Funding Resources

We strive to expand access and success in postsecondary education Lumina Foundation firmly believes that education is the best way to help people achieve their potential and improve our nations future. Therefore, we address issues that affect access and attainment in postsecondary education in the United States - particularly among traditionally underserved student groups. These students include 18- to 24-year-olds and adult students who face barriers to an education by virtue of their income, preparation or family background.

What we fund
Lumina Foundation supports the following types of endeavors, working diligently to ensure that all funded projects promote access, attainment and adult learning:

-Research to expand knowledge and improve practices that affect students access and success in postsecondary education.

- Innovative programs, guided by research, that present practical approaches to access and attainment among underserved students and adult learners.

- Activities that enhance the impact of Lumina Foundation-funded research and programs, such as leadership development, communication, evaluation and public policy analysis.

Print full grant guidelines.

Special initiatives and clusters
From time to time, Lumina Foundation identifies and initiates a special program that has the potential to improve postsecondary access and success. We generally solicit participation in these efforts, rather than accepting unsolicited proposals.

For example, Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count is a multiyear national initiative to help more community college students succeed. Community colleges enroll almost half of all U.S. undergraduate students. But fewer than half of community college students meet their educational goals. This initiative primarily focuses on students who traditionally have faced significant barriers to success, including students of color and low-income students. The goal is to help more students earn certificates or degrees that open the door to better jobs, further education, and greater opportunity. Grants to a selected pool of colleges have already been made.

Another special cluster of grants include College Goal SundaySM, which assists families in applying for financial aid; Indiana programs; and new work that will examine the college-cost issue and its implications for policy and practice.
Print full grant guidelines.

Lumina Foundation solicits proposals for some of its grant initiatives. In addition, we welcome letters of inquiry from eligible organizations (http://www.luminafoundation.org/grants/whowefund.html) that seek funds for projects that fit our mission and guidelines.

A letter of inquiry should describe the proposed project and respond to the following questions in 3-5 pages:

- What is the project's goal?
- What is the sponsoring organization?
- What special qualifications does the organization bring to this project?
- What other organizations are involved, if any? How will they contribute to the work?
- How does the proposed project relate to the applicant organization's mission?
- Whom will this project serve?
- What are the intended outcomes, and how will the project achieve them?
- What is the geographic scope of the proposed project?
- Why is this project important to pursue at this time?
- What is the total cost of the project? What amount do you seek from Lumina Foundation, for what period of time? What resources will others provide?

The Foundation accepts inquiries year-round. We consider only those inquiries that:

- Include a completed cover sheet (http://www.luminafoundation.org/grants/LOI_cover_sheet.doc), not to exceed one page.
- Are submitted on the letterhead of the sponsoring organization or institution.
- Specify the amount of financial support requested and the timeframe.

We review every inquiry that meets the above criteria. Following the review, we let applicants know whether or not the inquiry fits our current priorities and resources. If we request a full proposal, we will provide instructions on applying for a grant and will request additional information about the project.

Send grant inquiries to:
Program Office - New Inquiry
Lumina Foundation for Education
P.O. Box 1806
Indianapolis, IN 46206-1806

Grant inquiries can also be submitted electronically. Please send the Letter of Inquiry and completed cover sheet as attachments to our e-mail address.

Grant size
Grants vary in size by their scope and potential for impact. Direct-service grants to students and families tend to be smaller than those that affect entire systems. The median size of a typical grant is approximately $150,000; the average size is about $400,000. The usual term for grants is one to three years, although exceptions sometimes apply to initiatives we sponsor.
Print full grant guidelines.

The approval process
A Lumina Foundation review panel carefully considers all solicited proposals. Occasionally, we invite external experts to review proposals as well. Depending on the size and scope of the request, the Foundations executive officers and directors may undertake additional review and approval. We are diligent in our efforts to respond promptly to proposals. Assuming potential grantees timely responses to requests for information, the entire review and approval process usually takes six months or less.

Lumina Foundation may occasionally impose an application deadline for cluster grants or initiatives; otherwise, we accept and review inquiries and proposals throughout the year.
Print full grant guidelines.

Who we fund
Lumina Foundation makes grants to organizations that are classified as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and as public charities under section 509(a)(1), (2) or (3) of the Code, or to public organizations that are designated under section 170(c) of the Code. Please note that Lumina Foundation for Education does not make grants to (a.) supporting organizations controlled by disqualified persons to Lumina, or (b.) Type III supporting organizations that are not functionally integrated Type III supporting organizations (as such terms are defined in the Internal Revenue Code).

Convinced that society has an important stake in the success of all students, we also encourage eligible grant recipients to propose projects and activities that involve communities, families and students in promoting educational access and success.

Geographic scope
Lumina Foundation makes grants within the United States and its territories. In addition, as an Indiana-based foundation, we set aside 10 percent of grant funds each year for projects that are specific to our hometown and home state. For Indiana-specific requests, the average grant is $75,000. In general, these requests should follow the same guidelines as requests from out of state.

What we encourage
Lumina Foundation seeks to foster significant and lasting improvement in college access and success, particularly among traditionally underserved student groups. To that end, we encourage:

-Collaboration among multiple organizations and institutions to ensure comprehensive and enduring attention to students' postsecondary preparation, enrollment and attainment.
- Projects that demonstrate capacity for long-term growth and sustainability. We urge potential grantees to consider carefully the ways in which they will build broad-based institutional, organizational, policy and funding support for the work they propose.
- Work that is guided by careful research and assessment and that will contribute new knowledge and evidence to strengthen students' opportunities for postsecondary access and success.

What we don't fund
In compliance with the Internal Revenue Code, Lumina Foundation grants do not support partisan political or lobbying efforts. In addition, we generally do not award grants for the following:

- Corporate sponsorships and fund-raising events outside Indianapolis.
- Religious activities. (We may consider grant requests from religious organizations if the proposed activities promote educational access and success and if they serve diverse recipients, without regard to their religious backgrounds.)
- Individual scholarships or institutional scholarship programs.
- K-12 education reform.
- Capital campaigns and endowments.
- Meetings and conferences, unless they relate to a strategic initiative of the Foundation.
- Requests from individual institutions, unless they meet one of the following criteria:
o They are part of a special program initiated by Lumina Foundation.
o The beneficiaries of the project reach well beyond the requesting institution, as evidenced by a strong strategy of collaboration and communication.
o The project represents a significant contribution to building knowledge, policy or practice, as evidenced by a commitment to baseline research and rigorous evaluation so as to prove results.

The Foundation Center “supports and improves philanthropy by promoting public understanding of the field and helping grantseekers succeed.” One of the Foundation Center's library is conveniently located on 1627 K Street, NW (3rd Floor). Stop by and ask a librarian to help you find the right grant for you or take a free class on grant writing with them! www.fdncenter.org/washington (202) 331-1400.

The Public Welfare Foundation is offering funds for programs working to improve the delivery of basic services to disadvantaged populations, particularly in the areas of community development, criminal justice, youth, environment, health, human rights and global security. Awards ranging from $10.000 to $50,000 are available.

o determine if your request fits the Foundation's guidelines, browse our website to find information about funding priorities, policies and procedures, a list of past grants and an online letter of inquiry form.

New Applications
New applications -- including both requests for first-time support and projects that have not received funding from the Foundation in the last 3 years--should be submitted in the form of a three-part letter of inquiry in English (checklist). If we determine that a letter of inquiry fits our funding priorities, and if resources are available, we will request a full proposal.

Timeline
Requests for new funding may be submitted at any time during the year. The review committee considers letters of inquiry on a regular basis.

More information please visit: http://www.publicwelfare.org/news/news/fund_2006.asp

The Sociological Initiatives Foundation was established in 1999 to support research and social action projects that focus on understanding and finding solutions to a broad array of social problems.

The Sociological Initiatives Foundation provides grants of $5,000 to $15,000 to support community- based research projects. Areas of interest include but are not limited to social justice, social welfare, human rights, literacy, language learning and use, dialect use and curricular issues in teaching second languages and non-native languages.

The primary goal is to encourage research, including community-based research, that supports and promotes social change.

The Foundation recognizes community-based research as:

A collaborative enterprise where researchers and community members jointly control the research process.

Validating multiple sources of knowledge and promoting the use of multiple methods of discovery and of distribution of the knowledge produced.

Having a goal of social action and social change for the purpose of enhancing social justice. Community-based research changes both material inequality and knowledge inequality, helping community members become their own information producers.

Preference will be given to projects that address institutional rather than individual or behavioral change and/or research and initiatives that provide insight into sociological and linguistic issues that may be useful to specific groups and or communities.

Areas of particular interest include:

Social and political inequalities

Poverty and employment issues

Social welfare issues (e.g. education, housing, and health care)

Minority group and gender issues

Second language learning and use

Literacy (first and second language)

Topics related to language in its social contexts (attitudes, dialects, gender, law and medicine, education, etc).

Please direct all inquiries to: Foundation Office; The Sociological Initiatives Foundation
c/o Prentice Zinn, Administrator; Grants Management Associates
77 Summer Street, Suite 800 - Boston, Massachusetts, 02110-1006 USA
V 617 - 426 - 7080x307
F 617 - 426 - 7087
e-mail:

Workforce USA has just launched a section of their website on funding at http://www.workforceusa.net/fund_list.php.

Mattel and the Mattel Childrens Foundation are pleased to continue for the second year our Domestic Grantmaking Program. Through this effort, unsolicited applications for funds for organizations benefiting children in need in the United States are accepted, pending the eligibility requirements and guidelines listed below. Charitable organizations that demonstrate they directly serve children in need may be eligible for grants of $5,000 up to $25,000. Funds may be applied to programs or general operating costs.

Eligibility Requirements:
501(c)3 Public Charity organizations - If an organization is a project under a fiscal sponsor, that sponsor must have a valid tax exemption status.

Organizations must serve children in communities within the U.S.

Organizations must not discriminate against a person or a group on the basis of age, political affiliation, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief.
Funding Priorities

Organizations must have a mission that focuses on the direct service of children ages zero to 12 years. Priority will be given to those organizations focused on serving children, rather than broader social service charities.

Organizations or programs that use creative and/or innovative methods to address a locally defined need directly impacting children in need.

Organizations or programs that align with Mattel's philanthropic priorities:

LEARNING - Increasing access to education for underserved children and in particular, innovative strategies to promote and address literacy.

HEALTH - Supporting the physical health and well-being of children, with particular emphasis on promoting healthy, active lifestyles.

GIRL EMPOWERMENT - Promoting self-esteem in young girls, up to age 12.
Organizations may submit under a fiscal agent as long as the program has been in existence for at least two years.

Organizations MUST have an annual operating budget of less than $1,000,000. Foundation staff may defer this in rare circumstances at the staff's discretion. Please do not proactively contact Foundation staff regarding this.

Organizations may not be affiliated in any way with national organizations, regardless of whether funds are received from the national entity. Organizations excluded include Boys & Girls Clubs, United Ways, YMCA's, and disease-affiliated organizations such as the American Heart Association.

Types of Grants:

Two types of grants will be considered:
Program-specific grants - Funding for launch of new programs or expansion of existing programs.
Core operating support - Provides support for administrative and operating costs allowing organizations to sustain their programs.

We don't fund:
Capital funding for physical property purchase, renovation or developments
Individuals
Political parties, candidates or partisan political organizations
Labor organizations, fraternal organizations, athletic clubs or social clubs
Sectarian or denominational religious organizations, except for programs that are available to anyone, broadly promoted and free from religious orientation
Schools and school districts
Fundraising events (e.g., dinners, tournaments)
Advertising or marketing sponsorships
Research Overhead and/or indirect costs (including fiscal sponsor fees) that exceed 15 percent of the direct project costs
Funding Cycle

Grant applications will be accepted online during two funding cycles.
Cycle I
Applications Accepted between: January 1, 2006 to April 7, 2006
Applicants notified by: July 1, 2006

Cycle II
Applications Accepted between: July 1, 2006 to September 30, 2006
Applicants notified by: December 8, 2006

Funding is for one fiscal year. No multi-year requests will be accepted. The Foundation does not expect to continue funding programs beyond the period of the grant. Organizations may apply only once in a calendar year. Those that receive a grant should not reapply for funding for at least one year after the end of the existing grant period, unless notified otherwise.

Applications must be submitted online through the Mattel website. Applications will not be accepted by fax or mail. If you have any questions, please send them to foundation@mattel.com.

Application
To access the eligibility quiz to determine if your organization or program is eligible for a grant, please visit: https://www.grantrequest.com/SID_489/?SA=SNA&FID=35004

Please use this link for your project's budget.:
http://www.mattel.com/About_Us/Philanthropy/Mattel_Project Budget_Template2.xls

Please use this link for your organizations budget:
https://www.grantrequest.com/SID_489/Default.asp?CT=CT&SA=SNA&FID=35006

If your organization or program successfully completes the eligibility quiz, you will automatically link to the grant application.

If you are a designated Community Partner as identified by a specific Mattel location, please visit:
https://www.grantrequest.com/SID_489?SA=SNA&FID=35004

Youth for Justice, the national coordinated law- related education (LRE) consortium funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the United States Department of Justice, invites 100 middle and high school classes across the United States to teach others about the fundamental ideas of American democracy through the Third Annual National Teach-In celebration of National & Global Youth Service Day and National Law Day.

The first 100 classes to register will receive a mini-grant of $200 which may be used to buy materials to conduct their teach-in, provide law-related education resources for their class or school library, host a teach-in conference with another school, or donate to a school club or charity. The deadline to register is: January 31, 2006.

Participating classes agree to: select a lesson from the National Teach-In website they want to con- duct for a teach-in between April 17 and May 7, 2006; report their activity to Youth for Justice; and write to their Representative in Congress about their work.

For the website with more information: http://www.crfc.org/yfj_teachin2006.html. The National Teach-In is a program of Youth for Justice, the national coordinated law-related education program of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the Unites States Department of Justice

USDA’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives is offering a new valuable resource, “Federal Funds for Organizations That Help Those in Need.” The online grants catalog will help to find Federal grant opportunities suitable for faith-based and community organizations. To view the list of more than 150 programs, please go to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/grants-catalog-index.html.

Contact information is provided with each grant opportunity, which is the best place to learn about the application process and other details about the program. For assistance with the state-administered program opportunities of USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, there is also contact information for funding opportunities by state.

To search by state for domestic food and nutrition program opportunities, please go to: http://www.usda.gov/fbci/fnsstateprograms_fbci.html. For more information, please send an email to: fbci@usda.gov.

On October 1, 2005, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ( http://www.rwjf.org/ ), America’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, will pilot a new process for accepting and processing independent proposals from all applicants.

The changes to the application procedures are part of an effort to make the foundation’s system for reviewing and deciding on independent proposals as fair and responsive as possible. Independent proposals are projects, solicited and unsolicited, that are not funded under one of the foundation’s current national programs but still meet the criteria of one of the foundation’s interest areas.

On October 1, all content on the foundation’s Web site pertaining to application procedures for independent grants will change. As of this date, all RWJF staff will be asked to direct applicants to use the new process, the first step of which involves electronic submission of a brief proposal.

Visit the RWJF Web site for additional information on the foundation’s areas of interest and new application procedures.

http://www.rwjf.org/newsroom/featureDetail.jsp?featureID=987&type=3

The Mayor’s Office of Partnerships and Grants Development, in partnership with the Office of the Chief Technology Officer, announces its new Grants Information Data System.

This online grants database provides information on current competitive federal, city, and foundation grant opportunities for local nonprofit and community-based organizations. All grants may be searched by grantor type/name; issue area; key words in the title; or a Grant ID number, a unique identifier assigned by the system. The Grant ID numbers are now included in all Funding Alert grant listings.

Funding Opportunities: Arts, Culture, & Heritage, Children, Youth, and Families, Community Development, Education, Employment, Financial Management, Health and Mental Health, Housing, Hunger, Immigrants and Refugees, Literacy, Low-income Communities, Violence Prevention

For more information: http://app.opgd.dc.gov/grantautomation/grantfinder.asp

OLA will be granting one to three health grants that meet the District’s objectives of:

Improving health disparities among the District’s Latino residents Maximizing the limited community health services available Enhancing current services to meet the needs of Latino residents

Eligibility requirements (eligible applicants) for health grants include 501 c (3) non-profit community health care agencies serving the District’s Latino community.

In addition, OLA seeks to award 9 to 12 education grants that address the following areas:

Education and training for adults and youth (18 years and older) that lead to increased/improved workforce development skills

Education services and/or programs that complement K-12 grades and encourage youth (17 years and younger) to stay in school

Eligibility requirements (eligible applicants) for these education grants include 501 c (3) non-profit agencies serving the District’s Latino community. Charter Schools are not eligible to apply.

The deadline for both grant submissions is Wednesday, July 15, 2005, at 2 pm.

Both RFA applications can be downloaded through the Office of Partnerships and Grants Development’s District Grants Clearinghouse website: http://opgd.dc.gov/opgd/site/default.asp or pick-up at the address below.

Contact and pick-up information: Helen A. White, Consultant IBCR Offices 401 H Street NE, Washington, DC 20006 703-980-2785 (cell) Helenawhite915@aol.com

For the PDF of the NOFA: Latino Community Health Grant RFA #1019-06 Go to this link: http://www.ola.dc.gov/ola/frames.asp?doc=/ola/lib/ola/nofa-health_grant.pdf

For the PDF of the NOFA: Latino Community Education Grant RFA #1215-06 Go to this link: http://www.ola.dc.gov/ola/frames.asp?doc=/ola/lib/ola/nofa-education_grant.pdf

All Souls-Beckner Advancement Fund Grant Guidelines and Application (2004- 2005)

Fund Background and Overview

The All Souls-Beckner Advancement Fund was established through a generous donation from Earl and Meta Beckner in 1973. Their intent for the fund, as documented in the Deed of Gift, was to:

1. Enhance the influence of All Souls Church in the Washington Metropolitan area;

2. Help to make the immediate community where the Church is located a more cohesive, attractive and forward looking community; and

3. Foster human rights and dignity.

The All Souls-Beckner Advancement Fund is grounded in a commitment to social change philanthropy and seeks to fund efforts that work for social justice. The committee’s grant making is divided into two broad categories:

(1) grants to All Soul’s church groups and committees (internal grants), and

(2) grants to nonprofit organizations (external grants) working in Washington, DC’s Ward 1.

While the following list is not exhaustive of the social justice issues currently faced by Ward 1, it reflects the priority funding areas of the committee. We seek to fund projects that:

- Expand and/or preserve affordable housing access in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood;

- Address community tensions resulting from neighborhood demographic changes, e.g., multiracial coalition building;

- Provide opportunities for Adult Education, particularly with regards to basic literacy and economic literacy;

- Ensure access to and training for jobs; and/or

- Build the advocacy and activism skills of Ward 1 residents.

The committee will consider applications from organizations addressing other social justice issues.

Please note: Grant funds may not be used to reimburse applicants for expenditures already made, or to reduce the deficit of an applicant.

External Grant Criteria

In general, only new or special activities will be considered for funding. From time to time, the committee may fund an existing program that meets a very specialized need. All applicants must meet the following criteria:

- Established 501(c)3 organizations or new organizations/project that have access to a 501(c)3 fiscal sponsor;

- Organizations must be located in and serve Ward 1 (city-wide organizations carrying out substantive and targeted work in Ward 1 will not be excluded); and

- Organizational budgets must be less than $1 million annually.

Priority will be given to those organizations that:

- Have developed or are developing programs to address the root causes of the social service need;

- Actively engage members of the affected community in developing program strategies;

- Have clearly established tools and systems for measuring the success and effectiveness of programs; and

- Can effectively educate and engage members of All Souls Church in its work for social change.

Grants will range between $5,000 and $10,000. All funded organizations will be expected to develop and implement a concrete plan to engage our congregation either through educational outreach (e.g., having a booth after service that highlights their program(s), etc) or recruiting church members to volunteer in their efforts.

For more information, please visit the All Souls Church’s Web site at www.all-souls.org.

The weekly Mayor’s Office of Partnerships & Grants Development’s Funding Alert (PDF) is a free service that lists grant and funding opportunities for DC nonprofits.

A newsletter about fundraising effectively in today's world:
Fundraising_Well.UM.A.1.2955@subscriptions.blackbaud.com.

The global leader in providing training to charities for the ethical and efficient use of the Internet for philanthropic purposes through education and advocacy -- http://ephilanthropy.org.
Complimentary subscriptions are available at web site.

Important Information:

• The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has directed all federal agencies to require all federal grant applicants to provide a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when applying for federal grants or cooperative agreements. The DUNS number helps to improve the statistical reporting of federal grants and cooperative agreements has been required whether an applicant is submitting a paper or electronic application since October 1, 2003. Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or by visiting http://www.dnb.com/us/.
• The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has issued a proposed rule on Equal Participation of Faith-Based Organizations. On December 12, 2002, President George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13279, entitled Equal Protection of the Laws for Faith-Based and Community Organizations. The Executive Order establishes fundamental principles and policymaking criteria to guide executive branch agencies in formulating and developing policies that have implications for faith-based and community organizations to ensure the equal protection of the laws for these organizations in programs receiving federal financial assistance. HUD’s proposed rule describes its policy for the participation of faith-based organizations in HUD programs and activities. In addition, this proposed rule would amend the regulations for the State Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to clarify that the requirements contained in HUD's September 30, 2003, final rule regarding the equal participation of faith-based organizations in certain HUD programs apply to the State CDBG program. Contact Ryan Streeter, Director, Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, HUD, Room 10184, 451 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20410-0001, (202) 708-2404; or hearing-or speech-impaired individuals may access this number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 or visit http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/04-4811.htm.

• The C. S. Mott Foundation Grants Database lets users search for current and past grants available in the U.S.
• The D.C. Office of Partnerships and Grants Development (OPGD) is the electronic grants clearinghouse for the Government of the District of Columbia's grant programs. OPGD also provides assistance to nonprofit and government representatives through a resource center at One Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street, NW, Suite 200 South. The GIRC provides technical assistance that connects DC Government agencies, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations to information about resources that improve community services in D.C. The office focuses on emerging and small nonprofits that either lack computer access or the knowledge to best use their existing computer technology to identify capacity building, funding, and other related resource information online. Access to the GIRC is free of charge but does require an appointment. Call (202) 727-8900 to schedule. The Funding Alert, a service of the D.C. Office of Partnerships and Grants Development in the Mayor's Office, is a weekly online newsletter that anyone can subscribe to by emailing fundingalert@dc.gov. Funding Alert is a free service of the Office of Partnerships and Grants Development in the Executive Office of Mayor.
• The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is sponsoring grant-writing workshops focused on explaining the grant application process to community- and faith-based organizations. SAMHSA is also providing its own grant-writing training manual at http://www.samhsa.gov/faithbased/index.html.
• The Fannie Mae Foundation has a strong interest in promoting organizational effectiveness among nonprofits. The Foundation offers grants to operating support designed to help nonprofit organizations build their capacity, increase their impact, and operate more efficiently and effectively. Applications for support of specific programs or specific projects are not encouraged, unless the organization's overall mission is so broad that a substantial part of its work falls outside the Foundation's funding priorities. The Create Healthy and Vibrant Neighborhoods in Washington, D.C. grant program is eligible to organizations working to create healthy neighborhoods in the District of Columbia by Increasing the supply of high quality, affordable homeownership and rental housing opportunities through new production, rehabilitation, or preservation; by enhancing the experience of students in D.C. Public Schools through such programs as experiential learning, career development, and academic enrichment; or by improving education, community development, and/or affordable housing through sharing knowledge, developing community leadership, or working in collaboration across neighborhoods, organizations, and sectors. For questions about guidelines, e-mail grants@fanniemaefoundation.org.
• The Foundation Center is a leading authority on institutional philanthropy and is dedicated to serving grantseekers, grantmakers, researchers, policymakers, the media, and the general public. The Foundation Center offers a variety of free training classes for nonprofit organizations. Call (202) 331-1400. The Foundation Center-Washington, D.C.'s Philanthropy Forum programs focus on cutting-edge research and current topics of interest to nonprofit staff and volunteer leaders and provide opportunities to build knowledge and increase understanding, with time to network, ask questions, and share perspectives. The Foundation Center has recently updated its resource list, African-American Philanthropy: A Topical Resource List. This resource includes Web links and citations to journal articles and books from the Foundation Center's extensive bibliographic database, Literature of the Nonprofit Sector Online. Books and articles on the list are available for free perusal at the Foundation Center library. Access the African-American Philanthropy resource list at http://fdncenter.org/learn/topical/african.html and the bibliographic database at http://lnps.fdncenter.org/index.html.
  The Foundation Center now has a Weekend Lending program so that selected books may be checked-out over the weekend. Books may be checked out on Fridays and must be returned to the Reference Desk no later than 2:00 p.m. on the following Monday. Any resident of the metropolitan area may borrow books.
  The Foundation Center’s Guide to Winning Proposals features 20 real world grant proposals funded by some of today's most influential grantmakers who selected them for inclusion in the Guide. Each proposal is reprinted in its entirety and includes commentary by the grants decision-maker, pointing to both its strengths and weaknesses. The book also includes letters of inquiry, budgets, cover letters, and vital supplementary documents, all of which are key components of the full proposal package. Proposals are included from both small and large nonprofits seeking funding for special projects (single year or multi-year), general operating support, endowment, building/renovation, seed money, and more. The book is accessible at the Foundation Center Library, 1627 K Street, NW, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20006, (202) 331-1400.
• The Grantmaker Forum announces The Cost of a Volunteer, which summarizes the findings from an examination of 21 volunteer programs nationwide to ascertain the true financial cost of organizing a high quality volunteer program and to better understand the implications for the nonprofit sector of the President's call to service. This and other publications are available from http://www.gfcns.org/gfcns/publications/index.html.
• Grants.gov's "Find Grant Opportunities" (FIND) feature is now available. This addition to the Grants.gov site allows you to search for information on competitive grant opportunities from all 26 federal grant-making agencies from one location. Register to be notified automatically of future grant opportunities as they are added to the site. All competitive grant announcements are posted on Grants.gov. The "Apply for Grants" (APPLY) feature allows grantors to post grant application packages and grant seekers to access and submit applications in a single online location. Contact 1-800-518-GRANTS or support@grants.gov.
• The Grantsmanship Center is a resource designed to help nonprofit organizations and government agencies write better grant proposals and develop better programs. This service was developed by TGCI, a leading provider of grantsmanship training and grant information.
• GrantStation.com offers tips on writing grants for federal and state funds and provides a free newsletter for grantseekers.
• The National Center for Charitable Statistics has made Form 990 software available for free. Form 990 is the information return that most tax-exempt 501(c) organizations must file. The primary exceptions are organizations with gross annual receipts of less than $25,000, and congregations. Although always a public document, Form 990 has been gaining in visibility ever since 1999, the year that new public disclosure laws took effect requiring nonprofits to provide copies of their Forms 990 and 1023 to the public, and the Guidestar Web site began to display images of 990s filed by every 501(c)(3) charity in the U.S. Increasingly, donors, funders, reporters, policymakers, and charities are turning to the 990 to learn more about an organization's finances, board members, program and lobbying activity.
• The National Institute for Literacy Grants and Funding Database includes federal grant notices as well as private foundation grant information geared toward literacy programs and practitioners.
• The School Funding Center is dedicated to helping schools find every funding source available to them in the U.S. The database contains more than 100,000 grants worth over $6,000.
• School Grants was created in 1999 as a way to share grant information with PK-12 educators. School Grants provides online tips on finding suitable grant opportunities available to public and private nonprofit elementary and secondary schools and districts across the United States.
• The U.S. Department of Education (DOED)/ Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (FBCI) offers technical assistance on a variety of DOED grant programs. By reviewing technical assistance tools and last year's grant materials provided on the FBCI Web site, organizations can get a running start on upcoming competitions. In addition, FBCI advises that applicants understand the No Child Left Behind principles, the particular requirements and priorities in the application package, and craft proposals to faithfully implement these priorities. For further information, call (202) 219-1741.
• The Verizon Foundation concentrates grantmaking in these priority funding areas: Literacy, Digital Divide Initiatives, Workforce Development, Community Technology Development, and Employee Volunteerism.
• The Wallace Foundation seeks to create opportunities for individuals' personal enrichment through funding programs for better schools, enhanced community activities, and participation in the arts.
• Washington Grantmakers is unveiling a print directory featuring the Top 100 Foundations in the Washington Region with grant information (this represents approximately 85% of the total giving in the region).