Food and Agriculture Industry Development Projects

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets invites proposals for implementing innovative and low risk approaches to the research, development, production, processing, and distribution of agricultural products and foods that capitalize on the State’s unique resources and strategic location near significant markets. Projects involving new product development; alternative production, processing, distribution and marketing methods or technologies; the introduction of high technologies; or organizational methods that further the development of the food and agricultural industry in New York State are eligible for funding.
ELIGIBILITY: Public and private agencies and organizations, business and industry, educational institutions, local governments, and individuals are eligible to submit proposals for funding.
FUNDING: Availability of funding for this program is contingent upon legislative approval of the State Fiscal Year 2004-2005 Budget.
DEADLINE: Proposals must be received by the Department before 4:30 p.m. on August 31, 2004.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Applicants with questions about requirements for this program should contact Bill Kimball, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, 10B Airline Drive, Albany, New York 12235; phone (518) 457-2713; fax (518) 457-2716; e-mail bill.kimball@agmkt.state.ny.us. All questions must be submitted to Mr. Kimball by August 23, 2004. A list of questions about this program, and answers to those questions, as well as any other addenda to the RFP, will be posted in the “Funding Opportunities” section of the Department’s web site, www.agmkt.state.ny.us, along with the electronic version of the RFP. Questions and responses will be posted on the web site starting no later than July 15, 2004 and a final listing will be posted by August 24, 2004.

Snowmobile Trail Grant Program

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) administers the Snowmobile Trail Grant Program, which establishes a mechanism for allocating funds to local governmental sponsors that engage in the development and maintenance of snowmobile trails designated as part of the State Snowmobile Trail System. Permissible uses of the funds include, but are not limited to, trail development and the maintenance of existing trails/trail facilities, which includes grooming.
ELIGIBILITY: A municipal government agency (county, city, town, village) must agree to compile grant applications from within its jurisdiction and agree to develop one grant application. No trail will be eligible for funding unless it has been previously designated by OPRHP as being part of the State Snowmobile Trail System.
FUNDING: The annual funding is allocated to the local government sponsor on a pro-rated basis. The pro-rated amount is derived from the application and is paid out with a 70 percent “Grant-In-Aid” followed by a 30 percent reimbursement to the municipality upon documentation of 100 percent of the awarded total cost.
DEADLINE: September 1, 2004.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Debra Dukes, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Grants Management Bureau, 16th Floor, Agency Building 1, Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12238; phone (518) 474-3831; fax (518) 486-7377; or visit www.nysparks.com/grants.

…On the Federal Level

Family Planning Service Grants

United States Department of Health and Human Services

The United States Department of Health and Human Services has announced the anticipated availability of funding for Family Planning Service Grants.
ELIGIBILITY: Applications are sought from public and nonprofit private entities to establish and operate voluntary family planning services projects, which shall provide family planning services to all persons desiring such services.
FUNDING: The anticipated Fiscal Year 2005 appropriation for New York State is estimated to be approximately $9,635,000.
DEADLINE: Applications are due March 1, 2005.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Application kits may be requested from the OPHS Office of Grants Management, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, Maryland 20852; phone (301) 594-0758. Kits are also available online at https://egrants.osophs.dhhs.gov, or by fax at (301) 594-9399.

We the People Bookshelf

National Endowment for the Humanities

The National Endowment for the Humanities has established the We the People Bookshelf to highlight a short list of classic books for young readers at different grade levels. Each year, NEH selects books that share a theme important to United States heritage. "Freedom" is the theme for 2004-2005.
ELIGIBILITY: All public libraries, including systems and branches, and school libraries (K-12) at public, private, parochial, or charter schools in the United States.
FUNDING: Libraries selected will be awarded copies of the fifteen books in the We the People Bookshelf.
DEADLINE: Applications will be accepted online within two time periods: between June 8, 2004 and October 20, 2004 and between December 16, 2004 and February 16, 2005.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit www.neh.gov/wtp/bookshelf/index.html for complete program information and application procedures.

...Foundations and Organizations

Funding for Arts

Tiffany & Co. Foundation

The Tiffany & Co. Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations in the following areas: crafts and arts education, preservation and conservation of arts and traditional craftsmanship, decorative arts, and environmental conservation.
ELIGIBILITY: To qualify for a grant, a prospective grantee must be a U.S.-based tax-exempt organization with 501(c)(3) status. A prospective grantee must also be engaged in work that fits within the Foundation’s program guidelines.
FUNDING: Contact the Tiffany & Co. Foundation for details.
DEADLINE: November 15 and May 15, annually.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit www.tiffanyandcofoundation.org.

Active Living Research

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Active Living Research was created to stimulate and support research that identifies environmental factors and policies that influence physical activity. Findings are expected to inform environmental and policy changes that will promote active living among Americans. Proposals are sought that describe research designed to improve understanding of the environmental and policy correlates of physical activity in one or more of the following population subgroups: children and adolescents; low-income and ethnic minority groups; older adults; people with physical challenges; and residents of rural areas.
ELIGIBILITY: Preference will be given to applicants who are either public entities or nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
FUNDING: Proposals will be accepted requesting up to $150,000 total for up to two years.
DEADLINE: September 1, 2004.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit the Active Living program web site, www.activelivingresearch.org.

Quality of Care Grants

Aetna Foundation

The Aetna Foundation has announced the Quality of Care Grants Program to support initiatives focused on disparities in health (programs to improve the quality of health care delivered to racial and ethnic minority populations) and end-of-life care (programs to enhance care and services for both caregivers and patients at the end of life). Priority consideration will be given to programs that address both areas of interest.
ELIGIBILITY: Grants will be made only to nonprofit organizations with evidence of IRS 501(c)(3) designation or de facto tax-exempt status.
FUNDING: Multi-year requests (up to three years) will be considered, and awards will range from $25,000 to $100,000 annually.
DEADLINE: October 1, 2004 for proposal abstracts.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit the Foundation’s web site, www.aetna.com for complete eligibility and program requirements.

Community Football Fields

NFL Youth Football Fund Grassroots Program

The goal of the NFL Youth Football Fund Grassroots Program, a partnership of the National Football League Youth Football Fund and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, is to provide financial and technical assistance to improve the quality, safety, and accessibility of local football fields.
ELIGIBILITY: Projects must be sponsored by nonprofit community-based organizations with 501(c)(3) status or by middle or high schools. In addition, organizations applying for funds must be located specifically and exclusively within NFL target markets and serve low- to moderate-income areas within those markets. Preference will be given to those proposals that 1) seek to upgrade existing facilities that are in poor condition or otherwise underutilized; 2) demonstrate active use of the fields; 3) attract matching funds that exceeds the minimum required match of 1:1; 4) involve local partnerships with nonprofit community partners to promote youth and community programming on the fields; and 5) provide for continuing maintenance and field safety.
FUNDING: Grants of up to $200,000 for capital improvements are available.
DEADLINE: August 30, 2004.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit www.lisc.org/whatwedo/programs/nfl/rfp.shtml.

...Grant Writing

Grantsmanship Training Program

The Grantsmanship Center (TGCI)

The Grantsmanship Training Program is coming to New York: August 2-6, Deer Park (Suffolk County), hosted by USCT Institute of Suffolk County, United Way of Long Island and LITAC Nonprofit Solutions; and August 16-20, Rochester, hosted by Hillside Family of Agencies.

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 www.tgci.com. For local information and arrangements: Deer Park, call Sherry Radowitz at (631) 940-3708; Rochester, call Eileen Sutton at (585) 256-7982.