Grants Strategy

Grants for Women in Business: Empowering Entrepreneurs in Latin America
Grants for Women in Business: Empowering Entrepreneurs in Latin America

Latin America is witnessing a rise in women's entrepreneurship as more women become more independent by taking the reins of their destinies and venturing into the business world. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report for Latin America and the Caribbean, the average women's entrepreneurship rate in the region was 27.9%. Despite facing unique challenges, such as gender biases, women in Latin America are breaking barriers and transforming industries. Women entrepreneurs in Latin America are involved in several types of businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, and social enterprises. They are active in diverse sectors such as retail, services, education, healthcare, technology, and agriculture. 

Creating Connections: A Brief Guide to Establishing Meaningful Relationships with Foundations for Nonprofit Funding
Creating Connections: A Brief Guide to Establishing Meaningful Relationships with Foundations for Nonprofit Funding

In the world of nonprofit organizations, securing funding is often a crucial part of conducting the mission and initiative of supporting communities. While there are various avenues for fundraising, building strong relationships with foundations is a vital component of the grantseeking process. Foundations exist to support social causes, and establishing meaningful connections with them can lead to successful long-term partnerships. If your organization is new to foundation grants, you may be wondering where to start. Here are a few tips to create lasting and meaningful partnerships with foundations, thus enabling your organization to flourish.

Data in Education: How it is used and how it can be helpful in Grantseeking
Data in Education: How it is used and how it can be helpful in Grantseeking

Data serves as a powerful lens through which educators and administrators gain insights into student performance, learning patterns, and overall educational effectiveness. From traditional classrooms to online platforms, institutions are increasingly relying on data to make informed decisions on how to enhance curriculum and provide targeted learning experiences for students. Data can be collected in many ways such as surveys, assessment scores, focus groups, and more depending on the type of project being implemented. In this article, I will be exploring the multifaceted role of data in education and dive into how educational institutions can harness this powerful tool for successful grant seeking.

Thinking About Using AI for Grant Writing? Read This First!
Thinking About Using AI for Grant Writing? Read This First!

Ethical considerations around plagiarism and intellectual copywrite aside, if you are considering outsourcing your grant writing efforts to AI, we suggest caution. There are limits to what even the most innovative AI tool can produce on your behalf. However, to appreciate the need for this advice, it may help to first understand how text generative AI tools work.

Working Well with Others: Grantseeking as a Team
Working Well with Others: Grantseeking as a Team

For those new to the world of grantseeking, the amount of information available can be daunting. Between the complexity of various applications, the numerous types of funders and types of projects that you can apply for, and the announcements of funding opportunities spread out among thousands of departments and their unique websites among all levels of government, individuals seeking grant funding can become overwhelmed. It can be a Herculean effort to manage all aspects of the grant application process, and if it can be avoided, it is one that should not be a one-person show. While there are many examples of individuals seeking grants, writing and submitting the application themselves, and being awarded funding, it is always better to apply for grant funding as a team. One of the best things you can do when starting your grantseeking journey is to build a team that will work together to achieve your funding goals.

Beat the Rush- Planning for grants and the benefits of having “canned” projects
Beat the Rush- Planning for grants and the benefits of having “canned” projects

Many grants- federal, state, and foundation, operate on cycles. Federal and state grants may be one-time, annual, or multi-year grants. Foundations may have one or more application periods per year. Grants may open for short periods or during busy times, leaving applicants with little time to plan, prepare, write, and review the proposal. Learning the funding cycle and application periods for grants of interest is necessary to enable you to apply promptly and budget the time needed to plan and apply when the grant is open.

Trends in Higher Education Funding
Trends in Higher Education Funding

Institutes of higher education have a wide variety of grant programs available to support efforts on campus. Many different federal, state, and foundation funding sources focus either specifically on higher education or fund higher education projects as part of their larger grant funding priorities. Broadly speaking, this funding for higher education predominantly falls within three categories: student learning outcomes, workforce development, and faculty research. These major types of funding programs have remained relatively consistent over the last few decades. However, within these categories, specific funding priorities tend to shift due to political and cultural priorities. Read on for a deep dive into five of the current major funding trends in higher education.

GRANT STRATEGY: Foundation Grants: An Overlooked Opportunity
GRANT STRATEGY: Foundation Grants: An Overlooked Opportunity

Have you been searching high and low for funding for your latest program or project? What about looking into foundation grants! With over 76,000 foundations in the United States and an estimated $47 billion given away each year, the money you need may be right under your nose.

GRANT STRATEGY: Understanding the Four Types of Federal Grant Funding
GRANT STRATEGY: Understanding the Four Types of Federal Grant Funding

Investments in federal grants have increased considerably over the past several years, particularly with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Knowing how to navigate the current grant funding landscape can be a challenge, and understanding how grant funds are awarded can help organizations when they decide to apply for grant funding. There are four main types of grant funding at the federal level: competitive grants, pass-through grants, formula grants, and continuation grants.

GRANT PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE): Directorate for STEM Education
GRANT PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE): Directorate for STEM Education

ELIGIBILITY: The program is open to application from all institutions of higher education and associated organizations.

GRANT PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Program
GRANT PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Program

ELIGIBILITY: Eligible lead applicants are Nonprofit Organizations, Labor Unions, Labor-Management Organizations, and Worker Organizations, Education/Training Provider(s), Workforce Development Entities, Economic Development Agencies, and Native American Tribal Governments.

GRANT PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC)
GRANT PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC)

ELIGIBILITY: Awards are made to State Education Agencies (SEAs). Local education agencies (LEAs) and nonprofit organizations may apply to states for subgrants.

GRANT PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant
GRANT PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant

ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants are: (A) A State; (B) a political subdivision of a State; (C) a Tribal government; (D) a public transit agency or authority; (E) a public toll authority; (F) a metropolitan planning organization; and (G) a group of 2 or more eligible entities described.

GRANT STRATEGY: Tips for Building Competitive Grant Applications
GRANT STRATEGY: Tips for Building Competitive Grant Applications

Applying for grants to support infrastructure development and innovative solutions to meet the needs of communities can be a challenging process with strict requirements and intense competition. To improve your chances of success, you must create an outstanding application that showcases your proposal's strengths while adhering to the application guidelines. The following tips provide valuable insight into preparing an effective grant application that stands out.

Get Grant-Ready for Broadband Funding Opportunities
Get Grant-Ready for Broadband Funding Opportunities

Access to the internet is critical for so many daily activities (such as reading this article, for instance). The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, recognizes the importance of broadband for Americans and provides significant funding to implement solutions. Through the Internet for All initiative, this funding is being distributed to states, territories, and other eligible recipients through various grant programs. Even before IIJA, federal agencies such as the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture were and continue to fund broadband grant programs. States have also started to make their own contributions to broadband efforts. Now is a great time to be pursuing grant funding for your broadband projects.

GRANT PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: Community Connect Grant Program
GRANT PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: Community Connect Grant Program

ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants include:

  • Incorporated organizations
  • Federally recognized Tribes
  • State and local units of government
  • Any other legal entity, including cooperatives, private corporations, or limited liability companies organized on a for-profit or not-for-profit basis.
GRANT PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: Strengthening Community College Training Grants
GRANT PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: Strengthening Community College Training Grants

ELIGIBILITY: The eligible lead applicant must be a community college that is a public institution of higher education as defined in Section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act and whose most common degree awarded is an associate degree.

GRANT PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP)
GRANT PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP)

ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants are federally recognized Indian Tribes (or a consortium of Indian Tribes).