21 Feb

Posted at 10:16h in Competency Four, Courses, Federal Grants, Funding, GPCI Competencies, Grant Writing, How-To, Julie Assel, GPC, Research, Uncategorized

    Federal Grant Registrations and Portals Session 4 of the Federal Grant Development Series Diverse funding streams are the key to many organizations’ financial sustainability. The complexity and high accountability of federal funding deters many organizations until they are more advanced along the grant readiness continuum. One of the...

21 Feb

Posted at 09:31h in Competency Eight, Courses, Federal Grants, Funding, GPCI Competencies, Grant Writing, How-To, Julie Assel, GPC, Research, Uncategorized

  Relationships with Program Officers and Legislators Session 3 of the Federal Grant Development Series Many development professionals are uncomfortable with federal grants because they don’t feel there are relationships to cultivate like there are with foundation grants. While each federal department is different, there are relationships that...

21 Feb

Posted at 09:23h in Competency Five, Competency Four, Competency One, Courses, Federal Grants, Funding, GPCI Competencies, Grant Writing, How-To, Julie Assel, GPC, Research, Uncategorized

    Federal Grant Development: Federal Find and Fit Session 2 of the Federal Grant Development Series Applying for federal grants can be daunting. Between the broad and changing range of federal funding and making sure that what you do find is actually a good match for your organization,...

19 Feb

Posted at 17:08h in Competency Seven, Equity, Kellie Brunguard, Organizational Development, Program Design
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 dig deeper into how you can measure progress toward increasing racial equity in your organization. These tools will enhance your DEI knowledge and how it relates to your organization and community served.

13 Feb

Posted at 19:00h in Competency Seven, Equity, Kellie Brunguard, Professional Development, Professionalism
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 dig deeper into the various resources available to help you build your own toolbox of racial equity assessments and information. These tools will enhance your DEI knowledge and how it relates to your organization and community served.

06 Feb

Posted at 12:26h in Competency Five, Competency Four, Competency One, Courses, Federal Grants, Funding, GPCI Competencies, Grant Writing, How-To, Julie Assel, GPC, Research, Uncategorized

    Federal Grant Development: Pursuing Federal Grants Session 1 of the Federal Grant Development Series Applying for federal grants can - to put it mildly - be daunting. In this training, we make it easier by guiding participants through the major components, the key similarities and differences between...

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.

26 Jan

Posted at 10:11h in Competency Five, Competency Seven, Competency Six, Competency Two, Courses, GPCI Competencies, Grant Training Series, Grant Writing, Grants 301, How-To, Julie Assel, Julie Assel, GPC, Leah Hyman, Uncategorized

    Grants 301: Techniques and Tools to Support an Ethical Transition from Pre-Award to Post-Award Activities Session 7 of the Grants 301 Series We've probably all been in a situation when the executive, program, or financial staff at our organization say, "We'll figure it out if you can...

23 Jan

Posted at 19:46h in Case Statements, Competency Four, Inspiration, Kellie Brunguard, Narrative, Strategy, Writing
Did you wake up with a foreboding sense of deja vu? Like you've written the exact same narrative over and over again? There are not too many occasions when I can relate to Bill Murray waking up and reliving the same day, except when I find myself reworking the same narrative for another application. You know the feeling – when you have tried and true narrative pieces that perfectly depict the history, need, and program design that makes you feel like you are stuck on repeat? So, what can you do when the programs aren’t changing, but you need to breathe some life into the writing? Here are some tips to refresh your writing and wake up feeling rejuvenated for a busy grant season!

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: