, and to be able to tap into that knowledge when speaking with potential donors or grantmakers. Throughout this series, we will focus on specific types of grantmakers: foundations, corporations and corporate foundations, and associations that have grantmaking programs, as well as on federal, state, and local government funding agencies. We will discuss methods for gathering information about these funding sources, and how best to approach these grantmakers. [more]

Fourth of July Special
15-Month GrantStation Membership for $269
GrantStation is offering all GrantStation Insider readers a Fourth of July Special. You pay $269 (55% off the annual fee of $599) and receive a full GrantStation Membership for 15 months. A full GrantStation Membership provides you access to our searchable database of private grantmakers, continually updated federal grant deadlines, and a variety of tutorials on how to do grants research, grant writing, and grant management. Join over 15,000 organizations that already use GrantStation as their research tool of choice. This offer is good through July 11, 2008. [more]

GrantStation Webinars Scheduled for July

Developing a Powerful Need Statement
Cynthia Adams, CEO of GrantStation, is offering a webinar on how to create a persuasive need statement for your organization. This 90-minute webinar is designed for both seasoned grant writers and those with little or no experience. You will learn how to "paint a picture" so that grantmakers understand the extent of the problem or need faced by your community. In addition, the webinar will include advice on how to gather facts and statistics from the Internet in order to bolster your need statement. The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, July 23, 2008, at 2 p.m. EDT. The registration fee is $89 per person. [more]

Grantseeking During a Recession: How to Broaden Your Grant Support
How do you broaden your grant support during a recession? This webinar discusses how to establish an aggressive grantseeking program that can help you weather economic downturns. Find out what you can expect from grantmakers in the next year or two, and how to position your organization to take advantage of the current economic climate. Learn a step-by-step grantseeking process to help you secure the grant awards your organization needs to survive and grow. Cynthia M. Adams, CEO of GrantStation, will teach this 90-minute webinar on Tuesday, July 29, 2008, at 2 p.m. EDT. The registration fee is $89 per person. [more]

Funding Opportnities

Award Recognizes the Cooperative Spirit
The Collaboration Prize
The Collaboration Prize, created by The Lodestar Foundation, will provide a $250,000 award to a team of nonprofit organizations that have chosen cooperation over competition. To be eligible, a collaboration must involve two or more U.S. nonprofit organizations that would otherwise provide similar programs and compete for clients, financial resources, and staff. The prize also seeks to build an information base of effective practice models that can be studied by academics, nonprofit leaders, and grantmakers to inspire and advance their work. Nominations will be accepted beginning June 1, 2008, and the process will close at 5 p.m. EDT on July 21, 2008. [more]

Economic and Environmental Justice Programs Funded
CS Fund and Warsh/Mott Legacy
The CS Fund and Warsh/Mott Legacy are private foundations that are linked by common interests and boards of directors. The Foundations are dedicated to preserving biodiversity, defending democracy, preventing the commodification of life, and protecting human and environmental health throughout the world. The Foundations’ grant categories include Economic Globalization, Food Sovereignty, Civil Liberties, and Emerging Technologies. Proposals to the CS Fund and Warsh/Mott Legacy are considered together. Letters of inquiry may be submitted at any time. For 2008 only, the fall funding cycle deadline for invited proposals is July 28. [click here] for a full description of each of the Foundations’ grant categories as well as letter of inquiry guidelines.

Support for Intergenerational Literacy Programs
Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy: National Grant Program
The goal of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy's National Grant Program is to develop and expand family literacy efforts nationwide, and to support the development of literacy programs that build families of readers. The program provides grants for projects that are designed to support the development of literacy skills for adult primary care givers and their children. Eligible instructional literacy programs must have been in existence at least two years and include one or more of the following components: literacy for adults, parent education, literacy or pre-literacy instruction for children pre-K to grade 3, and intergenerational literacy activities. A total of $650,000 will be awarded for grants of up to $65,000. The application deadline is September 5, 2008. [more]

Health Care Programs for Children Supported
American Academy of Pediatrics: Community Access to Child Health Program Planning Funds
The Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) Program, a national program of the American Academy of Pediatrics, is designed to improve access to health care by supporting pediatricians and communities that are involved in community-based efforts for children. The CATCH Planning Funds program provides grants in amounts from $2,500 to $12,000 for pediatricians in the U.S. and its territories to develop community-based initiatives that increase children's access to medical homes or to specific health services not otherwise available. Planning project activities must lead to sustainable, community-based child health initiatives that increase access to care, especially for underserved children, and address health disparities among children. (Grants are also available for pediatric residents, but limited to a maximum of $3,000.) The application deadline is July 31, 2008. [more]

Grants Promote K-8 Art and Music Programs
Airborne Teacher Trust Fund
The Airborne Teacher Trust Fund provides support to elementary and middle school teachers for art and music programs that are in jeopardy of being lost due to budgetary limitations. Selected teachers from public and private schools throughout the United States are eligible to receive grants from $200 to $10,000 to be used to implement their programs. Recipients will be selected on the basis of educational program elements, the teacher’s desire and passion for the program, the educational program’s anticipated results, and the budget request. The next application deadline is July 31, 2008. [more]

Contemporary Visual Arts Presentations Funded
The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts
The objective of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts is to foster innovative artistic expression and the creative process by supporting cultural organizations that in turn, support artists and their work. The Foundation is focused primarily on encouraging work of a challenging and experimental nature, while noting that the interpretation of those terms may vary from place to place and culture to culture. Grants are made to curatorial programs at museums, artists' organizations, and other cultural institutions to originate innovative and scholarly presentations of contemporary visual arts. Projects may include exhibitions, catalogues, and other relevant activities. In addition, scholarly research focusing on the development of significant exhibitions is funded through Curatorial Research Fellowships. The next application deadline is September 1, 2008. [more]

Bird Habitat Conservation in the U.S. and Canada Supported
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: ConocoPhillips SPIRIT of Conservation Migratory Bird Program
The ConocoPhillips SPIRIT of Conservation Migratory Bird Program, administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, provides grants for migratory bird habitat conservation projects in areas where ConocoPhillips has an operating presence. Priority will be given to projects in the following regions: Western Canada; Gulf of Mexico states, including Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas; Prairie states, including Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming; and Delaware Bay. International projects will be considered in selected geographic areas. A total of $600,000 will be distributed with a minimum grant size of $25,000. Preproposals are due September 1, 2008; invited full proposals must be submitted by November 1, 2008. [more]

Grants Enhance Programs in Company Communities
PepsiCo Foundation
The PepsiCo Foundation primarily supports nonprofit organizations located in U.S. communities where company employees live and work. The Foundation's Health and Wellness grant category encourages healthy lifestyles and positive behavior changes. Through the Diversity and Inclusion category support is provided to organizations that focus on minority-owned businesses, workplace equality, or skill development for low-income high school students. The emphasis of the Environment category is water resource management in developing nations. The Thought Leadership category supports research initiatives that address issues critical to the betterment of society. Grant requests of up to $100,000 may be submitted throughout the year. The next deadline for grant requests over $100,000 is September 15, 2008. [more]

Grantmaker Updates

CAPs off to Musicians
The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) is accepting letters of inquiry from nonprofit organizations that support the development of American music creators. [more]

Federal Deadlines

Department of Commerce: Construction Grant Program
This program supports the construction or expansion of research science buildings, including laboratories, test facilities, measurement facilities, and observatories. [more]

National Endowment for the Humanities: Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions
This program supports fellowships at institutions devoted to advanced study and research in the humanities. Fellowship programs may be administered by independent centers for advanced study, libraries, and museums in the United States; American overseas research centers; or organizations that have expertise in promoting research on foreign cultures. [more]

National Endowment for the Humanities: Interpreting America's Historic Places
Planning Grants and Implementation Grants
These programs support public humanities projects that use the evocative power of historic places to address themes and issues central to American history and culture.

National Science Foundation: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program
This program seeks to increase the number of students receiving associate or baccalaureate degrees in established or emerging fields within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. [more]
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