On The Road Again

Throughout this process, the grant group has been through many options we could potentially work toward, but with difficulty in communication and gaining insight into BICAS, we are now working toward writing a grant where funds will flow directly to the next Community, Culture, and Art Education class. These funds will aid the next class in developing and putting on workshops for BICAS.

Here is the list of supplies the other two groups came up with as needs with some of the prices found:

JEWELRY SUPPLIES
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
WIRE (silver and copper
o Beadalon Satin Series Stringing Wire, Bright (Walmart.com) $9.99
o Soft Flex Beading Wire – Satin Silver (.014” dia.) (Target.com) $9.99
o Soft Flex Beading Wire – Copper (.014” dia.) (Target.com) $10.89
FINDINGS (pin broaches, earring wire, clasps
o Westrim 6/0 Bead Box Set E Beads – 192gr/Multi (Joann.com) $9.99
o Darice 1-1/4” Pins – 44pk/Nickel-Plated (Joann.com) $2.99
o Darice Toggle Clasps – 6pk/Nickel (Joann.com) $2.99
TOOLS
o Westrim Jewelry Pliers Mini Tool 5-Piece Set (Walmart.com) $11.99
o 6-Piece Craft & Jewelry Tool Kit 6-Piece Craft & Jewelry Tool Kit (Walmart.com) $19.99
*3 pairs of pliers / tweezer/scoop tool / flush cutter / bead reamer *

PRINTING SUPPLIES
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCREEN PRINTING SUPPLIES ( ink and screens)
RELIEF PRINTING SUPPLIES (blocks / cutting tools / ink)

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
FLYERS (design, paper, printing)
ADVERTISING (ads in local newspapers to promote workshops)
THANK YOU’S (cards / envelopes)
PRINTING (printing costs / xerox / advertising)

BASICS
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
PAPER
MARKERS
o Assorted Sharpie 12 pk. -Fine Point (Target.com) $15.99
CRAYONS
o Crayola 832-Count Regular Size Crayon Classpack, 64 Colors (Walmart.com) $44.98
GLUE
SCISSORS
o Westcott Pointed Tip Scissors with Microban, 12 Pack (Walmart.com) $19.00
o Westcott Preferred Line Steel Scissors, 8” Length, 3-1/2” Cut (Walmart.com) $9.90
CLIPBOARDS
o Saunders Plastic Clipboard, ½” Capacity, Holds 8-1/2w x 12h (Walmart.com) $6.90
THREAD
o Janlynn Cotton Embroidery Floss Jumbo Value Pack (Walmart.com) $14.99
*105 skeins of 100% cotton embroidery floss/ 37 different colors of 8.75 yard 6-strand skeins*
NEEDLES
BUTTONS
BEADS
FABRIC (felt)

We are now taking the items on this list to create an itemized list of items to include in the grant.
Megan and I were both originally involved in creating documentation to help BICAS follow up on grants that could potentially help their eligibility for future grants. We are now going to switch gears and create that documentation plan for this grant instead.

We are on the right track and I am excited to see where this grant will lead!

MMM Money!

Radical Printmaking
Justseeds A Pittsburgh-based design collective brings together a group of North American artists to tackle various political issues through remarkable prints and design.

This week the Grant Writing Team gathered valuable information from the class about materials needed to make the workshops even more successful. It feels good to be supporting our own class and BICAS simultaneously! We've seen examples of successful grants that Marissa has composed, and we can use those as a guide when writing our own.

We are going to include monies for scholarships for workshops to kids that might not have the money to attend and subsidies to the instructors to make workshops more affordable. Now that we have a materials list, we can make a budget that is specific down to the dollar. We have to show how these funds will support Wells Fargo's philanthropic goals of supporting lower income neighborhoods so we might be able to use the statistics gathered from last year's grant team to highlight this. It seems like every year the grant teams build on the past work of the last year's team. If we keep this up, we can provide a guide for next year's teams to be even more successful!

The Last Stretch

These past two weeks have really determined the overall end goal of the grant writing group. After running into issues writing a grant specifically for BICAS, it was decided that we write a grant for our class to help BICAS instead when we met Nov 9th at Epic Cafe. This came as relief for the group as writing on behalf of BICAS was difficult from the perspective of students coming into the group from the outside. With Marissa’s help, we are very hopeful about writing a grant for the class and BICAS to utilize in future classes that may help with future success. As such, we are compiling the information we need to put together in the writing. This weekend Heidi and I have decided to gather pricing information on the materials that the outreach and art auction groups had wanted but didn’t necessarily have this semester. On Tuesday, the group will be meeting at Bentley’s to collect our information and sit down and start/rewrite the grant. Thanks Marissa for all your wonderful help and encouragement!

Meetings and New Directions

The grant group has a new direction that I think we are all excited about. After having a few meetings, our group has come to the consensus that we will write a grant for the next ARE 420/520 class to help with the costs of running workshops. I feel good about this direction because I feel more informed about our class, and more confident in being able to articulate what we need, versus articulating the needs of BICAS. It makes a big difference being part of the group we are writing for instead of being outsiders. Working through the Research part of the CRAFT method, by interviewing people and finding out what is important to them, in preparation for writing the grant is an important step, and writing for the class will allow us to do this part. It’s neat to be able to have a dialogue with our fellow classmates, and I look forward to hearing about what everyone has experienced and what they feel would make the workshops even more successful for the next class.

The grant group has planned to ask the other groups for feedback on Thursday, and we have scheduled a meeting for next Tuesday to continue writing the grant to reflect our new goals.

Coconut lattes incite progress...

Whitney and I met at Shot in the Dark Cafe last week to start the writing process of the Wells Fargo Grant. We got an amazing amount done and were really happy with the results so far. We got an idea from Marissa to specify the grant to support our own class workshops that we do with BICAS to get materials and supplies to further our class mission as a whole. We are now changing direction and I'm pretty sure the writing will be easy enough to change to keep our progress on the grant writing while supporting our own class and BICAS!

Contribution

This past week has felt like my first real contribution to BICAS’ art auction. At the workshop on the mall, I had the opportunity to make something for BICAS to sell. I had arrived early and was shown the basic work that goes into making a coin purse. From there, I picked my materials and set off to work sewing the bike tube and fabric together. The result was a functional coin purse for BICAS and a bit of a sun burn.

I had intended on doing more research on the financial forms that are used for nonprofits and grants, but I wasn’t able to get around to it this week. So my goal for this upcoming week is to do that research and work with my group to figure out the direction we are moving in.

Getting Creative

As for my responsibilities as they are set up now, I have spent some time at the Pima County Public Library utilizing their Grant & Nonprofit Information section. As of now, I am set to research documentation after receiving grants and hopefully set up a system for BICAS to track how money is used after receiving grants. I found one book, After the Grant: The Nonprofit's Guide to Good Stewardship, edited by Judith B. Margolin which outlines various grant data collection and documentation.

• use of funds
• records and audits
• coding the grant for financial and data documenting (income sources, appeal/campaign code, department receiving and spending funds, project fund code)
• monitoring the grant
• managing departures from the grant proposal, budget, timeline, and deliverables
• evaluation of results due to grant
• keeping required records
• organizing the official donor and grant files
• and last, but not least, renewal funding

There are also helpful charts to use in organizing all of this information.

It has been a bit of a challenge to meet with BICAS with their busy schedules and art auction planning, so it looks like I will need to be turning directions from looking into grants specifically for BICAS and possibly look into grants to aid the next community, culture, and art education class in their efforts with BICAS (i.e. workshops and programming). Casie and Whitney have started in on the Wells Fargo grant to support BICAS, and another grant should aid us in feeling through the process of grant writing. As a group, we will need to really take a look at our next step to see where we can really be of use and get the most out of this experience! I found information regarding grant writing at the Pima County Public Library as well. Promoting Community Change: Making it Happen in the Real World, by Mark S. Homan has great tips and practically step-by-step guides for grant writing that I think we will be able to utilize. It walks you through all of the basics such as, cover letter, title page, abstract or proposal summary, etc.

We are definitely on the right track; we just need to start getting creative on how this will pan out!

-Heidi

Café Magic

This week, Casie and I had a writing session at Shot In The Dark Café. It was great to finally dive in! We developed a good rough draft/outline during our meeting, and we have another writing time scheduled for next Tuesday evening.

During our meeting, Casie and I decided we should do some research on Wells Fargo’s past giving amounts. We learned in the introductory grant webinar we viewed that it’s important to match how much you are asking for with the amount usually given by an organization. I was able to find this information using the Foundation Center’s grant database at the public library. Not only was I able to find how much Wells Fargo gave, but also what organizations received grants in the past few years in Arizona. (A side note: I can’t imagine having to do this before the internet!) I found that Wells Fargo is very diverse in their giving in both the amount of their grants and the organizations they give to. This is good news for us because it means we have a good chance of matching with their objectives. We fall in the middle in terms of the amount we are thinking of asking for, so this research shows that we can move ahead with our plan. Great!

It all starts at the café...

Whitney and I are meeting Tuesday to discuss the Wells Fargo grant and hopefully get some writing done. We're meeting at a café because apparently this is where all the magic happens! Thanks to Megan we have a detailed and concise outline of types of grants and funders. This work can be really confusing and daunting at times, but I really think our group is doing a wonderful job at categorizing their research into manageable sections.

Types of Funders

While we are waiting to get a meeting with both Casey and John, I've spent my time doing some research. Today I looked into different grant funders and their differences. Next I plan on looking at the specific forms that many grant providers use for documentation and for taxes.






From library.pima.edu Grants and Nonprofit Info Center

Types of Funders
I. Grantmaking Public Charities
a. Is a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization
b. Supported by:
i. Individuals
ii. Foundations
iii. Churches
iv. Governmental agencies
v. And sometimes with income from charitable activities
c. Receive most foundation and corporate grants
d. Some raise money and make grants
e. Some local examples are:
i. Angel Charity for Children, Inc.
ii. Tucson Conquistadores


II. Foundations
a. A nonprofit, nongovernmental organization
b. Established to aid:
i. Education
ii. Social
iii. Charitable
iv. Other common welfare activities
v. Other common good activities
1. Done through making grants to other nonprofit organizations
c. Has a principal fund of its own
i. Usually derived from a single source
1. Such as a family, an individual, or a corporation
d. Managed by its own trustees and directors
e. Ex. Flinn Foundation in Phoenix


III. Difference between a Grantmaking Public Charity and a Private Foundation
a. Public charities generally get funding and support from the general public
i. Individuals, government, and private foundations
b. Private foundations generally get funds from a single source
i. Individual, a family, a company
c. Why does that matter?
i. They follow different regulations and rules of taxation
1. For example
a. Public charities are eligible for maximum income tax deductibility
i. Private foundations are limited in this
b. They both follow different annual IRS reporting requirements
i. Public charities file Form 990 and Schedule A
ii. Private foundations file Form 990-PF


IV. Government Grants
a. Available from federal, state, and local governments
b. Arizona Networks:
i. Monthly e-newsletter listing federal, state, and federal grants, RFPs, RFQs, and bids relevant to Arizona’s nonprofit community
ii. http://datamonster.sbs.arizona.edu/SGPP/index.html
c. Federal Sites
i. Grants.gov
1. Federal grant info
2. Allows electronic access to find and apply for competitive grant opportunities
ii. Catalog of Federal domestic Assistance
1. Searchable database of info on federal assistance programs
2. http://www.cfda.gov/
iii. Federal Register
1. Daily publication that includes announcements of federal grant opportunities
2. http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/
iv. Foundation Center
1. Up-to-date list of web sites for government grants
2. http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/faqs/html/government_grants.html
d. State Sites
i. Arizona Department of Education Grants
1. Info pertaining to educational grants
2. http://www.ade.az.gov/GME/default.asp
ii. Arizona Game and Fish Heritage Fund
1. For urban wildlife habitat; public access; environmental education; schoolyard grants; and inventory, protection, management of sensitive species and habitats
2. http://www.gf.state.az.us/w_c/heritage_program.shtml
iii. Arizona governor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families
1. General info on the Division for Children, Division for Women, Division of Drug Policy, Division of Domestic Violence Prevention, Division of Community Outreach, and Division of Volunteerism
2. http://gocyf.az.gov/CYFBoardsComm.asp
iv. Arizona Judicial Department: Administrative Office of the Courts—Fund Administration
1. Lists programs available through this department
2. http://www.supreme.state.az.us/aoc/fund.htm
v. Arizona Date Procurement Office
1. Learn doing business with the State, mailing list for State RFPs and calendar of recent RFP announcements
2. http://www.azdoa.gov/agencies/spo/default.asp
e. Local sites
i. City of Tucson community Services Department
1. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program
2. http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/hcd
ii. City of Tucson’s Department of Neighborhood Services
1. Supports neighborhood associations and efforts to enhance the quality of life
2. http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/hcd
iii. Pima County Community and Economic Development
1. Info on RFPs, grants, contracts, and funding sources/partnerships
2. http://www.pima.gov/CED/Grants/index.html


V. Corporate Philanthropy
a. Grants given by businesses
b. Give primarily to:
i. Employees
ii. Their families
iii. Residents of specific locations where the company conducts business
c. Support to nonprofits through:
i. Direct-giving programs
ii. Private foundations
iii. Or both
d. In-kind gifts
i. Contributions of equipment, supplies, or other property distinct from monetary grants

The Waiting Game

We have yet to discuss logistics with BICAS regarding grants, so it appears we are still playing a bit of a waiting game to determine how our goals and responsibilities are going to pan out. We are waiting to see if Sunday will work to meet with both John and Casey. As we wait, I will delve more into researching documenting their funding and hope it will fit in with their needs.

We’re on Our Way!

This week was exciting because the grant writing group has decided to write a proposal for a Wells Fargo grant. Our conversation with Casey in class today helped give us a place to start in terms of what BICAS needs funding for. We are hoping to set up a longer meeting with John and Casey in the near future, but in the meantime, Casie and I have set a time to get together and begin writing!

The photo is of some bubble brainstorming I did this past week to get myself thinking about different programs we could address in our grant proposal, and also some ideas of businesses and organizations in Tucson that might be sources of in kind donations to help fulfill the art supply Wish List and other needs of BICAS.

Looking Up!

It looks as though the grant group is finally seeing a clear direction to take our project. We have contacted Casey at BICAS who has also forwarded us a few grants they are interested in. We hope to have a meeting with them in the following week were we can sit down and discuss just what their needs are and how we can help. Helping them write a few grants would be very exciting and a great opportunity for us to be a part of and learn the steps it takes to apply for a grant.

This week has been both productive and hectic. I think many of us have been feeling pressure. Even though it may feel like we aren’t making much progress, we have been getting work done. That’s part of the purpose of these reflections. It gives us the opportunity to take a step back and see what’s going on.

The Grant Writing Group has managed to work out and gather some base knowledge on grant seeking and writing. We have also gotten into contact with Casey in hopes of setting up a meeting to ask questions and get more information on what BICAS is looking for. Casey has emailed us some links to grants that BICAS is interested in and we are looking into these.

That being said, we’ve started to shift our roles within the group. We are collaborating on specific things that BICAS is looking for and doing research when it is needed.

Hold Your Horses!

When I came to class this past Thursday I didn’t feel like anything was moving along and I began to feel really anxious. I felt like I needed to have something concrete to show my productivity and usefulness. Time is ticking, I thought, and I must do something now! It was helpful to talk with my group mates and Marissa to realize that I had overlooked much of what has been happening. It’s just not manifest in the forms I have become accustomed to measuring progress by (a finished document, a grade etc.). A lot of progress has been made in building relationships with each other and negotiating our ideas. Because of this, we will be even more prepared and ready to act on the ideas that come from our discussion with Casey, once we are able meet with her.

My experience Thursday reminded me of an idea the instructor spoke about in the yoga class I attended this week. She said that studentship is the willingness to show up and learn from whatever is presented. Although I have been showing up with the willingness to learn, perhaps I have not been fully open to what has been presented. I definitely have a new intention going forward.

My goals for next week are to meet with Casey at BICAS, look at some examples of grant proposals, and to hopefully begin an application for a Wells Fargo grant with my group.

Making connections

After perusing an email Casey sent us with links to possible grants available, it became a little more clear that general purpose grants rather than project grants might be more feasible to apply for, since project grants involve way more in terms of application process, matching funds, and actually developing and following through on a project such as a lecture or exhibition and the follow-up required afterward. We only have one semester, after all!

Grants available on the azhumanities.org website were more complicated than the corporate giving grants from Wells Fargo, and we might actually be able to produce a grant for them to submit (or not) later on since there are no deadlines with Wells Fargo. What other banks or corporations could we solicit? TFCU had an ad that supported La Pilita in the newsletter I just received and it gave me the idea to seek out other corporations that love to support community development. The possibilities seem endless, but we'd really like to create something concrete that will benefit BICAS and the people they serve.

Here is a link Casey sent us about grants given to Austin artists to make bike racks for the city! They're really cool!

http://impactnews.com/northwest-austin/256-recent-news/7757-council-approves-grant-for-sculpture-bike-racks-downtown

What does BICAS need?

As part of the grant writing group, I have initiated my research by reviewing the grant writing resources on the Pima County Public Library’s website . Within the library’s website you can go to ‘Research & Resources,’ and find the ‘Grant & Nonprofit Info Center’ which has a great deal of information. We as a group decided we should all listen to the ‘Grantseeking Basics’ as well as the webinar, ‘Grantseeking Basics for Individuals in the Arts.’ 

Alongside gaining basic grant knowledge, we have reached out to John Salgado and Casey at BICAS to set a meeting time with the two of them to discuss their needs and establish a more concrete plan for our group. On October 1, 2010, myself, Whitney and Megan briefly introduced ourselves and discussed our group and how we could support BICAS. This meeting was very brief as both John and Casey had only a few moments after our Skill Share and their appointment with a potential site for their art auction. We haven’t heard back from BICAS, but we did send the outline we have created that clearly defines our group goals as well as our individual responsibilities so they will have an idea our groups plan and know if that will fit in with what they are needing. We also proposed some times that we could possibly meet with them. 

Our main focus going forward is to meet with BICAS to decipher what exactly it is BICAS really needs! 

Embarking on Research

These images are from my first research trip to my local library branch, Martha Cooper, to use the grant database. I like this branch in particular because the architecture is exciting, especially at night.

All members of the grant writing group began by viewing one of the free online webinars hosted by the Foundation Center. I watched “Grantseeking Basics” and found it to be helpful in formulating a broad understanding of grants and what grantors look for, as well as an introduction to some research methods. Below, is also an answer to one of our questions.

Foundation Center “Grantseeking Basics” Webinar

Highlighted Points of Interest:

http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/training/webinars/gsb_webinar.html

Foundations make up about 13% of private giving. Private giving is about 13.7% of total revenue for nonprofits.

What funders look at to decide if they will give support to an organization:

Phase 1:

-Does the organization have legal nonprofit status – 501 (c)(3)

-What is the mission of the organization? Needs to be compelling!

-Does the organization have a board of directors?

Phase 2:

-What documentation does the organization have to show what they have done before and the results?

-Does the organization have a history of success?

-What leadership/organizational structures are in place so that once the money is allotted the organization will use it effectively?

Phase 3: Is it a perfect fit?

-Does the mission of the organization fit with the mission of the funder?

-Does the organization serve a particular community/population the funder concentrates on? (Often funders address specific issues in a specific geographic area.)

-Does the type of support requested match what the funder wants to give? (ex. seed money, research money, money to continue an established project)

-Is the amount requested within a range the funder gives?

-Does the funder know exactly how the money will be used and exactly how much is being requested? The more specific the better!

Tips for searching for matches:

- Using the Foundation Center’s database to look up by issue, and type of funding

- Get a list of the grants made by a foundation and how much they have given in the past 2-3 years. All foundations are required to disclose what grants they make to the IRS. Does this history match your nonprofit’s needs? (Foundation Center has search engine for this).

Research findings addressing the question:

What is the difference between larger grants and smaller project grants?

A project grant is one type of support that a grantor may give. In addition to grantors supporting certain causes aligned with their mission, they can also be specific in the type of support they want to give. For example, a foundation may be interested in supporting research, the purchase of real estate, or evaluation of a program. Project grants, referred to as “Program development” by the Foundation Center, is defined in their directory as, “Grants to support specific projects or programs as opposed to general purpose grants.” General purpose grants are defined as, “Grants for the day-to-day operating costs of an existing program or organization or to further the general purpose or work of an organization; also called “unrestricted grants.”

To see the source for this information and to get more information about types of support go to: http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/faqs/html/tos.html

Getting Started

For the grant writing group we have been trying to find a way to get a foot in the door when it comes to grant writing. To start, we have talked to John from BICAS about grant writing and were given some basic information to get us thinking about what we can do for our goals and research. We are currently setting up a meeting with both Casey and John to gather more information about what they are looking for. And to get started in our research I have watched the video from the website below and taken notes to get some basic starting ideas of where to go in my research.

Grantseeking Basics Webinar
http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/training/webinars/gsb_webinar.html

From the foundation center:
To strengthen the nonprofit sector by advancing knowledge about U.S. philanthropy.
Collect, organize, and communicate on U.S. philanthropy (grant makers)
Conduct and facilitate research on trends in the field
Provide education and training in the grantseeking process
Ensure public access to information and services through various vehicles

Part 1: Building a Credible Nonprofit Organization
What do you need to have in place before you seek a grant?
What are foundations looking for when deciding who to award?
Not only do they look at the plan, they also look at the organization as a whole
501(c)(3) status (making sure that you are legal-by law have to give their money away for charitable purposes)
Compelling mission (what is your purpose?)
Board of directors to exercise oversight
Funders Look For:
High-quality programs that meet a real need in the community (reputation-already have strong programs? Or new design?)
Need to be able to document for the needs of the program
Track record of effective program delivery
Capable leadership
A strong organizational and financial infrastructure (assurance that if given the money you will get to work and will deliver the program as well as follow up)

Part 2: World of Grantmakers: Who Supports Nonprofits?
A large percentage comes from the sales
Private contributions (individuals, foundations, bequests, and corporations)
Grants are not the only way to raise money for your work
Instituational grantmakers
Private foundations
Nongovernmental, nonprofit organization
Has its own funds or endowment (not fundraising)
Managed by its own trustees or directors
Established to aid educational, social, religious, scientific, or other charitable activities through the making of grants
Types:
Independent
Company-sponsored
Operating
Have to file with the IRS how much and to whom they give grant money to through Form 990-PF
If granted money, you cannot just sit on it: 5%payout requirement
Direct corporate giving programs
Research through sponsoring companies
Grantmaking public charities (some raise money to give away)
Disclose activities through Form 990 (as a source)
Includes:
Community foundations
Population or issue-oriented funds

Part 3: Finding Funding Partners
Identifying Funding Needs
Why do I need funding and what kind do I need? (Mission statement-program plans)
How much do I need?
When do I need the funds?
(The more specific the better)
Look for the match (foundations are looking for the right fit)
Who funds in my area of interest?
Who funds in my geographic region?
Who will provide the type of support I need?
Refine the match
Has the grantmaker funded organizations like mine?
How much does the grantmaker give to organizations like mine?
Application Process
Follow the grantmaker’s guidelines (what do they want?)
Initial contact
Telephone call?
Letter of inquiry?
Full proposal?
Variations on proposal format
Common Grant Application?
Funder’s own application form?
Pay attention to deadlines
Look for information that would make you ineligible (so you don’t waste time)

Haiku and Photos

Our first day at BICAS!

A Haiku:

Transportation funk?

recycle your bicycle

save it from the dump!