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What software do YOU use? Please fill out our sector study on the software programs you use to track your donors and grants. Click here (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=47507967964) to access the survey. We'll share results of the survey in a future Rich Tips. Rich Tips is a free electronic newsletter published by Richard Male & Associates (RMA), a nonprofit consulting firm. Please send any suggestions or comments to nicolle@richardmale.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This week's tips: Designing and Developing a Successful Volunteer Program Part 2 Last week's Rich Tips focused on the 10 elements critical to the design and development of a successful volunteer program. Since volunteer management is such an important issue, and since the response has been so great, we decided to expand on the first three elements in this week's Tips. These elements are: A) Designing a plan for the volunteer efforts B) Nuts and bolts of the volunteer program C) Recruitment strategies for volunteers Lets look a bit deeper at them: 1. Planning is at the core of any successful effort. Successful planning will enable you to clearly understand the goals and objectives, the expectations, and how this program will fit into the overall mission of the organization. As you develop the plan, try to involve the leadership and the existing volunteers who have an intimate knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the current efforts. 2. Some of the basis elements of the planning process include: -Value and vision statement. The vision statement describes the underlying values of the organization and sets forth the vision for the future. Too many people manage and run organizations by driving through the "rear-view mirror" rather than anticipating what the future holds. Ask your staff, volunteers, and board members how they envision the volunteer program in the next five years. -Mission statement. The mission statement should answer the following four questions in one sentence: Who are we? What do we do? For whom? To what end? Try to write these on a piece of paper and ask your group to brainstorm words within each question, then have someone string them together in a coherent mission statement sentence. -Needs statement. The needs statement applies to key program needs. This is where you need to solicit input from staff, board, and volunteers to gain an understanding of what shortages the volunteer program will address. -Goals and objectives. What are the key goals and objectives you are seeking to solve through the volunteer program? The more measurable they are the easier it is to evaluate the success of the program. -Budget. What are the volunteer program costs? Although you probably won't pay the volunteers, the program is not free. Be certain to develop a budget that includes all of the staff and administrative costs, in-kind contributions and other expenses associated with running the volunteer program. 3. Evaluate the impact the volunteer program will have on the organization. It's important to look seriously at the internal impact of the volunteer program within the organization. Is the cost in time and money really worth it? Do you really have the space to house volunteers? Will they divert the organization from other critical tasks that need to be accomplished? 4. What are some of the nuts and bolts of developing a successful volunteer program? What policies, rules of conduct, and expectations are important in establishing a strong program? What policies do you need to limit your liability and to help assure the success of this program? It's a good idea to develop some policies early on to give the volunteers and the organization a clear sense of the rules and regulations of the program. 5. Look at developing these policies on a number of levels. These levels might include: 1. the broad policies impacting the entire organization in terms of goals, objectives, mission, and beliefs. 2. policies that are specific to the volunteer program itself, and 3. the responsibilities of the specific volunteers. 6. Volunteer recruitment. Before you actually begin to recruit volunteers please make sure you know why you are recruiting volunteers. Make sure you're clear with them and with yourself in terms of the exact tasks they will be taking on. 7. Once you've determined the needs and tasks for volunteers, define the message and medium for the recruitment. Do you want to recruit students? Are you looking for professional volunteers who can help with budgeting, marketing, or supervising the building of a house? Do you want to recruit through one of your local churches? 8. Work within your internal networks first when recruiting volunteers. After exhausting the internal networks, place advertisements or articles in college newspapers or church newsletters. 9. Don't forget the personal approach. Remember: people give to people — not to institutions. With this in mind, make sure you personally meet the potential volunteers by giving a presentation at a church, at a chamber of commerce meeting, at a college, etc. Get in front of people and invite them to visit your organization. 10. Recruit a broad section of volunteers. Try to make sure you involve people of different ages, ethnicities, and racial backgrounds. This sends a message to the community that you value diversity, and it creates a real synergy within your organization. Also, some of these people will be prime candidates for your board, committees, and could end up becoming donors. ------------------------------------------------------------- New Grant Opportunities Fox Family Foundation The Fox Family Foundation, which supports nonprofit organizations with programs and projects that maximize the potential of children and youth, is accepting applications and letters of inquiry from highly successful, results-oriented programs that improve and expand the learning environments of children. Special emphasis is placed on target populations from economically and socially disadvantaged families, and programs that actively promote positive interactions between children, youth, and adults through multi-faceted parent/mentor/staff involvement and embrace professional development and training for those who deal directly with children or create their learning environments. For detailed information go to: http://www.fcfox.org/ Robert Sterling Clark Foundation Protecting Reproductive Rights and Ensuring Access to Comprehensive Reproductive Health Information and Services The objective of our work in this field is to promote the implementation of laws, policies and practices that protect women's access to comprehensive reproductive health information and services, in the belief that the ability to control one's fertility is fundamental to the advancement of women's rights and opportunities. The strategies employed by the Foundation to achieve these objectives include policy analysis, advocacy, litigation, research, organizing and media campaigns aimed at: Promoting judicial selection criteria that will produce a balanced court; Developing legislative initiatives, at the request of members of Congress, designed to promote reproductive rights and access to comprehensive reproductive health information and services; Challenging laws and legal decisions that undermine reproductive rights; Promoting the use of electronic advocacy to mobilize an informed grassroots, pro-choice constituency; Obtaining strategic information about anti-choice groups; and Promoting women's access to early contraception and medical abortion. The Foundation makes support available to national and regional organizations working to achieve these ends. Strengthening the Management of Cultural Institutions While the focus is on management, the Foundation also makes grants to promote artistic freedom, and to educate the public about the importance of the arts in a democratic society. Improving the Performance of Public Institutions in New York Finally, the Foundation provides support for general advocacy efforts to improve city or state economic and environmental policies that affect all New Yorkers. In this area the Foundation continues to focus on solid waste management, land-use policies, and public transportation issues. For detailed information go to: http://www.rsclark.org/program.html The Lumpkin Family Foundation Nonprofit Excellence Program (NEP): Micro-Grants for Training and Professional Development Opportunities The Lumpkin Family Foundation makes grants of up to $1500 for attendance by nonprofit staff and board members at training and professional development programs of their own choosing. Micro-grants are strategic investments in people and organizations to be used to defray the cost of attending programs targeted at improving the management, governance and leadership of the organization. Micro-grants can be used to send staff or board members to a specific workshop or conference or to engage a consultant to provide customized training to one or more organizations. We require that the applicant organization pay no less than 20% of the total cost. For detailed information go to: http://www.lumpkinfoundation.org/nep-microgrants.htm Milagro Foundation The Milagro ("Miracle") foundation focuses on creative and unique programs from grass roots organizations that work with underrepresented and underprivileged children — our grants focus on art, education and health Milagro focuses upon three areas: (1) helping children and youth live healthy lives through education and prevention of disease; (2) helping live literate lives through learning; and (3) helping live culturally enriched lives through arts education. The Milagro Foundation supports children and youth in the San Francisco Bay area, the United States and countries around the world touched by the music of Santana. For detailed information go to: http://www.milagrofoundation.org/apply.asp The Millipore Foundation The Foundation's mission is to support Millipore's interest in scientific and technological advancement; to support specific public policy issues that affect Millipore's stockholders, employees and customers; to help improve the quality of life in Millipore's communities; and to assist and encourage Millipore's employees in volunteer efforts. Millipore offers support for: 1) numerous educational institutions and programs, with an emphasis on primary and secondary education (grades K through 12). They also fund institutions and other organizations engaged in research and training--primarily in the life sciences and biotechnology fields; 2) social service organizations, with emphasis on programs for minority and youth development (particularly inner-city youth; 3) a wide range of cultural organizations, particularly those with programs benefitting youth, elderly citizens and the underprivileged; 4) local health care agencies, hospitals and other health service providers; selected local and national public policy initiatives, particularly those affecting Millipore stockholders, employees and customers. For detailed information go to: http://www.millipore.com/corporate/milliporefoundation.nsf/home Driehaus Foundation - Chicago Area Small Theater and Dance Program In keeping with the foundation's goal to encourage a continuation of Chicago 's richness in the performance of dance and theater, the program is designed specifically to address the needs of small professional companies. Proposals are accepted only from companies that emphasize professional presentation instead of education or community outreach. For detailed information go to: http://www.macfound.org/programs/gen/dh_smalltheater.htm The National Forest Foundation (NFF) The National Forest Foundation (NFF) engages America in community-based
and national programs that promote the health and public enjoyment of
the 192-million-acre National Forest System, and administers private For detailed information go to: http://www.natlforests.org/consp_05_cap.html The United Methodist Church's Call to Prayer and Self-Denial Fund The United Methodist Church's Call to Prayer and Self-Denial Fund For detailed information go to: http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/wdnews.cfm?articleid=2885 2005 Cities United for Science Progress (CUSP) Lead-Safe for Kids' Sake grant program The United States Conference of Mayors ( http://usmayors.org/ ) and DuPont ( http://www1.dupont.com/NASApp/dupontglobal/corp/index.jsp ) have announced the 2005 Cities United for Science Progress (CUSP) Lead-Safe for Kids' Sake grant program. For the most outstanding lead-safe strategy of 2005, CUSP will award one city the $175,000 Award of Excellence. In addition, two cities will each receive $100,000 Awards of Distinction for lead-safe best practices. The program's sponsors are especially interested in recognizing innovative and replicable lead-safe strategies and practices that leverage the winning resources. For detailed information go to: http://usmayors.org/uscm/home.asp NYFA - Building Up Infrastructure Levels for Dance (BUILD) A program of the New York Foundation for the Arts, Building Up Infrastructure Levels for Dance (BUILD) sustains New York City dance companies with small- and mid-sized budgets by offering choreographers and their dancers an opportunity to access the financial support necessary to build and maintain infrastructure and longevity. Category I ($10,000 grants) applicants must have a three-year-average budget between $16,000 and $80,000 per annum, and have performed work at least twice during the past three years. Category II ($20,000 grants) applicants must have a three-year-average budget between $81,000 and $160,000 per annum, and have produced at least three seasons of choreography with one season produced by a presenter other than the company itself. BUILD supports, but is not limited to, requests for administrative costs; consultant fees; press and/or booking agent fees; company promotional materials; studio or space rental; and computers/equipment. For detailed information go to: http://www.nyfa.org/level2.asp?id=78&fid=2 Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research has announced the launch of a second LEAPS (Linked Efforts to Accelerate Parkinson's Solutions) funding effort to support ambitious research projects that will translate into new treatments or otherwise have a tangible impact on Parkinson's disease research. LEAPS are multi-year, multi-million-dollar grants awarded to "all-star" research teams focused on answering a major research question that could result in a major, practical step forward in the understanding and treatment of Parkinson's disease. Grants will be awarded based on the potential impact and scientific merit of the chosen research question, the probability of success in developing new treatments or otherwise accelerating progress in Parkinson's science, leadership, and team track record, as well as other criteria. The foundation expects to invest $10 million in the 2005 LEAPS program and will allow applicants to request funding for projects lasting up to four years. The foundation expects to award multiple grants; however, awards will be dependent on the scientific merit of the proposals received. For detailed information go to: http://www.michaeljfox.org/research/fundingopps.php?id=13
Federal Grant Opportunities (if any of the following grants sound appealing, please contact Mourene Tesler to learn more about the application procedure - mourene@richardmale.com) ------------------------------- Public Awareness in Underserved Communities Closing Date: April 14, 2005 Amount: Up to 10 awards will be given ranging from $25,000-75,000. Larger awards will go to urban areas demonstrating high levels of need. Eligible Applicants: non-profit organizations, including faith- and community-based organizations, and public agencies Agency/Department: U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs SUMMARY: The purpose of the cooperative agreement is to support the planning and development of victimization-focused public awareness campaigns designed to reach populations in the local community who are typically underserved due to recent immigrant status or limited English proficiency. Victim service organizations will work in partnership with ethnic media (radio, print, television) as well as faith- and/or community-based organizations to produce linguistically and culturally appropriate public awareness campaigns on one or more victimization issues. OVC invites applications from non-profit organizations, including faith- and community-based organizations, and public agencies that can demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the victimization issue or issues to be highlighted in the public awareness campaign as well as experience in the provision of victim services and advocacy. A private non-profit organization does not need to have 501(c)3 status to apply for grant funding under this solicitation. The project should focus on disseminating information on victims' rights and services, not on crime prevention efforts. Listed in: For detailed information go to: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/guidelinesinfo.htm ---------- Workforce Investment Act--Small Grassroots Organizations Connecting With the One-Stop Delivery System Closing Date: April 28, 2005 Amount: $1,000,000 Eligible Applicants: For purposes of this announcement, eligible grassroots organizations must be non-profit organizations which: Have social services as a major part of their mission; Are headquartered in the local community to which they provide these services; (a) Have a social services budget of $350,000 or less, or (b) Have 6 or fewer full-time equivalent employees. Agency/Department: DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration SUMMARY: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announces the availability of $1,000,000 to award grants to eligible ``grassroots'' organizations with the ability to connect to the local One-Stop delivery system. Listed in: Federal Register: March 25, 2005 Volume 70, Number 57 Page 15353-15367 For detailed information go to: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-5907.htm
Other Announcements The Art of Asking: How to Clinch the Major Gift ``````````````````````````````````` Secondary Trauma Resiliency Training for those working in poverty and homelessness, presented by the HealthBridge Alliance. This innovative and interactive experience trains caregivers in skills to cope with the personal stresses of their work to reduce burnout and turnover. April 19-21 at the Foss Conference Center in the foothills of Jefferson County. The normal cost of the training is $340, but we are offering this training for the special low-rate of only $35 per person. Please contact Dace West at (720) 934-1066 or daceschlue@aol.com for more information. ``````````````````````````````````` Mobilizing Resources for Your Organization: Strategies to Succeed in the Current Economic Climate, May 24-26 in beautiful Missoula, Montana. IF YOU THINK your organization is forever doomed to dependency on public dollars, join us for this one-day seminar to separate the myth from the reality of fund-raising. There IS money your organization is eligible for and there are 'smart' ways to find, secure, and administer it. Richard Male will be joined by a panel of diverse funders who will tell you what gets their attention and what puts them off when approached for money. MOVING TOWARD LONG-TERM FINANCIAL SUCCESS is a challenge for any nonprofit organization in today's economic climate. Small, relatively unknown organizations such as many CILs and SILCs, face even greater hurdles. Fortunately, there are tremendous opportunities to leverage public and private resources, including funding for advocacy, if you know where to look and how to proceed. This seminar will give you the tools to do just that through a step-by-step approach to planning, implementing, and succeeding in resource development. LEARN HOW TO • Capitalize on current funding trends among private foundations, corporations, government, religious funders, philanthropic trusts, and individuals • Identify fundraising approaches compatible with your organization and local situation • Establish relationships with funders before asking for money • Ask for money in ways that make it clear who you are and what you would use the funding for • Stay true to the mission and philosophy while fostering growth ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Free Internet Services to Nonprofits! Grassroots.org is a nonprofit organization working to change the world ```````````````````````````````````````````
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