Dear Readers,

As fall comes to a close and much of the world prepares itself for the impending months of another undoubtedly (especially here in Upstate New York) brutal winter, there appears a single glimmer of hope, a North Star of funding if you will, that is AFG.

The Assistance to Firefighters Grants program is often the staple of funding for fire departments all over the country, hence its competitive nature.  In this issue of FUNDED our resident AFG expert, Dan Casion takes us through not only grant writing basics (Page 4), but also “Beyond the Basics” (Page 18) to help you and your department make the most of your AFG proposal.

AFG isn’t the only constant of fall in the United States, a battle over the federal budget now seems to be an annual affair.  Expanding on his coverage of the budget battle from our last issue, Chris LaPage delves deeper into the impact the federal budget, including sequestration (Page 15),  and the surprising retirement of Speaker of the House John Boehner has on grant programs.

Although the constant partisan disagreement over the federal budget can be discouraging, America remains a land of opportunity and the TechHire Initiative is a perfect example.  Elizabeth Evans investigates the new program designed to bring high paying IT jobs to those groups, including minorities and women among others, previously edged out of such programs.  

While winter can often seem like an abyss for those of us above the Mason-Dixon line, the numerous opportunities for funding remain a bright spot of warmth as we move steadily on towards the new year.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topics you would be interested in seeing in future issues, feel free to email me at ksleeman@grantsoffice.com

Sincerely,
Kirsten Sleeman
Editor, FUNDED