On the Federal Level...

Challenge Grants Program

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) announces funding for its Challenge Grant program. The program’s goal is to help institutions and organizations secure long-term support for, and improvements in, their humanities programs and resources.
The program provides public and non-profit organizations, such as museums and libraries, funding to improve their financial stability, through fundraising and/or endowment initiatives. Through these awards, many are able to shift programs from dependence on term funding to more secure support from endowments. Funding can be used to endow staff positions and improve financial support through increased attendance, membership, and enrollment. Grants can also help support an organization’s direct costs, including acquisitions, construction, and renovation.
ELIGIBILITY: Public and non-profit organizations are eligible.
FUNDING: Up to $1 million is available. Grants range from $20,000 to $500,000 each.
DEADLINE: May 1, 2002.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit www.neh.gov/ or contact the NEH Office of Challenge Grants, telephone: (202) 606-8309; e-mail challenge@neh.gov

 
National Community Centers of Excellence in Women’s Health (CCOE)

The Office of Women’s Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The National Community Centers of Excellence in Women’s Health (CCOE) announces funding to assist underserved women. Projects must integrate comprehensive women’s health services delivery with training, community-based research, public education, outreach, leadership development, and technical assistance to enhance and improve health services for underserved women.
ELIGIBILITY: Non-profit and community-based organizations are eligible.
FUNDING: The maximum grant is $150,000.
DEADLINE:May 1, 2002.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit http://www.4women.gov/owh/ccoe/index.htm or contact Barbara James, CCOE Program Director, Office of Women’s Health, Parklawn Building, Room 16A-55, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20857; e-mail bjames1@osophs.dhhs.gov

 
Early Head Start Program

Department of Health and Human Services

The Administration on Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF) is accepting applications to provide child and family development services for low-income families with children under the age of three and pregnant women.
Early Head Start programs provide early, continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child care development and family support services on a year-round basis to low-income families.
The purpose of the Head Start program is to enhance children’s physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development; to support parents’ efforts to fulfill their parental roles and to help parents move to self-sufficiency.
ELIGIBILITY: Public and private non-profit and for-profit entities.
FUNDING:$72 million is available.
DEADLINE:May 13, 2002.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact the Early Head Start Nationwide Competition, 1901 North Fort Myer Drive, Suite 301, Arlington, Virginia 22209; Web site: www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/hsb; telephone: 1-800-458-7699.

 
Transitional Living Program (TLP)

Department of Health and Human Services

The Administration on Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF) requests applications for the Transitional Living Program (TLP) to assist runaway and homeless youth. The program seeks to assist youths 16-21 to achieve self-sufficiency and avoid long-term dependency on social services.
TLP funds should be used to provide 1) safe, stable living conditions, 2) skills to enable them to live independently, 3) education and counseling aimed at preventing, treating, and reducing substance abuse, 4) access to mental and medical treatment, 5) services and referrals to assist them in gaining employment, 6) services and referrals to assist them in gaining access to a higher education and vocational training, 7) services to assist pregnant women and parenting homeless youth to become skilled and self-sufficient.
ELIGIBILITY: State and local governments, Indian tribes, non-profit organizations, faith-based groups, and community-based organizations are eligible.
FUNDING:$19 million for 100 grants.
DEADLINE: May 10, 2002.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/fysb or contact ACYF Operations Center, telephone: (800) 351-2293.

 
Community Facilities Loan Program

U.S. Department of Agriculture

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, has announced its Communities Facilities Loan Program to assist in the development of essential community facilities in rural areas. The loan program finances the following types of activities: Health Care – clinics, ambulatory care centers, hospitals, and nursing homes; Telecommunications – medical and educational telecommunications links; Public Safety – communication centers, police and fire stations, fire trucks, rescue vehicles, and jails; Public Services – adult and child care centers, town halls, courthouses, libraries, museums, schools, and fairgrounds.
Rural Development also guarantees loans made by a bank, savings and loan, insurance company, Federal Land Bank, or other qualified lender against a certain percentage of loss under this program.
ELIGIBILITY: Rural towns of 20,000 people or less.
FUNDING: Funds are available.
DEADLINE: There is no deadline.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact any Rural Development Office listed in the telephone book under the U.S. Department of Agriculture or Eileen McGrath at: (315) 477-6434.

Council on Opportunities for Professional Excellence, Inc. (C.O.P.E.)

Albany, NY

The Council on Opportunities for Professional Excellence, Inc. (C.O.P.E.) is holding a Grant Training Seminar on April 22, 2002. The seminar will be held at the Holiday Inn – Wolf Road, Albany, NY – from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The program costs $145.00 per person or $125.00 per attendee if 2 or more attend from the same organization.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: To register, call (845) 756-COPE (2673).

The Grantsmanship Center

Bath

The Grantsmanship Center is offering grant writing classes in Bath, May 13-17. The five-day program is kept to a maximum of 27 participants and costs $775 per person.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call Benita Nesbitt at: (607) 776-8634; or the Grantsmanship Center at: (800) 421-9512.

Syracuse University

Syracuse University is offering an "Introduction to Grant Writing" class May 17, 2002 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The class is geared toward persons working in research, education, and community-based organizations. The cost is $159. The university is also offering a six-session, online grant writing workshop May 20 – June 28, 2002. The cost is $189.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:To register, contact Peg at: (315) 443-3271.

Grants Action News by E-mail

If you are interested in receiving the Grants Action News by e-mail every month, write to signup@assembly.state.ny.us. Please include your name, e-mail address, and mailing address, including your agency or organization.
If you also are interested in receiving timely legislative updates from the Assembly Internet Information Service, indicate your area of interest (such as education, economic development, local government) in your note. Response time will depend on the volume of interest.

The Foundation Center Provides On-Line Services

The Foundation Center, an independent national service organization which disseminates information on foundation grants, offers an on-line service through its Internet site. The Foundation Center’s Electronic Reference Desk allows grant seekers to question an on-line librarian. Grant seekers may also scan the Web site for information about upcoming grant training seminars, funding trends, publications, and locations. The Foundation Center maintains Cooperating Collections of grant resources, including a database of funding organizations on CD-ROM, at libraries throughout the state.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact the Foundation Center at 79 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003; telephone (800) 424-9836/ (212) 620-4230.