Even Start Family Literacy Program

New York State Education Department, Office of Early Education and Reading Initiatives

The purpose of this program is to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy by improving the educational opportunities of low-income families. Programs help parents become full partners in the education of their children, assist children in reaching their full potential as learners, and provide literacy training for their parents.
ELIGIBILITY: School Districts, Boards of Cooperative Education Services, nonprofit community-based organizations, institutions of higher education and public or private nonprofit organizations. An eligible applicant is a partnership composed of both a local education agency and a nonprofit community-based organization, an institution of higher education, or a public or private nonprofit organization of demonstrated quality.
FUNDING: Approximately $21.5 million will be available to fund 2003-2004 Even Start programs. After funding existing programs, remaining funds will be used to fund new grants.
DEADLINE: May 20, 2003.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Susan Henry, Office of Early Education and Reading Initiatives at (518) 474-5807. The grant application for new grants is available at www.emsc.nysed.gov.

 
Environmental Protection Act Funds and Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund

NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP)

OPRHP announces that organizations with an ownership interest in the property may apply for funds under Title 9 of the Environmental Protection Act of 1993 for the acquisition, development, and improvement of parks, historic properties, and heritage areas. In addition, municipalities may apply for funds under the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund for acquisition and development of outdoor recreation facilities.
ELIGIBILITY: Municipalities and nonprofit organizations with an ownership interest in parks, historic properties and heritage areas.
FUNDING: This is a matching program and grant recipients are expected to provide a 50% match.
DEADLINE: June 20, 2003.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit the Office's web site or contact T. Kevin Burns, Chief of Grants, Bureau of Grants Management, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, The Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza, Agency Building 1, 16th Floor, Albany, New York 12238; phone (518) 474-0427; fax (518) 486-7377.

 
Student Research Awards

New York State Education Department, State Archives

Grants are available to help students explore the wealth of historical records in New York State and promote increased cooperation between schools, institutions and individuals that administer historical records useful for education.
ELIGIBILITY: Students in grades 4-12.
FUNDING: Grants up to $100 are available.
DEADLINE: June 1, 2003.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Julie Daniels at (518) 474-6926; on the web at www.archives.nysed.gov/a/grantsawards/.

Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth

National Endowment for the Arts

The National Endowment for the Arts provides national recognition and support to significant projects of artistic excellence and is committed to helping children and youth acquire knowledge, skills, and understanding of the arts as the foundation for a lifetime of arts experience. This program is designed to advance learning in the arts for children and youth.
ELIGIBILITY: Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations, units of state and local government, federal recognized tribal communities or tribes. Applicants may be arts organizations, local arts agencies, arts service organizations, school districts, and other organizations that can help advance the goals of the Arts Endowment.
FUNDING: An organization may request a grant amount from $5,000 to $150,000, with most grant awards ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. All grants require a match of at least 1 to 1.
DEADLINE: June 16, 2003.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit the Arts Endowment’s web site at www.arts.gov. You may also contact the staff for your focus area: for Early Childhood and School-Based projects, call (202) 682-5536; for Community-Based projects, call (202) 682-5026.

 
...Foundations and Organizations

Youth Leadership Grants

Starbucks Foundation

The Starbucks Foundation awards grants to local nonprofit organizations that serve low income, at-risk youth. These grants support innovative programs that enhance culture diversity and involve families, schools and neighborhood organizations, particularly in traditionally underserved communities. Grants are concentrated on two areas of interest: the Power of Literacy, which focuses on programs that stimulate personal development and encourage commitment to social equity, justice and environmental awareness through writing, literacy and the promotion of the voices of youth in public forums, and Leaders in Diversity, which focuses on programs that teach the value of societal diversity, with an emphasis on the development of leadership skills to build bridges of understanding between individuals, groups and communities.
ELIGIBILITY: Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations that deliver services related to Starbucks’ Youth Leadership focus areas to youth between the ages of 6-18 may apply. Preference is given to programs that offer opportunities for Starbucks employees and stores to be involved.
FUNDING: Grants range from $5,000 to $20,000.
DEADLINE: October 1, 2003.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Starbucks Foundation, 2401 Utah Avenue South, S-SR-1, Suite 800, Seattle, Washington 98134; (206) 318-7022.

Grants for Contemporary Visual Arts

Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts

The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts awards grants to originate innovative and scholarly presentations of contemporary visual art. Grants are made to cultural organizations that, in turn, support artists and their work. The foundation states that it is focused primarily on supporting work of a challenging and often experimental nature.
ELIGIBILITY: Project grants are made to curatorial programs at museums, artists’ organizations and other cultural institutions. Projects may include exhibitions, catalogues and other organizational activities directly related to these areas.
FUNDING: Grants range from $5,000 to $20,000.
DEADLINE: Proposals are due September 15, 2003.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Pamela Clapp, Program Director, Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, 65 Bleecker Street, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10012; (212) 387-7555.

American Greenways Awards

Eastman Kodak Company

The Kodak American Greenways Awards are small grants available to promote the planning and design of greenways in communities throughout the country. Greenways are corridors of protected, public and private land that link recreational, cultural and natural features; provide pathways for people and wildlife; protect forests, wetlands and grasslands; and improve the quality of life for everyone. The awards are offered by a partnership of the Eastman Kodak Company, the Conservation Fund and the National Geographic Society and are intended to develop new, action-oriented greenway projects; help grassroots greenway organizations; leverage additional money for conservation and greenway development; and recognize and encourage greenway proponents and organizations.
ELIGIBILITY: Local, regional or statewide nonprofits may apply. Public agencies are eligible to apply, although community organizations will receive preference. Grants are available for expenses needed to complete a greenway project – planning, technical assistance, legal and other costs – including activities such as mappings, ecological assessments, surveying, conferences and design activities; developing brochures, interpretative displays, audio-visual productions or public opinion surveys; hiring consultants; incorporating land trusts; and building foot bridges, planning bike paths and other creative projects.
FUNDING: Grants up to $2,500 are available.
DEADLINE: June 1, 2003.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: American Greenways Program Coordinator, Conservation Fund at (703) 525-6300.

Grants to Improve Children's Health

Ronald McDonald House Charities

The Ronald McDonald House Charities award grants to support programs that improve the health and well-being of children, ages 0-18. Programs should address a significant funding gap or critical opportunity, have long term impact in terms of duplication or reach, and produce measurable results.
ELIGIBILITY: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.
FUNDING: Grant sizes vary.
DEADLINE: September 2, 2003 for letters of inquiry. Full proposals will be invited.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Ronald McDonald House Charities, Attn: Grants Department, One Kroc Drive, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523; by phone (630) 623-7048; by fax (630) 623-7488.

Small Innovative Grants Program

American Legacy Foundation

The American Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit organization established as part of the settlement of a state attorneys general lawsuit against tobacco companies, works to reduce tobacco use and its harmful effects. The Foundation has two goals: 1) to arm all young people with the knowledge and tools to reject tobacco; and 2) eliminate disparities in access to tobacco prevention and cessation services. As such, the foundation has announced its Small Innovative Grants Program. Projects supported by this program will advance innovative, evidence-based solutions to remedy the harm caused by tobacco use in America. Legacy intends the Small Innovative Grants Program to seed new projects, enable an organization to pilot a new idea or approach, or help an organization gain a different perspective or better understanding of tobacco control through research. Topic areas currently of greatest interest to the Foundation are available through the Foundation’s web site.
ELIGIBILITY: Funding is available for state or local political subdivisions and legally constituted tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations. Indian reservations, Indian tribes, or tribal organizations or non-governmental entities that serve such reservations may also apply for funding.
FUNDING: Grants for up to $100,000 for the first year of funding are available. Grantees may apply for a second year of funding for up to 50% of the first year's amount. Grantees must provide a 1:1 cash match for second-year funding. Match is encouraged but not required for the first year of funding. Legacy will accept applications for second-year funding in the last quarter of the first grant year only.
DEADLINE: There is no deadline for applications to the Small Innovative Grants Program. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Jill Shalett, Grants Assistant, or Karen Martin, Program Officer, at 202-454-5555. Legacy will provide tailored technical assistance upon request. For complete program guidelines and application procedures, see the Legacy web site. Legacy requests that applicants use its online application system to electronically submit applications.

 
...Grant Writing

SUNY Brockport

The State University of New York College at Brockport is offering a one-credit grant writing course for staff and volunteers of nonprofit organizations, students and interested community members. The course will be offered on Monday and Tuesday, May 19-20, 2003 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day. SUNY Brockport is located 16 miles west of Rochester, New York.

The course is a practical guide to grant seeking and covers sources of funding for grants, difference between seeking support from governmental and non-governmental agencies, specific suggestions on writing successful proposals, preparing a budget, an individual meeting with the instructor, editing of a proposal written by the participant, and concludes with a funding simulation exercise.

The course offers one college credit on a pass/fail basis. The cost is $137 for undergraduate credit and $213 for graduate credit. For more information, please e-mail Colleen Donaldson at cdonalds@brockport.edu or call (585) 395-5118.

Council on Opportunities for Professional Excellence (COPE)

COPE will hold two grant writing seminars in May: May 20 in Albany and May 23 in Kingston. Both seminars will feature Guerilla Grantsmanship Training and will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. You will learn about the latest in grant writing techniques, software, and grants management tools. You will learn how to write hard-hitting proposals that work and then learn how to work your proposal to break down funding barriers. Contact COPE at (914) 466-0797 to register.