Federal Grants Short Course An Introduction

1. Federal Grants Short CourseAn Introduction By Sally Hintz, office of Senator Maria Cantwell

2. Federal Grants Short Course Goals • To provide information and advice on searching and applying for competitive federal grants. • To educate constituents on the Congressional Delegation’s role in obtaining federal funding.

3. Grants staff from the offices of Senators Murray and Cantwell • Sheila Babb, Grants and Appropriations Coordinator (206) 553-5545 Sheila_Babb@murray.senate.gov • Melanie Mihara, Grants Coordinator (206) 220-6400 Melanie_Mihara@cantwell.senate.gov

4. NW Regional Staff from the offices of Senators Murray and Cantwell • Rita Beal, NW Washington Director Office of Senator Patty Murray (425) 259-6515 Rita_Beal@Murray.Senate.gov • Sally Hintz, NW Washington Director • Office of Senator Maria Cantwell (425) 404-0114 Sally_Hintz@Cantwell.Senate.gov

5. Senator Cantwell’s Committee Assignments • Commerce, Science and Transportation • Chair, Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard • Energy and Natural Resources • Finance • Small Business and Entrepreneurship • Indian Affairs

6. Researching Grants • www.grants.gov • Search for current funding opportunities • Apply for grants online • Receive electronic updates

7. Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance • www.cfda.gov • Comprehensive list of all federal programs including technical assistance and equipment.

8. How to read a CFDA Announcement • Objectives • Types of Assistance • Use and Use Restrictions • Applicant Eligibility • Obligations • Range and Average of Financial Assistance • Related Programs

9. Senator Murray’s Grants Gateway http://murray.senate.gov/grants/

10. Non-Profit and Philanthropy Resource Centerwww.kcls.org/philanthropy/

11. Ways a Congressional Office Can Be of Assistance • Letters of Support • Two weeks notice • Summary or Abstract of proposal • Who we should address letter to at federal agency • How we should get the letter to you (e-mail, hard copy) Note: Some agencies prefer letters to arrive with the grant, some prefer letters be sent to the agency’s Congressional Liaison.

12. Ways a Congressional Office Can Be of Assistance (Cont.) • Information Gathering • Identify agency contacts • Reiterate support • Check status of review process • Peer reviewer’s notes • Appeals process • Funding notifications

13. Three Grant Dealbreakers • The application came in late. • The application was longer than the agency guidelines. • The dollar amount requested was over the award ceiling. Failure to comply with any of these three rules means the proposal will not even be read.

14. Four Grant Myths • Anyone can get a federal grant • Members of Congress decide who gets a grant and can review applications. • If you get a grant, it will take care of everything. • It’s easy to get grants—it’s free money.

15. Tips for a Successful Application • Agencies like to fund partnerships • Get partnerships and in-kind donations in writing • Don’t duplicate services already in a community • Don’t stretch what your organization is actually capable of • Follow grant instructions precisely • You are responsible for the actions of your grant writers, consultants and partners– you will be audited.

16. If your application is not successful… • Learn from your mistakes. Review denied applications with agency staff • Consider other funding sources available, including loans, equipment and technical assistance • Consider attending an agency workshop on the program or online course.

17. Conclusions • Planning and patience are necessary when applying for federal funding. • Information on federal funding is readily available. • You must have realistic expectations.