This page contains information on current grant opportunities, tips for writing grant proposals, and valuable online resources for grants research. We have also included links to online fundraising opportunities and major foundations that support afterschool programming. We have tried to be as thorough as possible in compiling this list, but welcome any recommended resources that we may have left out. Contact us at (401) 444-0600 x108 or by e-mail at joseph.morra@afterschoolri.org.
Current Opportunities Ronald McDonald House Charities Deadline: September 7, 2010 This organization provides grants to nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations whose national or global programs help improve the health and well being of children under 21.
This grant program is aimed at providing necessary resources to help support school programs that enrich children’s' lives. Clorox is calling on individuals to nominate schools in need for a chance to win a $50,000 grand prize grant or one of three $20,000 grants to help provide critically needed resources to school programs that enrich children’s lives and make brighter futures.
Rhode Island Mentoring Partnership: Mentoring Initiative for At-Risk Youth Deadline: September 28, 2010 The Rhode Island Mentoring Partnership is seeking applications from Rhode Island organizations that serve youth in need of support from a caring adult role model—a mentor. This one-time grant opportunity will be administered through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Funding is aimed toincrease the number of youth matched with mentors, and improve the quality of mentoring programs and mentoring relationships.
Toshiba America Foundation Deadline: October 1, 2010 The Toshiba America Foundation contributes to science and math education by investing in teacher-designed projects for students in grades K - 5.
CVS Caremark Community Grants Deadline: October 31, 2010 This grant opportunity is for public schools serving children or youth with disabilities that promote a greater level of inclusion in student activities and extracurricular programs. Proposed programs must be fully inclusive where children with disabilities are full participants in an early childhood, adolescent, or teenage program alongside their typically developing peers.
The Finish Line Youth Foundation supports youth programs that are effective and inclusive, funding opportunities for participation in youth programs that place an importance on youth development and an active lifestyle.
Fender Music Foundation Grants Deadline: Rolling The Fender Music Foundation accepts electronic grant applications throughout the year from 501(c)3 or governmental organizations. Qualifying applicants are established, ongoing, and sustainable music programs in the United States that provide music instruction for people of any age who would not otherwise have the opportunity to make music. Brown Rudnick Charitable Foundation Deadline: Open Purpose: Subsidizes small projects designed to improve inner-city education in Providence, Boston, Hartford, New York, and Washington, DC. Proposals aimed at helping to reduce school absenteeism and dropout rates are of particular interest. Applicants must be a "frontline education worker."
GTECH After School Advantage Deadline: Open The GTECH After School Advantage Program is a national community investment program, which provides non-profit community agencies and public schools with state-of-the-art computer labs. These computer centers are designed to provide inner-city children ages five to 15 with a meaningful, yet fun learning experience in a safe environment. This initiative is meant to provide an otherwise unavailable educational experience and bridge the digital divide among at-risk children.
Writing Grant Proposals
One of the most crucial, albeit time-consuming, elements of running an out-of-school time program is securing the funding necessary to make your program sustainable. Many organizations find it easier to hire a professional grant writer. However, more likely than not, this option is simply unaffordable. There are certain aspects of grant writing that are easily taught. Unfortunately, the aspects that cannot be taught are the most important ones. These include where specifically to turn for resources, how much to ask for, how many resources to turn to, and what ramifications may arise once funding is secured.
The factors involved with grant writing that can be taught are ones that you will encounter again and again when you look for grant writing tips, but they can stand to be repeated. The most important steps to take when seeking funding are as follows:
Read the grantor's guidelines and instructions carefully;
Determine that your objectives match those of the grantor;
Prove that this funding will meet the needs of your community while meeting the goals of the grantor.
These may seem like simple rules to follow, but remember that organizations frequently tweak their own objectives in order to secure funding, which does more harm than good. If you have found a particular funder and realize that your organization’s needs match their objectives, pursue their donation(s) aggressively. While doing this, bear in mind the following:
Make human contact if at all possible.
Have prepared a self-study package that includes your mission, background, staff qualifications, etc. Public RFPs are typically announced with very little time to prepare before the due date, and you will want to spend this time preparing a great proposal.
Be a "hard sell." Tell funders exactly what you plan on doing, and how it will help their foundation’s mission.
If a foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, you may still send them literature about your organization in order to establish familiarity.
Don’t be afraid to request a list of previous grantees from sponsor, nor a copy of the proposal from the grantee.
Attend bidders conferences to find out who else seeks funding from a certain grantor. This idea could lead to possible collaboration.
Get involved. Volunteer to sit on the proposal reading team. Not only will you get a sense of what makes a good proposal, but you will see exactly how an agency evaluates proposals.
Write the proposal correctly. Follow the guidelines given by the funder--if they request two pages, keep it to two pages. Have a neutral party "cold read" the proposal alongside the guidelines. Finally, get the proposal to the funder in a timely fashion. Aim to get your proposal in a day or two before the actual deadline.
Most importantly, don’t allow a proposal rejection to discourage you. There are a variety of reasons why donors decide not to fund certain organizations or programs. It is perfectly fine to contact a foundation to find out why your proposal was rejected. This can also be helpful if it was rejected for technical reasons.
RIASPA has compiled a list of resources that provide advice on savvy grantwriting and fundraising. Some of these resources offer workshops and grantwriting certification. We have also provided a listing of councils and networks that provide standards in philanthropy and fundraising.
Grant Writing Tips
Grantwriting Tools for Non-Profit Organizations www.npguides.org A writing guide with proposal summaries, sample cover letters, grant applications, proposals, and much more from Non-Profit Guides.
Help with Grant Proposals http://nonprofit.about.com Links to articles and resources related to grants and grantwriting from About.com.
Profiles and Organizations
Giving Institute Professional organization of fundraisers that prides itself on having high ethical standards.
BBB Wise Giving Alliance Profiles US charities in order to enhance the decisions of givers and monitor the standards of charitable organizations.
Grant Writing USA Offers two-day programs to enhance performance in the areas of grant writing, grant maker research and relations, program planning, and personal and organizational excellence.
The Grantsmanship Center Offers grantsmanship training and low-cost publications to nonprofit organizations and government agencies.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance A database of all Federal programs available to State and local governments, federally recognized Indian tribes and territories; domestic public, quasi-public, and private profit and nonprofit organizations and institutions; specialized groups; and individuals.
Council on Foundations Provides many useful links for grant seekers in the following categories: grants libraries and information collections, state and federal government resources, grant research, and writing resources.
Ed.gov Search for funding opportunities from the U.S. Department of Education web site.
The Foundation Center A comprehensive database of private funders and public foundations.
Fundsnet Services A comprehensive, privately owned web site designed for nonprofits, colleges and universities, and grantwriters. Provides information on financial resources available on the Internet.
Grants.gov Allows you to view the federal grants database and to subscribe to their newsletter.
GrantsAlert GrantsAlert is a web site that helps nonprofits, especially those involved in education, secure the funds they need to continue their important work.
GrantsNet Offers a roadmap for information on grants provided by the Department of Health and Human Services.
National Endowment for the Arts Online resource of federal funding available for arts initiatives through national, state, and local funding programs.
National Endowment for the Humanities An independent grant-making agency of the United States government dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities.
School Grants Available resources and tips to assist K-12 educators apply for and obtain special grants for a variety of projects.
The Taft Group A condensed, print version of private funder listings.
USDA Child Nutrition Programs: Afterschool Snacks Information about obtaining cash reimbursement for after school snacks from the USDA through the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the National School Lunch Program.
Charity-Mall Virtual shopping mall with a conscience. Provides a listing of stores registered with charitymalls. Each store donates a percentage of online sales to the charity of the buyer’s choice. You may choose from listed charities or add your own to the list. In order for the charity to receive the donations, purchases must be made through charitymall’s web site.
iGive Similar to Charity-Mall. Usually 2%-8% of the sales are donated to your charity.
This page contains information on current grant opportunities, tips for writing grant proposals, and valuable online resources for grants research. We have also included links to online fundraising opportunities and major foundations that support afterschool programming. We have tried to be as thorough as possible in compiling this list, but welcome any recommended resources that we may have left out. Contact us at (401) 444-0600 x108 or by e-mail at 
