Volume 12, number 5: November 1, 2005
FUNDING TIPS
Avoiding Problems with the Grants.gov Application Process
As more federal agencies transition to Grants.gov to receive grant applications electronically, applicants need to take additional steps to ensure successful negotiation of the new system. Most importantly, allow plenty of time to complete the Grants.gov registration process. According to Education Department officials, their most frequent problem with Grants.gov submissions has been incomplete registration, which has resulted in applicants missing closing dates. During its initial year, the National Science Foundation reported that most of their problems related to the registration process and PDF attachments.
Another common mistake is failing to follow the Grants.gov submission instructions exactly. To avoid these pitfalls, follow carefully the instructions for applicants on all participating agency websites and the Grants.gov instructions.
Free Virtual Training Resources on Seeking Foundation Funding
The Foundation Center 's Virtual Classroom has a number of useful and free interactive online training courses about the process of seeking foundation funding. These include the quick tutorials:
- orientation to grantseeking;
- guide to funding research;
- proposal budgeting basics; and
- proposal writing short course.
Registration is required to access the courses. READ MORE
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Launches New Grant Application Process
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), America 's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, has a new application process for grants. The process applies to proposals for projects, solicited and unsolicited, in one of the foundation's interest areas that are not funded included in one of RWJF's current national programs. The new procedures do not affect the active grants of current grantees.
All of the foundation's web site content pertaining to the application process for independent grants has changed. To be considered for RWJF grants, applicants must apply via e-mail and follow the new procedure.
Philanthropy News Digest Compiles Arts Resources in a Special Issue
Philanthropy News Digest, the Foundation Center 's daily online news source, published a special edition to celebrate October 2005 as “Funding for the Arts Month.” It highlights useful websites recommended by experts in the arts-philanthropy field; arts-focused news items, grant announcements, and trend stories from the past nine months; annotated links to some of the internet's best resources for artists and arts organizations; and more than a dozen publications, including the Arts Funding Watch electronic newsletter. READ MORE
New Report on Funding for Arts Education
Foundation Funding for Arts Education: An Overview of Recent Trends, is a newly released research report from the Foundation Center in cooperation with Grantmakers in the Arts. It examines private and community foundation support for arts education in 2003 and the changes in giving since 1999. The report contains an overview of giving patterns by subject focus, target group, recipient type, geographic focus, and type of support; and includes brief profiles of leading arts education grantmakers across the country. READ MORE (pdf)