Grants to Provide Transportation Service to Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities

New York State Department of Transportation

The New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) will be initiating the annual cycle for the Federal Section 5310 Grant Program, which provides grants for transportation service to elderly persons and persons with disabilities. This is a capital-only assistance program for the purchase of vehicles to transport the elderly and individuals with disabilities.
ELIGIBILITY: Private nonprofit corporations, public bodies in rural counties who are approved by DOT as the coordinator of transportation services to elderly persons and persons with disabilities, and public bodies in rural counties who can certify that no nonprofit corporations or associations are available in their area to provide these services.
FUNDING: The exact funding level is not currently available. As a guideline, New York State received approximately $5.8 million from the federal government for this program in Fiscal Year 2002.
DEADLINE: Requests for application forms and instructions must be made to DOT prior to the end of February 2004. The applications are due April 15, 2004.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: To request an application form and instructions, please contact the New York State Department of Transportation, Specialized Transit Section, Governor Harriman State Office Campus, Building 4, Room 134, Albany, New York 12232-0414; phone (518) 457-8335. The Department encourages interested parties to call the office for additional information or to ask any questions they may have.

Early Childhood Development Programs

New York State Office of Children and Family Services

The New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) has announced funding opportunities for early childhood development programs and other programs related to child care services as described in a recent Request for Proposal (RSP). Grants are available in the following categories: Child Day Care Center and School-Age Start-Up and Expansion; Expansion of the Hours of Existing Day Care Programs; the Innovative Programs Initiative; Health & Safety Grant requests over $15,000; and Health & Safety Grant requests under $15,000.
ELIGIBILITY: Please contact OCFS for specific eligibility under each category.
FUNDING: Approximately $40 million will be available to support initiatives described in the RFP. Issuance of awards will depend on availability of funds.
DEADLINE:  Varies by year and initiative. The initial deadline is March 26, 2004 for submission of all funding initiatives except Health and Safety Grants $15,000 and under. Those grants have an initial deadline of April 10, 2004. Please contact OCFS for complete deadline details.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Complete details and copies of the RFP are available through the OCFS Web site, www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main. You may also request the RFP by calling the Bureau of Early Childhood Services at (518) 474-2445. Questions concerning program guidelines or the completion of the application can be directed in writing to Ms. Jon Harris of the contract unit of the Bureau of Early Childhood Services by e-mail at Jon.Harris@dfa.state.ny.us or by mail at New York State Office of Children and Family Services, 52 Washington Street, North Building Room 337, Rensselaer, New York 12144, Attention: Child Care Funding Opportunities.

Homeless Housing and Assistance Program

New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance

The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) and the Homeless Housing and Assistance Corporation (HHAC) are making available funds under a 2004 Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program (HHAP).
Under HHAP, grants and loans are provided to acquire, construct or rehabilitate housing for persons who are or would otherwise be homeless. Eligible projects may provide permanent, transitional or emergency supportive housing to homeless single individuals or families, including but not limited to such special needs populations as mentally disabled persons, persons with HIV/AIDS, and victims of domestic violence.
ELIGIBILITY: Not-for-profit corporations and their subsidiaries, charitable organizations, municipalities, public corporations, and public housing authorities are eligible to apply for HHAP funding.
FUNDING:  Funding will be made available subject to the enactment of the SFY 2004-2005 State Operations and Aid to Localities Budget, including an appropriation for HHAP.
DEADLINE:  Proposals must be received by March 29, 2004.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: To receive a copy of the RFP and application, you must send a written request to the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, Bureau of Housing Services, 40 North Pearl Street, 9-A, Albany, New York 12243, Attn: Brett Hebner. You may also fax a request to (518) 486-7068 using the fax cover sheet available at http://www.otda.state.ny.us/cgo/hhap/dec03/HHAP_nofa_2004.htm. For further information, please visit the above Web site or contact Colleen Salvagni at (518) 473-2529.

Update on New York State Library Adult Literacy Services Grant Program

The deadline for the New York State Library’s 2004-2005 Adult Literacy Services Grant Program, described in the October Grants Action News, has been revised. The new deadline is April 19, 2004. For updated information on this program, which is designed to help public libraries and public library systems develop or expand adult literacy services in collaboration with a local literacy provider, please visit http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/literacy/#Announcement or contact Anne Simon, Library Development Specialist, at (518) 486-2194, or Cassie B. Artale, Library Development Specialist, at (518) 474-1479.

...Organizations and Foundations

Campus Heritage Grants

Getty Trust

A program of the J. Paul Getty Trust, Campus Heritage Grants are designed to assist colleges and universities in the United States to manage and preserve the integrity of their significant historic buildings, sites and landscapes.
ELIGIBILITY: Colleges and universities in the United States. Eligible projects include those that focus on campus-wide preservation initiatives. The purposes for which grants are available include: the survey of historic resources on campuses to create a comprehensive inventory and to prepare nominations for historic designation for buildings, districts, and landscapes; the creation of a preservation master plan for a campus or to augment an existing master plan with a historic preservation component; and the preparation of detailed conservation analyses and working specifications, including documentation for a group of historic buildings or landscapes, or the preparation of historic structure or landscape reports.
Projects focused primarily on single buildings or sites, basic maintenance, reconstruction or replacement of lost resources, systems upgrades, and new construction are not eligible for support.
FUNDING:  Contact the Getty Trust for funding details.
DEADLINE:  Applications have an annual deadline of April 10. The first step in applying for a Campus Heritage Grant is to submit a preliminary letter of inquiry to determine eligibility. Please visit the Web site listed below for complete details on the preliminary letter.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please address inquiries and requests for application forms to The Getty Grant Program, Attention: Campus Heritage Grants, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 800, Los Angeles, California 90049-1685; phone (310) 440-7320; fax (for inquiries only) (310) 440-7703. You may also visit http://getty.edu/grants/conservation/campus_heritage.html.

Bowerman Track Renovation Progam to Build and Repair Neighborhood Tracks

Nike, Inc.

Nike, Inc. is providing funding for nonprofit organziations that are interested in constructing or improving running tracks for the benefit of an entire community. The Bowerman Track Renovation Program has been in existence since 1999, and upon its conclusion in May 2004, the program will have contributed $1 million to track and field facilities throughout the world.
ELIGIBILITY: Youth-oriented, community-based nonprofit groups. Units of local government also are eligible, along with athletic booster clubs. Various criteria listed on the Web site below must also be met.
FUNDING: The company will provide matching grants of up to $50,000. Grantees will be required to match some degree of the grant by a certain date. All of these details will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
DEADLINE: Applications are accepted at any time through May 31, 2004. Formal reviews will take place in June, and successful applicants will be notified within approximately 45 days of a decision.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Call (503) 671-6453. Various criteria listed on the Nike Web site must also be met.

...Grant Writing

Grantsmanship Training Program

The Grantsmanship Center

The Grantsmanship Training Program is coming to New York: Albany, March 1-5, hosted by New York State Department of Education and Magellan Foundation; Buffalo, March 8-12, hosted by American Red Cross, Greater Buffalo Chapter; and Brooklyn, April 5-9, hosted by Roots Revisited.

The class will be conducted by The Grantsmanship Center (TGCI) and is kept at a maximum of 30 participants. The cost is $825, which includes one-year enrollment in the TGCI Membership Program. A limited number of half-tuition scholarships are available to agencies with annual budgets of less than $300,000.

To register, or to apply for a scholarship, contact TGCI at (800) 421-9512 or visit their Web site. For local information and arrangements: Albany, call Shanna Maher at (518) 782-7764; Buffalo, call Loren Smith at (716) 878-2374; Brooklyn, call Michael Hooper at (718) 778-0009.

Introduction to Grant Writing

Syracuse University

Syracuse University’s Continuing Education/University College Humanistic Studies Center is holding a one day Introduction to Grant Writing seminar, March 5, 2004, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the University. Topics will include conducting needs assessments, developing project concepts, scanning the environment to identify potential funding sources, writing a successful proposal budget and use of the Internet in proposal development. Persons working in research, education, and community-based organizations will benefit from this course. The session costs $159 per person.

For more information, call Peg at (315) 443-3271.