Are you new to proposal writing or want a quick refresher?
This introductory class will provide you with an overview of the basics of writing a grant proposal for foundation funding.
It will include:
Are you new to the field of grant seeking? Discover what funders are looking for in nonprofits seeking grants and how to find potential funders in this introductory class. This class will cover the 10 most important things you need to know about finding grants, and you will have an opportunity to do some hands-on funding research using the Foundation Directory Online Professional database.
*Registration is limited to 16 participants. Please register only if you can attend*
The New Jersey State Library’s Funding Information Center provides free training and resources for individuals and nonprofits looking for grant funding. We have been a Funding Information Network partner with Candid (formerly The Foundation Center) since 1974. Through this partnership, we provide onsite access to Candid’s grant research databases.
NJSL’s Funding Information Center provides free, onsite access to two of Candid’s grant research databases:
Foundation Directory Online Professional: Provides detailed information on over 165,000 U.S. foundations, corporate giving programs, and grantmaking public charities, with links to current foundation 990-PF tax returns. Users can search using multiple criteria, such as area of interest and geographic focus, to find grantmakers likely to fund their nonprofit organization. Onsite access only.
Grants to Individuals: Provides detailed descriptions of over 10,000 foundation and public charity programs that fund students, artists, researchers, and other individual grantseekers. Onsite access only.
In addition to these databases, we also have several research guides to help users find information about grants, scholarships, and nonprofit management. The research guides can be access online from any computer.
The Funding Information Center has over 1,200 print resources related to various funding and nonprofit topics. Most of these print resources can be borrowed using your NJSL library card. Materials can also be requested through interlibrary loan at your local public library. Browse the collection using NJSL’s online catalog.
Additionally, we subscribe to a selection of nonprofit and philanthropy related periodicals, including:
We offer regular group classes on how to use NJSL’s Funding Information Center resources to research grant funding. We also have outside speakers present on topics related to nonprofit management, including grant writing, fundraising, social media marketing, event planning and more. For more information about our latest programs, visit www.njstatelib.org/events.
In addition to our group classes, we offer one-on-one tutorials on how to use the Foundation Directory Online Professional and Grants to Individuals databases. Tutorial sessions are scheduled in advance and generally run 30 minutes to an hour, depending on your research needs. If you are interested in scheduling a tutorial, please contact Leigh Clark, Business & Funding Information Librarian, at lclark@njstatelib.org or 609-278-2640 ext. 158.
For those familiar with NJSL’s Funding Information Center or the Funding Information Network, the name Candid may be new. Last year, The Foundation Center and GuideStar merged to form the nonprofit organization, Candid. For more information on the merger and Candid, visit https://candid.org/about.
On the whole, the services provided by NJSL’s Funding Information Center and other Funding Information Network partners will remain relatively the same. Any future changes or updates will be reflected on the Funding Information Center’s collection website at https://www.njstatelib.org/fundinginfo.
Are you new to proposal writing or want a quick refresher?
This introductory class will provide you with an overview of the basics of writing a grant proposal for foundation funding.
It will include:
Are you new to the field of grant seeking? Discover what funders are looking for in nonprofits seeking grants and how to find potential funders in this introductory class. This class will cover the 10 most important things you need to know about finding grants, and you will have an opportunity to do some hands-on funding research using the Foundation Directory Online Professional database.
*Registration is limited to 16 participants. Please register only if you can attend*
Are you new to proposal writing or want a quick refresher?
This introductory class will provide you with an overview of the basics of writing a grant proposal for foundation funding.
It will include:
Potential applicants must review the Notice of Funding Opportunity, which covers project types, funding levels, applicant eligibility, application components, and review criteria, along with other important information. All applications must be submitted through the grants.gov Workspace. Approximately 16 grants will be awarded through this opportunity.
U.S. nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, state and local governmental agencies, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible to apply. Eligible organizations include institutions of higher education. This program supports projects in three categories: Exhibitions (permanent, temporary, or traveling); interpretive programs at Historic Places; and Humanities Discussions related to “A More Perfect Union:” NEH Special Initiative Advancing Civic Education and Celebrating the Nation’s 250th Anniversary.
Libraries may be particularly interested in applying through the “Humanities Discussions” category. Proposed programs in this category should engage diverse public audiences with humanities resources such as historic artifacts, artwork, or documents, and should be anchored in perspectives presented by humanities experts as speakers, panelists, or discussion leaders, providing context and analysis of program themes. Projects may include, but are not limited to, symposiums, lecture series, reading and discussion programs, analytical discussions of museum collections or theater/musical performances, lifelong learning programs, or other methods of face-to-face audience engagement or informal education. The proposed series should occur over a period of three months to two years. Public Humanities Projects in any category must involve humanities scholars who contribute to all phases of the project.
The Public Humanities Projects program includes two funding levels: Planning and Implementation. Only Implementation awards are available for the “Humanities Discussions” category and such funding will not exceed $250,000. Planning awards in the other categories are typically funded up to $40,000 and Implementation awards in the other categories are funded within a range of $50,000 to $400,000.
As noted above, Public Humanities Projects proposals in the “Humanities Discussions” category must respond to the NEH area of interest, “A More Perfect Union:” NEH Special Initiative Advancing Civic Education and Celebrating the Nation’s 250th Anniversary. According to the Notice of Funding Opportunity, this agency-wide initiative will help Americans better understand the world’s oldest constitutional democracy and how our founding ideals are met in a modern, pluralistic society. As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, NEH encourages projects that promote a deeper understanding of American history and culture and that advance civics education and knowledge of our core principles of government.
Prospective applicants may contact the NEH program staff at 202-606-8269 or publicpgms@neh.gov to discuss potential projects and ask any questions about the application.
Are you new to proposal writing or want a quick refresher?
This class will provide you with an overview of how to write a standard project proposal to a foundation.
It will include:
On Friday, May 3rd, come to a panel discussion, “Tips from Library Grant Winners,” to hear from New Jersey librarians who have successfully applied for grants from a variety of funders. Kim T. Ha, Director of Pennington Public Library, Rebecca Sandoval, Technical Services Manager of Somerset County Library System, and Michelle Yeager, Director of Woodbury Public Library will share their personal experiences in applying for and managing grants at their libraries. Time: 10:00 to 11:30 A.M. Location: New Jersey State Library’s Talking Book & Braille Center, 2300 Stuyvesant Avenue, Trenton. Free. Click to register.
If you’re planning to attend the NJLA Conference, consider an early arrival to attend the preconference workshop on Wednesday, May 29 (10 A.M. to 1 P.M.), “What Makes a Proposal Great? Beyond the Basics of Grant Writing for Your Library.” Join Brittany Campese of Vision Driven Consulting for an interactive and engaging session that will review common grant jargon, discuss aspects of good (and not so good) grant proposals by reading actual applications, and practice crafting a compelling program pitch. Some prior experience with the grant writing process is recommended for attendance at this workshop. This workshop is co-sponsored by NJLA’s Administration & Management and Small Libraries Sections. See the NJLA Conference website for registration and pricing details.
Sponsored by the New Jersey Chapter of the Grant Professionals Association, the Mid-Atlantic Grants Conference might also interest library directors or anyone else seeking grant funding for libraries. This year’s conference starts off with a preconference session at 5:00 P.M. on Sunday, May 19th, followed by a full day on Monday, May 20th, 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., all at Caesar’s Atlantic City. Highlights will include luncheon keynote speaker, Susan Shiroma, Senior Social Sector Librarian at Foundation Center; a Funders Panel including Jeremy Grunin (Jay and Linda Grunin Foundation), Marsha Atkind (Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey) and Eddie Laporte (NJ Office of Faith-Based Initiatives); and such sessions as “Are You Grant Ready?,” “Performance Indicators,” and “Ethics in Using Data.” See the website for additional information and to register.
Are you new to proposal writing or want a quick refresher?
This class will provide you with an overview of how to write a standard project proposal to a foundation.
It will include:
NEA Big Read is a community reading program centered on one of 32 selections from the NEA Big Read list. An applicant to participate in the NEA Big Read must propose at least a month-long series of events and programs that are designed around one selected book.
Requested grant funds ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 “may be used for such expenses as book purchases, speaker fees and travel, salaries, promotion, and venue rental.” Grant cost share is required and must be matched on a 1:1 basis in nonfederal dollars.
Applicants must complete two steps specific to the federal grant application process. An applicant must know its organizational DUNS number. An organization may search for or request one through Dun & Bradstreet. Each applicant must also have a valid SAM (System for Awards Management) registration.
Several New Jersey libraries have received NEA Big Read awards over the last few years. Both returning and new applicants should be aware of a new application step instituted this year. As noted on the Guidelines and Application Instructions page, to start the process, an applicant must complete an online intent to apply form. After submitting the intent to apply form, an applicant will then receive a link to the full application. The application checklist (which includes a link to an offline application template in Word) will help keep applicants organized during the application process. NEA Big Read staff also developed a new “Survival Guide” to planning a community-wide reading program. The Survival Guide covers partnerships, marketing and promotion, and programming and events. Arts Midwest staff members are available to assist potential applicants by phone: (612) 238-8010 or by email: neabigread@artsmidwest.org.
Small and mid-sized libraries with humanities collections should consider applying for a Preservation Assistance Grant for Smaller Institutions. Grant funds (typically up to $6,000) help institutions such as libraries, museums, and historical societies to “improve their ability to preserve and care for their significant humanities collections. Humanities collections may include special collections of books and journals, archives and manuscripts, prints and photographs, moving images, sound recordings, architectural and cartographic records, decorative and fine art objects, textiles, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, furniture, historical objects, and digital materials.”
The application will become available on November 15, 2018 and is due on January 15, 2019. Similarly to the NEA Big Read application process, National Endowment for the Humanities requires an applicant DUNS number, a valid SAM registration and, in addition, a grants.gov registration. NEH staff members in the Division of Preservation and Access are available by phone: (202) 606-8570 and by email: preservation@neh.gov.
Thank you to Susan Shiroma, Senior Social Sector Librarian at Foundation Center New York, for teaching us about the six basic steps for developing a fundraising plan. During her presentation, Susan emphasized the importance of developing a case statement to describe why an organization deserves funding. She also explained that, to ensure sustainability, organizations need to have multiple revenue streams, including earned income. Class participants received tools to take home that they can use to assess their organization, set goals, and develop a fundraising plan.
For more information about fundraising planning, see the following links:
NJSL’s Nonprofit Management Research Guide – http://libguides.njstatelib.org/nonprofits
Into to Fundraising Planning recorded webinar – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WWgQ8nigfA
GrantSpace Topics: Fundraising – https://grantspace.org/topics/fundraising/
For fundraising related books, search the NJ State Library online catalog at the following link:
If you have any questions or would like to set up a one-on-one tutorial on how to use the library’s resources to research funding, please contact me at lclark@njstatelib.org or 609-278-2640 X 158.
