Here Is An Indirect Way To Receive A Grant

One of the ways that you can indirectly get a grant is if you have some field of expertise you may be able to hire yourself out as a consultant of some kind!

Many municipalities receive government grants for financial support when they have problems that they have to take care of.

For instance one area will be receiving a $250,000 grant so that they will be able to hire a consultant to help reduce energy consumption and costs in the area.

This grant comes from leftover federal stimulus money that was distributed last year.

This grant program is to help benefit a number of towns in one area. The consultant that the grant program will pay for will either be a consulting firm or an individual who for will spend one day each week in one of the towns. The position will last for two years and will be at no cost to the taxpayer.

One of th town councilman said he would like to see some report from the town on the progress of the consultant. The town also said it would like to use the hiring of the consultant to help pursue other grants in the future.






Remember government grants really are free money that you do not have to pay back!

A Grant Program For Gardening Projects

Does your organization have a conservation or landscape-related project in the works? Well you may be eligible to apply for this locally available grant program! Money is available to beautify, conserve, educate, inspire, and contribute to people of all ages using horticulture and garden development.


If your organization or institution would like to apply for this grant program then you have to fill out their online application which is available at their website. The grant application itself can be very simple, even handwritten, with simple sketches or photographs - but it must be completed by the deadline, June 15, 2009! The application is available as a downloadable .pdf file. According to one of the organization's members "We receive many requests to fund projects each year. We appreciate your project submission to us and hope we will be able to work with you toward accomplishing your goals. Good luck!"


The deadline to apply for this grant program is

June 15, 2009!

Here are some of the past grant recipients:

• A student received a scholarship which was funded by the organization. The student decided to study landscape gardening and, after being told by an instructor that she was "an excellent student," she went on to become a landscape instructor herself and now works with the instructor. One of her responsibilities and the part she enjoys the most is to supervise other students landscaping/planting the yards of newly completed Habitat for Humanity homes, a project also made possible by a grant from this same organization!
  
  
• One Audubon Society group now has a ranger to take care of one of their projects thanks to a $6,000 grant that has been provided by this organization.
  
  
• The organization has provided grant money to help beautify landscapes in the city and nearby county.
  
  
• A local area church has received enough grant money for the planting of biblical plants in their garden.
  
  
• A Children's Museum received grant money to establish a Secret Garden visible over a brick wall which also included a water feature & plantings with benches to allow citizens & tourists to rest and enjoy the setting.
  
  
• Another garden received grant money for an outdoor butterfly garden to surround the new Butterfly House that will be constructed there. Plant materials will be specifically designed to attract native butterflies and this area will serve as an outdoor classroom for visitors and schoolchildren.
  
  
  
• Other special projects that have been supported include garden therapy, youth gardener projects, and horticultural programs.
  

And the list goes on. Add it all up and the club's generosity is known to have benefited thousands of nonprofit organizations, schools, churches, local government projects and individuals, to the tune of more than $1 million.

Grants are divided into five main categories:

• Beautification - the creation of new gardens and the restoration of existing gardens; adding trees, shrubs; flowers along with hardscapes that will allow people to enjoy the particular area.
  
  
• Conservation
  
  
• Educational - In addition to scholarship funds, the organization has funded a greenhouse at a local Community College in which students learn to grow plants. Multiple grant awards have gone to schools and organizations for the purpose of educating people about how to use plants for conservation, food, landscaping, attracting wildlife, etc.
  
  
• Inspirational and memorials - For example one hospice received grant monies to help with a three-phase project for gardens on the property that will be uplifting to patients as well as to the entire community who visit and contemplate life and death. The project was completed in 2008.
  
  
• Philanthropy

A Grant Funding Example! A Local Library! Of course as I have been saying all along, one of the reasons why grant programs have been started is to bring more awareness to a problem and to help better one's community. Here is an example: One local library with a population of over 100,000, which has had over 71,000 registered library card holders, has circulated 300,000 items and answered over 100,000 reference questions has received over $45,000 in grant money! The Library System provided 1,512 programs and activities, the most in the history of the system, with 33,576 attending the events. The Reading Well Outreach made 332 visits to day-care centers and camps entertaining 16,146 children and teachers. Besides providing the regular library services to the community, their Mobile Library started visiting nursing homes and assisted-living centers. The Library System’s staff provides adult storytelling and Nintendo Wii gaming for seniors. The Library System didn’t solely focus on branch renovations during 2008, but accomplished the goal of enhancing technology. The Library System purchased databases to meet public demand. The Library System subscribed to Mango Language, which teaches nine foreign languages; Marshall Cavendish, an excellent database for children’s non-fiction material; and Lexis-Nexis and JSTOR, databases for periodical subscriptions and research. Also Meebo, an instant chat with a reference librarian, was added to the library system's web site, along with a reference blog describing the latest news in the reference department. Instructional videos on databases and interlibrary usages also were added on the Web site and YouTube. The Library System also maintains MySpace and Facebook sites. The library's e-book collection has increased to 1,740 items and some of the titles can be downloaded to a MP3 player. The Library System has a collection of 302,035 books, 6,291 books-on-CD, 6,758 DVDs, 2,746 books-on-tape and subscribes to approximately 400 magazines. If a person can’t visit one of the library's branches to obtain their monthly newsletter/calendar, it can now be downloaded from one of the Library System’s web site. Grants allow the Library System to provide quality programming. For 2008, the system received $47,446 in grants. The money was awarded from various organizations and regional Art Councils.

Scholarship Program For Veterans

Nationwide colleges have received $100,00 from a program that provides scholarships and support for current and former military members to ease their transition into higher education. the university announced Friday. The grants will be used to support related college programs. So far over 250 colleges have applied for these grants, which are given anually to colleges that have developed significant programs to increase access to veterans and their families. The first scholarships are expected to be awarded in the fall.

Over the past year, one foundation has awarded more than $3.6 million in grants to organizations in support of programs that provide educational assistance to veterans.

Grant Program For Broadband Internet!

As part of President Obama's stimulus plan there is a grant program that has been started to increase broadband internet access! The first of these grants are supposed to start this month - April 2009!

$8 Billion Dollars has been earmarked for this grant program although the details haven't been fully finalized on how this grant funding will be spent and who will qualify for the grants.

There has been a lot of interest in this particular grant program from lobbyists, telecommunications service providers and community organizers.

The funding agency said it plans to have three rounds of funding for broadband grants, with the first funds available as early as next month through June. The grants must be awarded by Sept. 30, 2010 and the government must ensure that the projects are mostly complete within two years. Applicants must also show the project would not have occurred if not for this funding program.

Part of the reason for this funding program is to generate jobs right away; workers will be needed to dig more trenches to lay down fiber and put up more cell towers. It is also a key to creating valuable high-paying jobs in the future that can help lift troubled economies.

There will be three agencies that will be in charge of the funding program which will oversee $4.7 billion in funding!. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will distribute $2.5 billion in grants and loans. The FCC has been given $350 million to create a better data collection system with a mapping program showing what services are provided in every geography of the nation. The FCC is also supposed to come up with a plan within one year to bring broadband Internet to all Americans. The remainder of the $8 billion will go to administration costs, subsidy programs for low-income users, and audits of the grants.

But before doling out the money, the agencies said they will host a series of public meetings to get comments about how best to implement the program. The agency decided to host the public meetings after receiving more than 2,000 requests for private meetings from telecom companies and other interested parties!

At the hearings and on the agency's public comments web site, interested parties can make recommendations. The funding plan was broadly worded in a way that can include wireless, fiber optic and cable networks and the agencies said they will take into consider which technologies make the most sense from an economic and technological perspective for the area served.

Updates!

The Washington Post also noted that under the stimulus law, the "first funds" for broadband expansion must start flowing between April and June of this year! All grants must be awarded by Sept. 30, 2010, and the broadband projects are supposed to be almost complete within two years.

The administration says it is soliciting comments from interested parties on a wide range of topics, including the criteria for awarding grants and who will be eligible to receive them.

It just goes to show you that I am not the only one that knows that there are government grant programs out there to be had for the small businesses! Here is a link to an article written by someone else who knows that there are government (and other) grant programs out there for the small business. I hope you enjoy reading the article and I hope that it convinces you that there are indeed government grant programs out there for those that have (or are thinking about starting) a small business!

Government Grant Program For Removal of Lead Paint In Homes!

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued A Federal Grant award in the amount of $7 Million Dollars to one city to help eliminate lead hazards in the homes of low-income households. This grant money is expected to help more than 500 families over the next three years. (So far this grant program has helped over 700 families in the local area!)

To qualify for one of the individual grants

• the home must have children under the age of 6
  
  
• the home must be owner-occupied or rental housing built before 1978
  
  
• Families are eligible if their household income is at 80 percent or below the median income, or $63,200 for a family of four.

The individual grant awards are at a maximum of $10,000 per individual grant award and the home repairs / improvements may include the replacement of lead paint-contaminated doors and windows or removal of the paint itself, followed by repainting.

For more information about this government grant program you can contact the Housing Commission by the phone number that they have included or you can send them an email via the email address that was given.



Government Grant Programs For Housing?

In their continuing efforts to help people to not become homeless the government has grant programs for housing which should be available in most states. If you need help for building a new home, financial assistance help with your mortgage or you need financial help to help pay your rent then you should look into what the government grant programs may have to offer you! They have government grant programs that help provide financial relief for those that are having problems paying their rent, if you need a low interest loan to help construct your own home!, and government programs for special prices for homes and apartments.

This is probably another one of the reasons that real estate investors have been applying for government grants relating to housing! For instance homeowners may be eligible to apply for government programs where they get reimbursed for providing discounted rent to low income families!

People who want to build their own home can get housing grants and loans. People who can afford small amount of down payment can build homes through sweat equity and get low interest home owner funds and loans.

The Switch To Digital TV!

I just got finished posting on my Getting To Know You Blog about the switch to digital tv and me not being ready for it!

I have now come to find out that the deadline date has been extended to June 12 which is a BIG relief to me!

Since grant research and grant consulting is what I do I decided to go ahead and fill out my application online for the 2 $40 off coupons that the government is allowing each household!

I went to their website and filled out an application online. I already know from listening to the news that the funding has run out for the coupons but those who still sign up between now and March are still eligible to apply for the coupons.

I have a copy of their application and will give a copy to those who make a $5 donation however it should be noted that even though the date has been extended to June, the application itself still has the February 17, due date on it. However you will be glad to know that the application also includes links to their website as well!



Even though this doesn't officially qualify as a government grant (heck - maybe it does!) I do believe that all things are related....

This is after all a program providing financial relief to those in need and actually this is quite different because it seems that all households regardless of income are eligible to apply for this coupons - which is probably one of the best examples of a government grant program - right?

IRS data show that each year about 131 million individuals file tax returns and pay an average of $7,633 to the IRS. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget and recent independent studies show that the government gives out over $1.5 Trillion a year to individuals through its free money programs. One and one half trillion dollars in government money programs, divided by 131 million taxpayers, means that the average taxpayer is getting $11,450 a year in cash back from the government in free money programs. Are you getting yours?

How About A Grant Program For Biking Organizations?

There is a biking-related foundation that has awarded four grants so far this year in the amount of $10,000. Applicants can request up to $10,000. Requests for more than $10,000 will generally be viewed unfavorably unless the applicant has an extremely compelling case that the proposal is of unique and/or national importance. These grant awards have gone to organizations that are supporting their communities through bicycling, establishing innovative bike programs for young riders, and setting—and raising—the bicycle-advocacy bar. Grants are awarded for best practices in bicycle advocacy, safety, and youth programming. Bicycle advocacy organizations must have a mission and activities directly relating to bicycling. They typically work to improve bicycling conditions and affect positive change on a local, regional, state, or national level. Most are incorporated 501c3 nonprofits.


Recipients of these grants include an organization that has an incentive program that promotes healthier, happier children, and a cleaner environment, by encouraging kids to ride their bikes and walk to school. Their program began in 2004 at an elementary school and has since gone on now to include other elementary schools as well.

This grant program strives to put more people on bicycles more often by funding important and influential projects that leverage federal funding and build momentum for bicycling in communities across the U.S. These projects include bike paths, lanes, and routes, as well as bike parks, mountain bike trails, BMX facilities, and large-scale bicycle advocacy initiatives.

Since 1999, this organization has awarded 180 grants to municipalities and grassroots groups in 45 states and the District of Columbia, investing nearly $1.5 million in community bicycling projects and leveraging close to $500 million in federal, state, and private funding.

Who is eligible to apply? - The organization welcomes grant applications from organizations and agencies within the United States that are committed to putting more people on bicycles more often. Nonprofit trails groups and public agencies or departments at the local, regional, and national levels may apply for facility grants. The organization encourages municipalities to partner with bicycle advocacy groups when applying for our funding in order to insure that bicyclists are involved in and supportive of the project. The organization does not fund individuals.


Fundable projects include paved bike paths and rail-trails as well as mountain bike trails, bike parks, BMX facilities, and large-scale bicycle advocacy initiatives.

The organization does not accept applications for bicycle recycling, repair, or earn-a-bike programs, or for bicycle rodeos.

Grant applications will be accepted from nonprofit organizations whose missions are bicycle and/or trail specific. Public agencies and departments at the national, state, regional, and local levels, are encouraged to align with a local bicycle advocacy group that will help develop and advance the project or program. (Please note that grants are rarely awarded to organizations and communities that have received their grantfunding within the past three years.)

If your organization is new, and you have not yet acquired your nonprofit status, you may submit an application with the assistance of another nonprofit that has agreed to serve as your fiscal agent. You will need to provide a letter from the fiscal sponsor outlining their role in the project.

This organization does not fund individuals.

It is also important to note that the organization has moved to paperless applications. Applications are now accepted via e-mail only.

The completed application consists of three main parts. Please submit the following material in ONE e-mail, with your project title in the subject line. Your e-mail message should not exceed 10 MB.

1. Cover Letter: The letter should introduce your organization and proposal. It should appear as the body of the e-mail.
   
   
2. The application is available as a downloadable file: This Microsoft Word file includes the Administrative Information Form and the Grant Application Narrative.
   
   
3. Attachments: These include your financials as well as support letters from the bike industry*, a list of your board members, a project map or plan, and media articles.

*Support letters from the local bicycle industry are KEY to your proposal. Letters from this organization's members—retailers and suppliers—will strengthen your application. Please ask your supporters to address their letters to the Grant Committee, as form letters will not be considered. You can visit the organization's website to view a list of their members.

Additional information is not encouraged unless it is absolutely essential to the organization's understanding of your project. They will contact you should they need further information on which to base a decision.

The organization no longer accepts mailed or faxed applications. All application materials must be submitted together, in the same e-mail message—no exceptions. Incomplete or excessively long applications will not be considered.

Completed applications can be sent via email

Grant Application Schedule runs on a quarterly cycle up to February 2010. Applications must be e-mailed by the due date in order to be considered for the ensuing decision date.

Depending on the number of applications received, the organization currently awards funding to about 15–20% of completed applications.

Generally, grantees can expect to receive funding within three weeks of the grant award.

For more information about this grant program you can read the organization's guidelines on their website, contact them via email or you can contact them by phone.

Bio-technology Company Receives A $3.4 Million Dollar Grant From The Government!

First off let me state that this grant award will span over a 2-year period.

The reason why this company is receiving the grant is because they will use the grant money to develop technology to advance vaccine research and development. This
technology will help with the development of vaccine systems used to protect
military personnel from biological agents.


(*On a more personal note, I really am not in favor of using animals as test models!)

Also the grant money will be used to continue the development of a trademarked technology for rapid generation of vaccine candidates and high-throughput testing in animal models. The work will be done in collaboration with another company. By creating multiple vaccine leads in parallel, the two companies hope to increase the odds of successfully advancing promising vaccines into late stage clinical trials.

This company also has vaccine programs in the areas of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), influenza, and encephalitic alphaviruses, which are funded through various external agencies. Researchers at this company have also generated thousands of lead candidates for their vaccine programs using their trademarked platform.


The company has announced that they are pleased that the government will continue
to fund their work.

The grant which was announced last month will allow the company to continue work done
under a previous contract with the Department of Defense.

The same company also has a HIV program that is also being funded by the U.S.
Government's National Institutes of Health and it's Small Business Grant Program. The company has also received funding for the development of vaccines against influenza and encephalitic alphaviruses.


A recent news release contains forward-looking statements about the research and business prospects of the company including whether the Department of Defense will maintain its recent grant to them for the development of vaccine discovery technology and whether any other government agency that provides them with funding will maintain, renew or replace existing grants for any of their vaccine programs. Risk factors are more fully discussed in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, including under the caption "Risk Factors," and in
the company's other periodic reports filed with the SEC, all of which are
available from the company or from the SEC's website.



Basically what this all means is that the government does have grant programs for for-profit companies and if you noticed this grant program has to do with a small business!

This company is developing technology (biological) that will help in keeping their military less susceptible to biological threats!

Now I know that this may seem like a grant program that it out of your league but you should realize that the government has other needs as well and when they can't solve the problem themselves there will usually be a grant program created and /or a subcontractor (whether it be an individual or an entity) hired.




________________________________________________________



Grants & Single Mothers

(an excerpt)


"There are numerous foundations offering grants for single mother assistance. These foundations generally only require that the applicant be a single mother or the child of a single mother in order to be eligible for the grant. Some foundations offer grants to assist in paying off student loans. The applicant is often expect to perform community service or do volunteer work in order to qualify for the grant. Professional women who are willing to volunteer their professional services to the community are especially eligible for grants to repay student loan debt. Teachers who are also single mothers may qualify for these grants without doing additional volunteer service, as teaching is considered to be a contribution to the community in and of itself."

________________________________________________________

Dental Students Receive Grants!

Over sixty dental school students received nearly a quarter of a million dollars in grants this year from various dental-related organizations.


These 2008 Awards were presented to students at 20 dental schools in 12 states and the District of Columbia, recognize graduating dental students who demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities.

-- Awards total $212,500;

Individual amounts range from $2,500 to $12,500

The awards were established in 1977 in honor of one of the first chief executive officers of a dental organization in California, which is now part of the largest dental benefits delivery system in the country.

Local Artists Get Grant Awards!

Here is a listing of artists in one state who have gotten grant awards:

• A University graduate has received a $5,000 grant award that he will use with his group to help produce films and comedy shows.
  
  
• A sculptor who has also received a grant says "It relieves financial worry, but it really makes me feel good about this place. When I tell artists who live elsewhere that my county gives tax money to individual artists, the envy is palpable."

These artists were among 10 individual artists receiving $55,000 in fellowships when their district awarded almost $800,000 in 2007-8 grants!

Also receiving grant money were major arts and cultural groups for general operating support. Some of these grant recipients include:

• a farm
  

• a ballet company
  

• a contemporary dance company
  

  a watercolor artist
  

• an opera company
  

• a public television station
  

  and
  

• a local radio station
  

• A total of $137,415 in grants supporting special projects were awarded to 28 small and mid-sized groups following a competitive review process:
  
  • A Youth Leadership Group received a $4,450 grant
    

  • an international festival received $4,000
    

  • a jazz orchestra received a $15,000 grant
    

  • a chorus group received a $5,000+ grant
    

  • a children's choir received a $9,000 grant
    

  • a Lutheran School received a $2,000+ grant
    

  • a Firefighter's Association received a $2,500 grant
    

  • a church received a $5,000 grant
    $9,000.

A $10,000 award was given to an individual artist for lifetime achievement.

For more information about this grant program for individual as well as group art organizations you can either reach them by phone or visit their website online for more information about their annualgrant program.

Government Grant Program Open To All!

Here is one of the most latest government grant programs that is open to all!

Announcement of Program Funding

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

requests applications for a conservation-related grant program. This grant program has been put in place to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies.

For Fiscal year 2008, up to $100,000 is available for this government grant competition. Funds will be awarded through a statewide competitive grants process. There are two components of this grant program available in fiscal year 2008:

• Natural Resource Concerns Component and the Technology Component.
  
  Applications are requested from eligible government or non-government organizations or individuals within the state that is holding this competition for consideration of grant awards for projects between one and three years in duration.
  
  This information identifies the objectives for this grant program which includes the eligibility criteria for projects and associated instructions needed to apply.
  
  PROPOSAL DUE DATE AND ADDRESSES:
  
  Proposals must be received in the State Office by 4 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST) on April 25, 2008.
  
  The address for hand-delivered applications or applications submitted using mail or overnight courier service is also provided as part of this grant information.
  
  To submit your application electronically, you can visit the government's website and follow the instructions.
  
  See the URL link for the full announcement of this grant program.

Government Grant Program To Help With Gang Research And Programs

More specific information about this government grant programs is available as a downloadable .pdf file!

---

The U.S. Department of Justice provides objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to enhance the administration of justice and public safety. NIJ solicits applications to inform its search for the knowledge and tools to guide policy and practice. NIJ is soliciting applications for research and evaluation projects that advance the understanding and practice of gang prevention, intervention, and enforcement. At the group level, gangs vary from small local “crews” that are active for only a short period, to multigenerational gangs with local subgroups across multiple States or nations. Gangs also vary widely in terms of organizational sophistication. Across these group-level variations, gang membership continues to be one of the strongest independent predictors of serious offending at the individual level. Yet policymakers, practitioners, and researchers continue to grapple with fundamental questions about how best to prevent the onset of gang membership, assist gang-involved individuals who wish to leave the gang lifestyle, and generate lasting reductions in gang activity through enforcement or a combination of antigang strategies. Given the ongoing challenges that gangs present to States and localities across the Nation, it is especially important to provide practical knowledge to support improved antigang efforts.

All applications are due by February 20, 2008 - 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time

Consistent with President George W. Bush's Executive Order #13279 and 28 C.F.R. Part 38, it is the policy of the Department of Justice that faith-based and other community organizations that statutorily qualify as eligible applicants under certain grant programs are invited and encouraged to apply for assistance awards to fund eligible grant activities. Faith based and other community organizations will be considered for awards on the same basis as other eligible applicants and, if they receive assistance awards will be treated on an equal basis with all other grantees in the administration of such awards. No eligible applicant or grantee will be discriminated for or against on the basis of its religious character or affiliation religious name, or the religious composition of its board of directors or persons working in the organization.

Faith-based organizations receiving assistance awards retain their independence and do not lose or have to modify their religious identity (for example, removing religious symbols) to receive assistance awards. Grant funds, however, may not be used to fund any inherently religious activity, such as prayer or worship. Inherently religious activity is permissible, although it cannot occur during an activity funded with grant funds; rather, such religious activity must be separate in time or place from the funded program. Further, participation in such activity by individuals receiving services must be voluntary.

If your organization is a faith-based organization that makes hiring decisions on the basis of religious belief, it may be entitled to receive Federal funds and yet maintain that hiring practice, even if the law creating the funding program contains a general ban on religious discrimination in employments. You can find out more information about this by visiting the government's website.

Cost of proposed Work - It is anticipated that up to $1,000,000 may become available for awards made through this grant program solicitation. All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and to any modifications or addition requirements that may be imposed by law. This grant program expects to make up to one to four awards depending on the funding available. If you propose a project that exceeds the amount of money that may be available for awards under this grant program it is recommended that you divide the project into phases, stages, or tasks so that a consideration can be made to making an award for a specific portion of the work. The grant program cannot guarantee that subsequent phases, stages, or tasks will be funded. Such additional funding depends on the grant program's resources and your satisfactory completion of each phase, stage, or task.

A $15 MILLION Dollar Government Grant Program Open To The Public!

This means that ANY one (or any organization) can apply for this grant!

However be forewarned that the deadline to apply for this grant is

February 18, 2008!

This government grant program invites investigators who possess the theoretical, methodological, measurement, and managerial skills, as well as institutional resources, to undertake a large-scale survey data collection project to submit proposals to conduct a general survey and an international survey. This survey is a personal interview survey that collects data on a wide range of topics: behavioral items such as group membership and voting; personal psychological evaluations, including measures of happiness, misanthropy, and life satisfaction; attitudinal questions on such public issues as abortion, crime and punishment, race relations, gender roles, and spending priorities; demographic characteristics of respondents and their parents. The basic survey design is a repeated cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized adults who speak either English or Spanish. The survey consists of a 90-minute in-person interview, with forty-five minutes devoted to the core items, 15 minutes to questions selected as part of the international survey program, and 30 minutes allocated to topical modules. The “core” consists of questions that regularly appear on the general survey, allowing long-term comparisons. The topical modules are used to introduce new topics not previously investigated by the general survey and to cover existing topics in greater detail. The topical modules are currently supported by external funding secured by the principal investigator (PI).

Basically what this means is that if you are an individual or organization (you can be either a for-profit or non-profit) then you are eligible to apply for this grant program which basically consists of gathering some survey information. If you are an individual or organization that has some experience with taking surveys then why not benefit by being able to get a grant for doing the kind(s) of surveys that you would be doing on a regular basis anyway?

This government grant program may make one award for the next four-year funding cycle which is FY 2009-2012, to support the 2010 and 2012 general survey program and the U.S. component of the international survey program. It is anticipated that the government agency in charge of this grant award will award in the range of $10 million and at most $15 million, over four years (approximately $2.5 million, but not more than $3.75 million per year) to support data collection and dissemination activities of the survey process.

The expected starting date is November 2008!

The following activities are eligible for award funding

• Two waves, 2010 and 2012, of data collection for the general survey, including the United State international surveys.
  
  
• Participation in the international survey.
  
  
• Continued development and refinement of the supported module on public knowledge and attitudes concerning science and technology.
  
  
  
• Survey instrument and module development and experimentation for both the general and international surveys based on scientific expertise in relevant social sciences.
  
  
• Survey design, innovations, and continual enhancement (based on assessment and analysis) of both the cross-sectional survey and panel designs.
  
  
• Post data collection editing, processing, and generation of constructed variables, datafiles and codebooks.
  
  
• Data dissemination through a cutting-edge web-based data archive.
  
  
• Provision of user assistance.
  
  
• Support for a Board of Overseers.

AWARD INFORMATION

Anticipated Type of Award: Continuing Grant

Estimated Number of Awards: 1

Anticipated Funding Amount: $10,000,000 to $15,000,000 for up to 4 years, pending availabilty of funds.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Organization Limit: None Specified - (this means there is no limit on the kind of organization that is eligible to apply for this grant)

Only one proposal is allowed from an organization.

Letters of Intent(required):

To expedite the review process for this grant program, proposals must be submitted via the government's official website process by 5:00 PM, proposer's local time, on the due date (February 18, 2008). This letter of intent should contain the following information:

• the title of the project,
  
  
• a brief project description,
  
  
• the names and affiliations of the principal investigators and other senior personnel and professionals, and
  
  
• the names of any other participating institutions.

Only one letter of intent per group should be submitted. Failure to meet the letter of intent deadline will disqualify a proposal from consideration. Letters of intent are not evaluated for scientific merit; rather, they are used to assemble review panels with appropriate expertise. Please direct any questions about the letter of intent to the Program Officer listed as Contacts for Additional Information.

Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization by a Grants Officer in the Division of Grants and Agreements. Organizations whose proposals are declined will be advised as promptly as possible by the cognizant Program administering the program. Verbatim copies of reviews, not including the identity of the reviewer, will be provided automatically to the Principal Investigator.

To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download copies of publications relating to specific grant programs, and to access abstracts of awards, visit the government website.

A Grant To Help Make Your Idea A Reality!

This grant program is looking for individuals, or individuals working with small, local organizations or groups, who reside in one of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico, to submit an idea for one of these same locations (no international projects, please).


To be eligible to apply you can be:

• You must be 14 years of age or older at the time you submit your application online. It's okay to be affiliated with an organization, as long as you apply as an individual -- not on behalf of your organization.
  
  
• A community member not connected to any organization, who is looking to connect people in the community to discuss common issues, form solutions, and take action together
  
  
• A leader or employee of a small, grassroots organization or group, or a local elected official or government employee, who wants to create opportunities and places for people to come together to discuss ideas, form solutions, and take action

Three sets of financial grant awards will be given out and the maximum grant award totals will be as high as $35,000!

Brief applications will be accepted online and a group of people from diverse backgrounds and communities will review all the applications and select the top 100 proposals. Then these 100 applicants that were accepted will then be invited to pitch their ideas as a full proposal.

All applications must be sent through the foundation's online application process. No applications will be accepted through the mail, fax, or as an e-mail attachment. Applications sent by mail will not be considered and will be returned to sender.

Grant funds are to be used to implement the idea outlined in the application and full proposal. This is not a prize for good works already done, but fuel to help move a great idea forward. Grant funds will be paid out over the course of one year in a schedule to be determined by the foundation. Grant recipients who receive the higher level grant awards must also submit reports to the foundation during the project year -- content and timeline will be decided before award distribution.

While this is the pilot year for this program, the foundation is excited about applying this citizen-centered approach to philanthropy in the future. You can sign up here to stay informed about upcoming grant opportunities.

Do You Have A Great Idea To Help Make The World A Better Place? - You Just Might Get A Grant For It!

This grant program was started as a direct response to research showing that many people feel disconnected from public leaders and institutions and don't believe they have the power to make a lasting difference in their community. Research done by the grant's organization suggests that if people are actually going to get engaged and stay engaged in their communities, one thing has to happen first -- they must be given more chances to connect with one another (including those they might disagree with) and figure out how they can work together for the common good.


Who Can Apply

The grant program is looking for passionate individuals, or individuals working with small, local organizations or groups, who reside in one of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico, to submit an idea for one of these same locations (no international projects). Applicants must be 14 years of age or older.


What You Get

Twenty finalists will receive a $10,000 grant to help make their idea a reality. The final four will get an additional $25,000 grant -- for a total of $35,000. Everyone who applies will receive additional tools to help them share their idea with others and raise funds online.

The top 100 finalists will get $100 from the foundation to jump-start their idea.


How It Works

This new grant program is part of an exciting trend--a "citizen-centered" approach to making the world a better place that is more open and more inclusive. That's why, from developing the grant guidelines to voting on the final grant recipients, this grant program has been and will continue to involve the public in nearly every aspect of the program.

• A group of people from diverse backgrounds and communities will review all the applications and select the top 100 semifinalists. These 100 semifinalists will then be invited to pitch their ideas as a full proposal.
  
  
• A smaller group of reviewers will then choose the Top 20 finalists, with each finalist receiving a grant of $10,000.

This grant program recognizes that improving communities takes ongoing commitment and persistent action from the people who live in them. That's why they will provide funds to individuals, and individuals working with small organizations and groups, who join together to imagine and implement innovative ideas and solutions that lay the groundwork for long-term social change. This grant program was put in place to lift up these efforts to show that they're not happening in isolation, but are part of a growing movement that can, and will, transform our communities.

This grant program wants a range of ideas and that is why they are keeping it broad. But they do have the following guidelines for how they will choose grant recipients.

If you are applying for this grant then your application should show that you do the following:

• Address a need or cause your community thinks is important (meaning anything from your neighborhood, city or town, a particular group, or an online network);
  
  
  
• Join forces with others in your community to discuss common issues, and form solutions and take action together;
  
  
  
• Encourage people from different backgrounds and viewpoints to get involved
  
  
• Plan for the long-term by laying the groundwork for ongoing public spaces in your community
  
  
• Reflect the values of citizen-centered change
  
  
• Demonstrate that you've thought through your ideas.

This grant program wants to emphasize the fact that they are looking for individuals with good ideas. They are not concerned with whether or not you have written a grant proposal before they are more interested in getting great ideas submitted to them. They care more about what you have to say than how you say it. So they want you to forget the big words and fancy format, and feel free to "get real" with them.

What they are re NOT Looking for

The following will not be considered for grant awards

• Solo acts -- This grant program is looking for people who spark ideas, but who aren't running the show on their own. This is all about people and passionate teams coming together as equal partners, sharing leadership in the process.
  
  
  
• Ideas, campaigns, or efforts that are "decided on" by one person or organization, as opposed to a group decision process involving people of many types and backgrounds.
  
  
  
• Ideas that represent a political view or other type of belief that excludes some groups of people.
  
  
  
• Efforts that discriminate on the basis of race, creed, gender, national origin, age, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.
  
  
• Projects that are created and organized by and for professional staff.
  
  
  
• Lobbying or election campaign activities
  
  
• Projects that focus solely on training or educating on a predefined issue or agenda.

Grant funds at the $10,000 and $25,000 levels are to be used to implement the idea outlined in the application and full proposal. This is not a prize for good works already done, but fuel to help move a great idea forward. Grant funds will be paid out over the course of one year in a schedule to be determined by the grant program's foundation. Grant recipients at this level must also submit reports to the foundation during the project year. Content and timeline for the reports will be decided before grant distribution, and will be required to meet the terms of the foundation's grant Agreement.

(You can visit their website to see an example of a completed application)

The information below should help you figure out if your ideas or projects are in line with the type of "citizen-centered" approaches we're looking to fund.

Citizen-centered approaches DO:

• Focus primarily on lasting change, rather than short-term outcomes, issues, or victories
  
  
  
• Create opportunities for people to form and promote their own decisions
  
  
  
• Make every effort to reach out to and include a cross section of the entire community
  
  
  
• Bring people together around the issues, rather than working separately without communication or common goals
  
  
  
• Recognize the need for politics and volunteer service, not one or the other
  
  
  
• Emphasize doing, not just talking

Citizen-centered approaches DO NOT:

• Structure themselves or function solely on the leadership or direction of outside experts, professionals, organizations, or those outside the community
  
  
• Ask people to simply "plug in" and participate, rather than create and run the program themselves
  
  
  
• Try to talk anyone into a particular view or position
  
  
  
• Associate with a campaign, election, or political party
  
  
  
• Mean to replace politics or other democratic processes
  
  
• Focus solely on training or educating on a predefined issue or agenda
  
  
• Exclude or discriminate

How to Apply

All applications must be sent through the foundation's online application process. No applications will be accepted through the mail, fax, or as an e-mail attachment. Applications sent by mail will not be considered and will be returned to sender. You can visit the foundation's website to search for a listing of public computer labs in your community.

Here's how it works:

1. Apply. This is your chance to briefly describe your idea in a few paragraphs or less -- so be sure to get to the point. The foundation's online form is easy:
   
   
2. Getting to 100. The foundation has gathered a group of people from diverse backgrounds and communities to review and score the applications, each of which will be evaluated by a minimum of two reviewers. These reviewers will choose the best ideas that match the grant program's guidelines and help identify the top 100 semifinalists, who will be invited to submit more detailed proposals for a chance to receive a $10,000 grant. The top 100 semifinalists will each get $100 from the foundation to jump-start their ideas.
   
   
3. 20 Finalists - Once the 100 full proposals are in, each will also be read and scored by a minimum of two reviewers from a smaller panel of judges, which includes the foundation's staff. They will select the top 20 finalists, each of whom will receive grants of $10,000 to help turn their ideas into action.
   
   
4. The Top Four - The fondation will then turn the selection of the top four over to the public. The top four will receive grants of $25,000 in addition to the initial $10,000 grant -- for a total of $35,000 in grant funds.

For more information about this grant program and to see if you are eligible to apply you can visit this foundation's website.

Latest Government Grant Program For Individuals To Apply For!

Just another bit of information to help further dispel the myth that there are no government grant programs out there for individuals to apply for!

Fellowships in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) or poetry are available to exceptionally talented, published creative writers. Fellowships enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. This program operates on a two-year cycle with fellowships in prose available in FY 2008 and fellowships in poetry available in FY 2009. Individuals may apply only once each year. Competition for fellowships is extremely rigorous. Potential applicants should consider carefully whether their work will be competitive at the national level. For FY 2009/Poetry Complete application packages must be postmarked (or show other proof of mailing) no later than March 3, 2008. Do not expect notification of awards and rejections before late December 2008. The Arts Endowment’s support of a fellowship may begin any time between January 1, 2009, and January 1, 2010, and extend for up to two years. An individual may submit only one application per year.

This grant program does not and will not fund:

• Individuals who previously have received two or more fellowships
  
  
• Individuals who have received any Creative Writing or Translation Fellowship within the ten years prior to the application deadline.
  
  
• News reporting
  
  
• Scholarly writing.
  
  (Writers who are engaged in scholarly work should contact the agency that has a related grant program.)
  
  
• Vanity publication or self-publication
  
  
• Work toward academic degrees

This grant program is open for individuals to apply.

The grant award is $25,000.00

Individuals are encouraged to submit their applications electronically through the federal government’s online application system

For The Poetry Grant Program

Applications will be accepted between January 2, 2008, and March 3, 2008. Do not send applications before January 2, 2008. Complete application packages must be postmarked (or show other proof of mailing) no later than March 3, 2008. Do not expect notification of awards and rejections before late December 2008. The support of a fellowship may begin any time between January 1, 2009, and January 1, 2010, and extend for up to two years.

One Of The Ways That A For-Profit Business Gets A Government Grant Is......

for the developement of a product.

For example one business got a multi-million dollar government grant to help to develop tools to measure the health of people with asthma. The business will collaborate on the project with a health-plan provider. The grant will help the business complete development of its product, which enables patients with asthma to report their condition to measure their illness.

What is also interesting to note is that this business has received government grant funding more than once!

This grant award was provided from The National Institutes of Health.

Are You A Farmer That Is In Need Of A Grant?

Actually agricultural small businesses are eligible to apply.

In my own state of Pennsylvania a syrup-making company received a grant award of over $6,000 because of their energy conservation. This grant program also provides funds to help assist projects developing renewable energy sources and energy efficiency systems.

If you are a farmer and can show energy conservation then you should definitely apply for this grant program that is being offered by the government. This grant program provides funding to help eligible farmers, ranchers and small businesses make existing energy systems more efficient. The department also has other grant and funding programs including funding for day care centers, fire trucks and other community facility projects; the purchase, construction or repair of homes; loans and guarantees to rural businesses to save or create jobs and renewable energy; and loans and grants for water and sewer utility projects.


Other grant recipients of this grant program include a farm in Somerset County that received this grant award for a methane digester on their dairy farm.

Here is an excerpt of what one of the grant recipients said:

It’s not an easy thing (applying for the grant) but it’s not impossible either.

Another DayCare Grant Program!

Here is news about another daycare related grant program. I hope that the information about this additional grant program will help dispel the myth that there are no grant programs available for daycare!

This grant program is from the Department of Human And Health Services and so far one state is mentioned as being able to take part in this grant program.

More information about this grant program includes:

• Eligibility
  
  
  • Making minor building modifications absolutely necessary to meet licensing requirements for new (not yet licensed) programs.
    
    
  • Making minor building modifications or purchasing equipment to increase the number of infants, children with disabilities, children who may be ill, and/or school-age children served.
    
    
  • Making minor building modifications for licensed providers changing from a Family Child Care Home I to a Family Child Care Home II or a Family Child Care Home II to a Center.
  
  
  
• Applications are available on a monthly basis. Home-based facilities can apply for up to $5,000 and centers can apply for up to $10,000. Once an award is received, applicants may not apply again for three years.
  
  
• Providers who provide care for families who receive child care subsidy and are not required to be licensed because they care for fewer than four children, may apply for one of our grants. The maximum amount of this grant is $100. These grants can be used for mats, first aid kits, electrical outlet covers, cribs, bumper pads, telephones and deposits, cots, smoke alarms, lock boxes, playpens and toys. once funded, providers may reapply for this grant after three years.
  
  
• Another grant program awards a maximum of $500 to child care homes or child care centers for items that will improve the quality of the services offered to children. Applications are accepted monthly, and eligible applicants must be licensed, and must currently be serving low-income children. Once a grant has been awarded, applicants may not reapply for funding until three years have passed.
  

More information about this grant can be found on their website.

You can also contact them by mail, phone, email and via their website.

There Are No Grant Programs For For-Profit Daycares - This Is Another Myth!

This myth probably got started because people were having such a hard time finding any kind of grant programs for a for-profit daycare business.

Just because these kinds of grant programs seem hard to find - that doesn't mean that they aren't out there - they are just hard to find. And sometimes they are not that hard to find IF you know where to look at!

While researching for some grant programs for a for-profit daycare I came upon one state grant program for daycares. It provides grant money for:

• • New programs that have been open and licensed one year or less
  
  
  
• Expanded programs that are increasing or expanding the number of children that they are able to care for, according to the state's regulations.
  
  A child care center has been providing care for children 2 years and older. They
  have now decided to care for children starting at 6 weeks, therefore increasing the number of infants & toddlers they are able to care for.
  
  
  
• Enhanced programs that are not increasing the number of children they serve, but are asking for funds to enhance/improve the quality of childcare that they are
  currently providing.

The reason why this grant program was started in the first place was to provide more quality daycare in the state.

However while trying to find out more about this daycare grant program I didn't see any mention of whether or not for-profit daycares were eligible to apply. So I emailed the director of the grant program and asked them whether or not for profit daycares could apply for this grant program. A few days later I got an email from the director saying that indeed for-profit daycares could apply as long as they met the eligibility requirements which included:

• Serve low-income families and accept purchase of Care
  
  
  
• Be open Monday through Friday until 5:30 p.m. (at a minimum)

While there is no specified minimum or maximum grant award one of the examples cited was a $2,000 grant request for new supplies.

Again this is a statewide grant program that is open for for-profit daycares to apply for as long as they meet the eligibility requirements.

The next deadline to apply for this grant program is:

January 2008!

---

12/31/07 Update:


Since I wasn't sure whether or not this organization's grant program was open for for profit daycares to apply for, I sent them an email:

I have looked over your on-line materials but I can not find any information relating to whether or not your program is open to for-profit daycare facilities to apply.

Here is an excerpt from the email that they sent back to me:

Rose, Yes, our program is open to for profit child care facilities as long as they meet the criteria.

M~
Grant Coordinator

Do You Need A New Refridgerator?

A client of mine just got their new refridgerator today and because of a program that was provided by their utility company!

This isn't a state program but a national one and like most of the government grant programs out there you have to make sure that you are eligible to apply for this program.

This program is provided for low-incomed people and in this case the client didn't even have to fill out a form. A represenative comes out to inspect the home for areas where improvements can be made to help make their utility bills more reasonable.

In this particular case the refridgerator that was at the home was more than 20 years old so a new one was ordered. The new refridgerator was installed and the old one was taken away - all for free - and all that was required was a signature for the order (which was free).

This kind of grant program was started to help low-incomed people with their utility bills. A new refridgerator that is energy efficient uses a lot less power than one that was installed 20 years ago so that was the reason why the new refridgerator was installed.

Remember that this program was put in place to help people who have a low income to better manage their utility bills and this program is not just limited to providing a new refridgerator! Actually I had a talk with one of the agents of this program and she told me that they really weren't supposed to tell people that they may be eligible for new equipment. I guess that I could see her reasoning because if everybody knew about this program and what it can provide then they would probably have more applicants than they could provide this kind of service for. And it is not just limited to refridgerators. Remember this program was put in place so that people could have a more manageable utility bill so if things like one's heating system is beyond repair then you will most likely get a new heating system. There was even one person that got a new water heater - installation and the water heater itself was free!

Why was this program put in place? It was put in place to help low-incomed people to have a more manageable utility bill.

All provided courtesy of our government (and of course the taxpayer's money!)

A Grant Program To Help Fund Your Film?

I don't know if you have noticed it or not but a lot of the shows that you see on public television have received funding to produce them.

If you are a film producer or filmmaker then you should know that there are grant programs out there that provide funding.

For instance:

There is a grant program which is very interesting because they don't have a limit as to how much grant money you can apply for. (This does not mean that you should be greedy about it if you are going to apply for this grant program!)

This funding program is open to independent producers, individuals or other entities producing television, film, or video. Any genre welcome. For single programs of standard broadcast length; new productions or works-in-progress and programs that can be completed within a year of contract.

Applications are excepted twice a year.

Never Let Anyone Tell You That The Government Doesn't Have Any Grant Programs For For-Profit Businesses - Especially For For-Profit Daycare Business!

Here is an interesting government grant program that I found.....

Who - Department Of Housing And Urban Developement (HUD)

What - Grant Program

When - 2006

Where - Eligible applicants include: not-for- profit institutions, and for-profit firms located in the U.S, state and local governments, Federally-recognized Native Indian Tribes and colleges and universities. For-profit firms are not allowed to make profit from the project

Why - The purpose of this grant program is to develop, demonstrate, and promote cost-effective, preventive measures to correct multiple safety and health hazards in the home environment that produce serious diseases and injuries in children of low-income families.

One of the benefits of this particular grant program is that applicants don't have to provide matching funds.

For the year 2007 over $5 Million Dollars has been allotted for grant funding!

The maximum grant award per recipient is $1 Million Dollars and the average grant award per recipient has been just a bit over $900,000.00.

Past Grant Recipient - received grant to develope a website that enabled parents to view their area to identify possible hazordous materials and equipment and provide solutions for suitable replacements.

You can find out more about this grant program by visiting the Department Of Housing And Urban Development's Website. You can also contact them by phone

* - Please be advised that their phone number is not a toll-free number.

I have sent an email to the director of this program to find out more specific information about this grant program.

How Is This For Results! - Need Some Heating Help This Winter?

Did you know that there are grant programs out there to help you with your heating bills? Not only that, there are also grant programs out there to help you if you need any repairs to your heating system!

How do I know this? I know this because a recent client of mine had their home inspected for a heating-related audit. Guess what they are going to get from the results of the inspection?

• repairs to their heating system to get it working again
  

• new thermostat installed!
  

• a NEW hot water heater! (plus installation at no cost!)
  

• a NEW refridgerator (because their old one is more than 10 years old and the motor is faulty)
  

• new smoke detectors - with the batteries already included!
  

• various related additions like weatherstripping and caulk work

If you are worried about being able to make it through the winter then you should definitely check your state's website to see if they have any similar grant programs available in your area.

I had a chance to talk to one of the contractors who is doing the work and he told me that they have already done this kind and similiar kinds of work and repairs to over a hundred qualified applicants!