03 Mar

Posted at 10:03h in Competency Four, Competency Three, Courses, Evaluation, Federal Grants, Funding, GPCI Competencies, Grant Writing, How-To, Julie Assel, GPC, Uncategorized

  External Evaluators: When is it Required and What to do When it is Required Session 7 of the Federal Grant Development Series Many, but not all, federal grants require project evaluation to be completed by someone other than the project director. The reason for this requirement is...

23 Feb

Posted at 10:45h in Competency Four, Competency Three, Competency Two, Courses, Federal Grants, Funding, GPCI Competencies, Grant Writing, How-To, Julie Assel, GPC, Research, Uncategorized

  Evidence-Based Programming Session 6 of the Federal Grant Development Series More and more grants are asking questions about how you know the services you provide will have the impact you claim will result. These questions may be worded similar to this: What is the evidence-level of your program,...

21 Feb

Posted at 10:24h in Competency Four, Competency Three, Competency Two, Courses, Federal Grants, Funding, GPCI Competencies, Grant Writing, How-To, Julie Assel, GPC, Research, Uncategorized

  Managing the Development of a Federal Grant Proposal Session 5 of the Federal Grant Development Series Many nonprofits are not successful with federal grants because they do not have the time or expertise to run effective project design meetings. This causes proposals to become rushed at the end...

05 Feb

Posted at 19:00h in Competency Three, Equity, Kellie Brunguard, Writing
Every February, the U.S. honors the cultural heritage, adversities, and African American leaders and movements that have shaped the nation. President Gerald R. Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling the nation to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history," History.com reports. As part of a series throughout Black History Month, Assel Grant Services will provide various resources on racial equity to help grant professionals become better equipped to guide their organizations towards more equitable services, find funding, and better articulate into grant proposals the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work their organizations are already doing. Topics include writing with an equity lens, resources for your toolbox, measuring progress, and funding opportunities. In this blog, we will explore what it means to write your grants with an equity lens, giving voice and empowerment to the communities served.

13 Jan

Posted at 19:16h in Case Statements, Competency Eight, Competency Nine, Competency Three, Kellie Brunguard, Strategy, Writing
Case statements are a vital component of a nonprofit fundraising strategy. They are living documents that describe the essential elements of an organization or specific program. These comprehensive descriptions cover topics most funders request – organization history, goals and outcomes, sustainability plan, organizational structure, etc. The purpose is not to create a generic grant to send out to every funder you know but to serve as a starting point for tailoring information to a specific request. A case statement helps information remain consistent among multiple proposals and establishes a master document for updating annual information, statistics, and outcomes. These documents can also be tailored for individual donor prospects, bring a new partner up to speed, or inform new staff on the organization. Creating a comprehensive case statement requires an investment of time. The good news is that annual maintenance is much easier once it is complete. Here are some helpful tips to keep your case statement fresh in the coming year:

07 Jan

Posted at 20:29h in Competency Three, Inspiration, Kellie Brunguard, Professionalism, Program Design, Program Development, Strategy
What about January makes us habitually declare resolutions that will result in a new and improved version of ourselves? It could be that following a season of holiday parties and socks filled with candy, we need a hard reset. Or the accountability en-mass as like-minded individuals dredge out of their homes to the gym. Research shows goal-setters have a higher success rate when starting the commitment to pursue a goal after a temporal landmark (e.g., a new week, month, birthday, or holiday); this is called the “fresh start effect.” This phenomenon of New Year’s resolutions is more common in the United States. A poll conducted for the last three years reports that 44% of U.S. participants set a new goal, while only 12-18% of Swedish residents make a resolution.

30 Nov

Posted at 21:11h in Budgets, Community, Competency Three, Kellie Brunguard, Program Design, Relationships
Partnerships can be a powerful tool in communities when they are designed to support everyone involved. Much like making a homemade pie, it takes preparation, time, and trust in the process. Here are some tips and considerations when designing partnerships to make sure everyone has a slice of the pie.

15 Nov

Posted at 21:49h in Community, Competency Three, Competency Two, Inspiration, Relationships, Roxanne Jensen, ED. SPEC.
With Thanksgiving just over a week away, I find myself taking a few minutes to reflect on the nonprofits that provide services to those individuals in our community who need support. These organizations have diligently served our community through challenging times, some for many years. Their steadfast service and that of their talented staff, uplift our communities. While there are so many amazing organizations I could highlight, I am especially grateful for the following organizations…

19 Oct

Posted at 23:09h in Competency Six, Competency Three, Courses, Ethics, Ethics, GPCI Competencies, Grant Training Series, Grant Writing, How-To, Julie Assel, Julie Assel, GPC, Partnerships, Professional Development, Program Design, Program Development, Uncategorized

  Ethics: The Ethics of Program Design: Plans and Partners Session 5 of the Ethics Series Creating a high-quality grant proposal can be challenging when organizations may also be designing the program at the same time. Alignment to the mission of the organization and its strategic plan versus...

14 Oct

Posted at 22:58h in Competency Four, Competency Six, Competency Three, Courses, Ethics, Ethics, GPCI Competencies, Grant Training Series, Grant Writing, How-To, Julie Assel, Julie Assel, GPC, Need & Need Statements, Professional Development, Uncategorized

    Ethics: Ethics for Grant Proposal Need Statements Session 4 of the Ethics Series The way grant professionals describe the needs of their community is an important part of persuading reviewers and grant funders to award a grant. Which need is greatest and most aligned to the funders’...