28 Jan

Posted at 14:28h in Competency Five, Competency Four, Competency One, Courses, Federal Grants, Funding, GPCI Competencies, Grant Writing, How-To, Julie Assel, GPC, Research, Uncategorized

    Federal Grants: Federal Find and Fit Session 2 of the Federal Grants 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, it’s easy...

28 Jan

Posted at 14:27h in Competency One, Competency Six, Competency Two, Courses, Ethics, GPC, GPCI Competencies, Grant Writing, Julie Assel, GPC, Uncategorized

    Ethics: Grant Ethics for Prospect Research and Funder Relationships Session 2 of the Ethics Series Have you ever been uncomfortable applying to a foundation which didn’t seem to really match your organization’s profile? Many nonprofit professionals are pressured into writing to foundations who don’t match their giving...

21 Jan

Posted at 16:48h in Competency One, Funding Opportunities
Department of Homeland Security – Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Attention fire departments and state fire training academies! The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and FEMA recently opened a funding opportunity focused on improving fire safety for the public and firefighters. The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program provides direct funding to eligible entities for training and equipment.

15 Jan

Posted at 11:05h in Competency One, Funding Opportunities
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) – Center for Mental Health Services Does your public agency provide mental health services for children and their families? SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health Services recently opened its 2021 Grants for Expansion and Sustainability of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances program (also known as System of Care (SOC) Expansion and Sustainability Grants). This program aims to improve mental health outcomes for children and youth (up to age 21) who have serious emotional disturbances (SED) and for their families. The deadline for applications is coming up quickly on February 5, 2021.

08 Jan

Posted at 12:10h in Competency One, Funding Opportunities
Department of Labor – Employment and Training Administration Does your organization provide education, occupational skills training, and/or employment services to at-risk youth? The Department of Labor (DOL) – Employment and Training Administration recently opened applications for its YouthBuild program. This program supports organizations that provide pre-apprenticeship services to youth ages 16 to 24, while these at-risk youth perform meaningful work and service within their communities.

03 Jan

Posted at 19:25h in AGS Staff, Competency Seven, Professionalism, Writing
As we say goodbye to the year that seemed it would never end, we are looking forward to 2021 with renewed hope. In the spirit of new beginnings, our January blog series is focused on resetting. Be it working from home, adjusting offices to allow for social distancing, or changing jobs altogether, a lot of us unexpectedly found ourselves working in new spaces over the course of the last year. If you’re like some of us, your new workspace might not be what most people consider “permanent” (maybe because, also like us, you were hoping it would be a more temporary solution). Or perhaps you’ve weathered the storm that was 2020 in the same space you’ve worked for years. Either way, the start of the new year is a great excuse to reset, rethink, and reclaim your workspace so you can prepare to take on a new year of possibilities.

29 Dec

Posted at 08:16h in Competency One, Funding Opportunities
Is your organization looking for project-based funding to support activities that further the arts? The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) recently opened applications for its Grants for Arts Projects program. This program supports public engagement with – and access to – various art forms across a variety of disciplines (dance, folk and traditional, media arts, music, visual arts, etc.), artwork creation, arts education, and integration of the arts into community life.

29 Dec

Posted at 08:07h in Competency Eight, Competency Seven, Funder Relations, Leah Hyman, Relationships
I’m not the type of person who sends out holiday cards. I want to be that type of person. I feel like I should be that type of person. After all, I love receiving them; the photos of our friends and family and their “year-in-review” recaps always bring a smile to my face. And I grew up with a mom who is great at sending holiday cards. I have vivid memories of her pulling out the notebook filled with addresses, often with amendments and notes penned neatly beside certain names. She’d carefully address and stuff envelopes with a card and letter detailing our family’s updates and accomplishments. By giving my brother and me some editorial power over our own paragraphs (so we could keep our very cool reputations intact) and soliciting our help with the envelope stuffing, she was giving us a primer in relationship maintenance.

20 Dec

Posted at 19:00h in AGS Staff, Competency Seven, Professional Development
It can be difficult to find positive aspects to this year. We don’t need to remind you of all of the unprecedented challenges we’ve experienced so far and will likely continue to live through well into the coming year. Instead, let’s focus on something more hopeful! Let’s spend the rest of this year (and early 2021) on something we may not have found much time for in the past: LEARNING!