Effective Grants Research: A Success Story

As the Grants Librarian at UW-Madison's Foundation Center Cooperating Collection, I am often asked, "Do know how many of the people/nonprofits that attend your workshops or use your research collection end up getting grants?"  Answer to which is, unfortunately, "Nope."  Most grantseekers easily (and not unsurprisingly) quickly forget their friendly librarian when faced with the excitement and inevitable work that follows getting a grant or award!  Usually, if I do hear of any outcomes, I find out of such success stories incidentally or informally at a much later time.  And that's OK!  I'm always glad to hear these stories when - and however - they arrive.

Here's one example I'd like to share with you.  Wouldn't you like to be able to say something similar??  Then I hope to see at an up-coming workshop or appointment soon...

"I attended your "Introduction to Foundation Grants" and "Foundation Directory Online" trainings several years ago and began using the Grants Information Collection regularly since then.
-Due to these trainings, and having this resource, I have found hundreds of potential funding opportunities for Community GroundWorks.  I have applied for grants to several of these newly-found foundations, and at least one of them, The Blooming Prairie Foundation, has begun funding us generously! Which we wouldn't have found without your help!  

Many, many thanks.

Christie Ralston
Community GroundWorks"

Thank you, Christine, for sharing!

Forward Community Investments: Loans to Nonprofits

BASIC LOAN GUIDELINES
Investment Forward Community Investments (“FCI”), a Wisconsin-based community loan fund, builds capacity in statewide nonprofits through low-cost loans and expert advisory services.  FCI works directly with organizations that serve economically-challenged individuals and households where affordable housing, community services and facilities, along with community stabilization, is the strategy used to promote long-term economic self-sufficiency.  Many of FCI’s loans are made in partnership with banks and credit unions. Because of our flexibility, FCI can assume more risk, either by making a loan that could not be made by a conventional lender or by taking a subordinate position to conventional financing.

Eligible Borrows

Any Wisconsin nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, faith-based organization, cooperative or community development organization that provides services to low- to moderate-income populations.

Eligible Projects
• Affordable housing
• Nonprofit facilities
• Economic development initiatives
Loan Amoun ts $5,000 to $400,000, with consideration given to projects up to $1 million

Eligible Uses of Loan Proceeds
• New construction
• Acquisition and rehabilitation of existing facilities
• Leasehold improvements
• Working capital
• Predevelopment loans, including land acquisition, professional fees and development costs
• Equipment

Basic Loan Types
• Primary and subordinate mortgage loans (LTV up to 95%)
• Construction financing
• Gap financing and bridge loans
   Equipment loans and leasehold improvements
   Working capital

Terms
Terms from three to five years with longer amortization periods (up to 30 years)

Interest Rates
FCI’s mission is to provide below-market rates; please call us at (866) 687-1468 for current interest rate quotes

CollateralAlways required but [their] mission allows [them] to be inherently more flexible than conventional lenders  

Fees
1% origination fee; $250 documentation preparation fee, along with other standard closing costs such as filing costs and/or title insurance and, depending on the complexity of the transaction, legal fees.

For more info: Carrie Vanderford, vice president of lending services, (866) 687-1468 or carriev@forwardci.org  


Source:  http://www.forwardci.org/financing/guidelines.html

UW-Madison Academic Staff: 2011 Executive Education Course Grant Competition

Want to develop your project management skills or become a better manager? Need to know more about finance and accounting? Then consider applying for a 2011 Executive Education Course Grant. All UW-Madison academic staff is eligible to apply. 

Executive Education at the Wisconsin School of Business is offering five single-course enrollments for Academic Staff professional development. The main objectives of the grant program are individual professional development, improved program quality, and improved institutional effectiveness.

Courses are offered in the following areas:

Advanced Management                     Project Management

Financial Management                       Purchasing & Supply Management

Fundamentals of Management          Sales & Sales Management

Information Technology                     Six Sigma

Marketing Management                    Supply Chain Management

Product Management 

Individual courses – no longer than three days – may be selected from many of the 200 Executive Education programs offered. There is no cost to your department or division. Courses can be taken July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012. View the latest offerings, fees, topics and course descriptions at http://exed.wisc.edu.  

The PDRC will select five grant recipients. Criteria will be based on how the course will help you improve effectiveness in your current position.

To be considered, a single electronic file submission (PDF or DOC) must include:

 - Completed application form

(available at: http://acstaff.wisc.edu/awards/Exec%20Ed%202011%20Application.doc)

 - Resume

 - One or two letters of support from your supervisor or a colleague

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION – April 15^th, 2011

Please submit a single PDF or DOC file containing the above documents to:

Donna Silver

Office of the Secretary of the Academic Staff

acstaff@sbascom.wisc.edu

If you have questions, please contact PDRC member Colleen Barrett at 263-6314 or barrett@epd.engr.wisc.edu.

Source: 

MEMORANDUM

TO:      UW-Madison Academic Staff Members

FROM: Professional Development and Recognition Committee (PDRC)

            Carol Hulland, Chair

RE:       2011 Executive Education Course Grants
DATE:  March 8, 2011

UW-Madison: Science Internationalization Course Development Awards

Course development awards are available to support UW–Madison faculty and instructional academic staff members in the sciences who wish to incorporate international content into one or more undergraduate courses.

Awards, which provide up to $10,000 in flexible funds, are for courses in the sciences.

Upcoming deadlines: March 31, 2011; May 31, 2011.

Download a pdf of the application. 

Contact Masarah Van Eyck, mvaneyck@cals.wisc.edu, for more information.
More information: http://www.cals.wisc.edu/ip/AboutIP/IntlPrograms.html

State Historical Society of Iowa 2011/2012 Research Grants

The State Historical Society of Iowa (SHSI) announces a grant pro­gram for the 2011/2012 academic year. SHSI will award up to ten stipends of $1,000 each to support original research and interpretive writing related to the history of Iowa or Iowa and the Midwest. Preference will be given to applicants proposing to pursue previously neglected topics or new approaches to or interpretations of previously treated topics. SHSI invites applicants from a variety of backgrounds, including academic and public historians, graduate students, and independent researchers and writers. Applications will be judged on the basis of their potential for producing work appropriate for publication in The Annals of Iowa. Grant recipients will be expected to produce an annotated manuscript targeted for The Annals of Iowa, SHSI’s scholarly journal. 
 
Applications for the 2011/2012 awards must be postmarked by April 15, 2011. Download application guidelines from our Web site (http://www.iowahistory.org/publications/the-annals-of-iowa/research-grants-for-authors.html) or request guidelines or further information from:
 
Research Grants
State Historical Society of Iowa
402 Iowa Avenue
Iowa City  IA  52240-1806
 
Phone: 319-335-3931
e-mail: marvin-bergman@uiowa.edu(javascript:main.compose()
 
Marvin Bergman, editor
THE ANNALS OF IOWA
402 Iowa Avenue
Iowa City IA 52240
 
ph. 319-335-3931
FAX 319-335-3935
 
For more information about the State Historical Society of Iowa or to find out how you can support its mission of preserving, conserving, promoting, and interpreting Iowa history, visit our Web site at http://www.iowahistory.org(http://www.iowahistory.org/)

Source:  SHSI Press Relase