One organization has won a highly competitive federal grant that will enable them to start a number of programs in an effort to reverse there area's high rate of teen alcohol and drug use. Their grant application included a 196-page application for the grant. Recently the area's school district released results which showed seniors and sophomores using drugs and alcohol at a rate far above the state average and that they perceive the community as being tolerant towards such use. A past survey two years ago revealed similar numbers.
The volunteer program was rekindled two years ago after having lain dormant for several years — and, since then, a number of volunteers have poured countless hours into the organization, identifying the most important issues to address and beginning the hard work of building a coalition and securing funding.
The initial grant funding is $115,000 but this same grant could total more than $1 million if the non-profit organization can continue to receive subsequent funding from the same grant over the next nine years!
The grant which consists of an inital grant award of $115,000 will also subsequently include grant amounts of up to $125,000 for each of the next nine years!. This will enable the non-profit to hire a coordinator. In the first year of funding, the non-profit also plans to strengthen its community mobilization skills, strengthen the coalition and begin addressing youth substance abuse by undertaking an awareness campaign about the harmful effects of drugs, alcohol and tobacco on youth. The organization also plans to involve youth in the effort, supporting and enhancing youth mentorship efforts as well as a range of youth-initiated activities.
The grant itself is highly competitive. According to one spokesperson "Only a fraction of those organizations that submit proposals get past the initial screening, and after that, fewer than a third get funded". In one state, nine other communities received funding this year for the first time. Nationwide, 160 new groups got funded.
Once funded, coalitions or agencies get annual funding for 10 years if they can show they’re making progress.
Here is another example of how the government's stimulus money is helping individuals! In an effort to help stimulate a slow housing market, one state will be offering grant awards in the amount of $4,000 to a number of home buyers! This grant program comes on the heels of a previous grant program that used $10 million in stimulus funds to offer $6,000 grants to home buyers in an effort to eliminate a glut of roughly 3,000 newly built homes that had never been occupied. The state awarded those 1,600 grants in less than 12 weeks earlier this year! So far the grants have led to home sales of $376.7 million, creating thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in wages. Also the new grants will lead to 9,000 jobs either being saved or created and $25 million in income and sales tax revenue. Home buyers would have to secure a fixed-rate mortgage to qualify, and the money would only be available to individuals with income of $75,000 or less or married couples with income of $150,000 or less. There is no limit on the price of homes, and the grants are available to anyone buying a new home, not just first-time home buyers!. (The state grant also can be combined with a federal tax rebate of $8,000 for first-time home buyers.) Both programs expire December 1, 2009! |
Applications are now being accepted with a deadline date of:
Friday, October 9, 2009!
This grants program provides cash awards to local artists and cultural organizations that are engaged in projects that help create a strong, stable, and diverse arts and culture industry for the local area and contribute positively to the quality of life and economic vitality of the region. Preference is given to specific program initiatives, particularly those enhancing the arts education of learners of all ages, and to collaborative efforts within the arts community.
So far more than $50,000 in grant money has been given to 45 individual artists and cultural organizations within the past 12 months!
Guidelines and application materials are available on their website or by calling them by phone.
Help Fight Child Obesity! If your school or youth-focused community group needs financial funding to help start programs to help fight child obesity then your organization may be eligible to apply for a $1,000 grant for programs that address the health risks of childhood obesity and / or have solutions for combating obesity in schools and communities. Please note that the application deadline is: Oct. 22, 2009! For more information or to obtain an application online please be sure to visit the website |
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