06 Oct

Posted at 18:00h in Budgets, Evaluation, Federal Grants, Funders, Funding, Grants Management, Organizational Readiness, Professional Development, Program Design, Strategy
You know that you need an external evaluator. Maybe your organization doesn’t have the internal expertise or time to conduct a program evaluation yourself, or a grant funder requires a third-party evaluation. Many programs—and organizations—feel that they can’t afford an external evaluation, and funders don’t always pay for program evaluations. However, if you can convince donors and funders that your program is effective and efficient, you’ll be more competitive for future funding. A strong evaluation provides valuable information for data-based decision-making to inform program refinements and continuous improvement. Funders have a limited amount of dollars to award and, therefore, want to fund effective projects.

18 Mar

Posted at 14:30h in Competency One, Federal Grants, Funding Opportunities, Industry News
United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development, Rural Utilities Services Attention organizations and communities interested in providing distance learning or telemedicine services to rural areas! The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development, Rural Utilities Services’ Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grant program is accepting applications for equipment, software, and other technological needs to provide education and medical services to remote areas with populations of 20,000 and under. Awards range from $50,000 to $1million and there is a three-year period of performance beginning the date the funds are released. A minimum 15% match is required and cannot be from another federal source. This program was created to assist rural communities in acquiring distance learning and telemedical technologies so local teachers and medical services providers who serve rural residents can link to other teachers, medical professionals, and experts located at distances too far to access otherwise.

04 Aug

Posted at 20:31h in Competency One, Federal Grants, Funding Opportunities
Attention librarians, school districts, institutions of higher education, government officials, and archivists! The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) – is releasing opportunities to address the critical needs of libraries and archives and support the advancement of professional practices. IMLS’s mission is to advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Through multiple opportunities to support the unique needs of libraries and archives, IMLS works towards its strategic goals of championing lifelong learning, strengthening community engagement, advancing collection stewardship and access, and demonstrating excellence in public service. The National Leadership Grants for Libraries program is designed to influence practice across disciplines, support current strategic priorities within its field, use collaboration to demonstrate field-wide buy-in and input, and generate new models, tools, research findings, services, practices, or alliances that can be adapted and scaled.

16 Jul

Posted at 20:46h in Competency One, Federal Grants, Funding Opportunities

Department of Commerce – Economic Development Administration (EDA) Attention local governments and economic development-focused organizations! The Department of Commerce (DOC) – Economic Development Administration (EDA) – is releasing a brand-new program to create renewed economic opportunity in communities that have for too long been forgotten....

12 Jul

Posted at 20:52h in Competency One, Federal Grants, Funding Opportunities
Department of Commerce – Economic Development Administration (EDA) Attention local governments and economic development-focused organizations! The Department of Commerce (DOC) – Economic Development Administration (EDA) – is releasing a brand-new program to create renewed economic opportunity in communities that have for too long been forgotten. The EDA’s mission is to ensure that all communities have a path to economic prosperity. The Recompete Pilot Program will invest in distressed communities to create and connect workers to good jobs in places that need them most. The program specifically targets distressed communities to spur a new chapter of opportunity in those areas. This includes areas where prominent industries have declined or disappeared, were physically separated by highway construction, or endured decades of disinvestment. These may be urban, suburban, or rural areas that have low labor force participation rates that are holding back prosperity. This post provides an overview of the opportunity, focusing on the Strategy Development Grant track. The Recompete Plan track will be highlighted next week.

26 May

Posted at 18:23h in Competency One, Federal Grants, Funding Opportunities, Government Grants, Inspiration, Kellie Brunguard, Program Design

This Memorial Day, we recognize the sacrifice those who serve our country have made; through their time, families, and, ultimately, their lives. Assel Grant Services recognizes and pays gratitude to those who have served our country and takes this time to acknowledge the history, a...

16 Sep

Posted at 20:30h in Competency One, Federal Grants, Funding Opportunities
National Endowment for the Humanities – Public Humanities Projects Attention humanities professionals! The National Endowment for Humanities (NEH) recently opened applications for the Public Humanities Projects program to bring ideas and insights of the humanities to life for general audiences. The NEH seeks projects that engage humanities scholarship to analyze significant themes in history, literature, ethics, and art history. Projects may include in-person, hybrid, or virtual programming. Applications for this program are due January 11, 2023.

19 Aug

Posted at 16:04h in Competency One, Federal Grants, Funding Opportunities
United States Department of Agriculture Attention broadband providers, local governments and officials, and cooperatives! The Rural Utilities Service, an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is accepting proposals for its Rural eConnectivity Program. This program provides loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in rural areas. By facilitating the expansion of broadband services and infrastructure, the program will fuel long-term economic development and opportunities in rural America. Applications may be submitted beginning September 6, 2022, through November 2, 2022.

11 Aug

Posted at 20:32h in Community, Federal Grants, Funding Opportunities
Department of Transportation Attention government officials, metropolitan planning organizations, and non-profits! The Department of Transportation (DOT) is now accepting proposals for its Reconnecting Communities Pilot Discretionary Grant program. The program provides technical assistance and grant funding for planning and capital construction to address infrastructure barriers, restore community connectivity, and improve people’s lives. Applications for this program are due October 13, 2022.

05 Aug

Posted at 21:08h in Federal Grants, Funding Opportunities
Health Resources and Services Administration Attention institutions of higher education and community colleges in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields! The National Science Foundation (NSF) is now accepting proposals for its Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) program. The goals of the program are to enhance the quality of undergraduate STEM education and to increase the recruitment, retention, and graduation rate of students pursuing degrees in STEM. Applications for this program are due September 30, 2022.