New York State Local Government Records Management Improvement Program

Education Department

Three types of competitive grants will be available. Grants of up to $75,000 will be awarded to a single government for individual projects. Cooperative projects involving two or more local governments may request up to $125,000. Additionally, funds for complex projects involving a single local government addressing extremely complex records management issues will be made available for requests of $125,000. Grants will be available for inventory and planning, active records, inactive records, historical records and educational uses of local government records projects.

ELIGIBILITY:  Local governments, including but not limited to Boards of Cooperative Educational Services, cities, counties, fire districts, school districts, towns and villages.

FUNDING:  Individual grants of $75,000 and $125,000.

DEADLINE:  February 1, 2008.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Contact the New York State Archives, Grants Administration Unit, Room 9A81 Cultural Education Center, Albany, NY 12230, (518) 474-6926, or archgrants@mail.nysed.gov.

Documentary Heritage Program

Education Department

Grants will be available for projects which focus on activities that document life in New York State. These projects should identify, survey and plan for the systematic collection of records relating to underdocumented subjects, institutions or activities, particularly education policy; the impact of the World Trade Center attacks; New York’s changing industries and new population groups; as well as mental health activities and environmental affairs. Projects which develop strategic plans for historical records repositories, not-for-profit community organizations as well as documentations planning to identify underdocumented activities or topics will also be eligible for these grants.

ELIGIBILITY:  Not-for-profit archives, libraries, historical societies and similar institutions in New York State, as well as colleges, universities, or other not-for-profit institutions.

FUNDING:  A total of $100,000, in increments between $1,000 and $25,000.

DEADLINE:  February 1, 2008.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Contact the New York State Archives, Documentary Heritage Program, Room 9C71, Cultural Education Center, Albany, NY 12230, (518) 474-6926.

Universal Prenatal and Postpartum Home Visiting Program

Department of Health

The Department of Health will be providing grants for institutions capable of fulfilling one or both of the following requirements. The first requirement will be for an organization to conduct outreach to and identification of pregnant women and postpartum women by public health nurses to assess their risk and provide home visits in order to screen those women for eligibility for comprehensive home visiting programs, provide basic health education and referrals to needed services. The second requirement will be for an organization to possess or create a curriculum development and training of professional and paraprofessional home visiting staff on topics such as community outreach, cultural competence, interviewing techniques, communication, assessment skills, basic health information, pregnancy, and other topics that will support the effectiveness of the universal home visiting program on the local level.

ELIGIBILITY:  Institutions capable or achieving one or both of the above stated categories.

FUNDING:  Varies depending on need.

DEADLINE:  February 8, 2008.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Contact Rudy Lewis at the Department of Health, Bureau of Women’s Health, Room 1805, Corning Tower, Albany, NY 12237 or call (518) 474-1911, e-mail: rrl05@health.state.ny.us or available from the Department of Health website: www.nyhealth.gov/funding.

Public Safety Interoparable Communications Program

Office of Homeland Security

The purpose of this request is to invite eligible public safety organizations to apply for grant funds under the federal Public Safety Interoperable Communications Grant Program. Grants will be awarded to cover planning and coordination efforts, acquisition related costs, deployment costs, operation and maintenance costs and training costs as described in the request for grants document. Additional questions related to this grant program will be accepted only via e-mail to Vincent.Stile@oft.state.ny.us and will be posted with the answers on the Office of Homeland Security Web site at www.security.state.ny.us.

ELIGIBILITY:  Due to the limited funds available applications will only be accepted from coalitions of eligible public safety organizations representing multiple jurisdictions and multiple disciplines (this includes local government public safety agencies that may include tribal government entities or nongovernmental organizations authorized by such entities, whose sole or principal purpose is to protect safety of life, health or property).

FUNDING:  Varies depending on need.

DEADLINE:  January 15, 2008.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Contact the Office of Homeland Security, 1220 Washington Ave., State Campus, Bldg. 7A, Albany, NY 12242, e-mail: grants@security.state.ny.us, 1-866-837-9133.

Family Support Services Funds

Western New York Developmental Disabilities Services Office

Grants will be awarded to provide access to family support services either by creating new programs or by enhancing existing programs in the area of crisis intervention and for individuals with challenging behaviors, which will be defined as behaviors that could result in significant harm to the individual or others, and behaviors that substantively jeopardize the family’s ability to provide continued care in their home. Successful candidates for this portion of the funding must demonstrate the ability to effectively serve individuals who have developmental disabilities and challenging behaviors, and the ability to document that the persons they serve meet the qualifying criteria defined above. Separate documentation will be required on a quarterly basis. The funding priorities for these grants will include, but not be limited to: recreation, behavior management, transportation, respite, individualized home and/or community services, services to assist individuals to plan for life transitions. Additionally, special consideration will be given to proposals that are based on individualized and person centered services. The anticipated program start-up for successful applicants will be April 18, 2008. First year funding will be pro-rated based upon program start date. This contract may continue for up to five years, contingent upon satisfactory contractor performance and continued availability of state and federal funds. The NYS Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD) reserves the right to award a lesser amount to best serve the interests of the State of New York.

ELIGIBILITY:  Not-for-profit agencies and organizations operating within or for the family support services in the Western New York counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara and Orleans.

FUNDING:  Up to $675,000 is available and at least 25% of that amount will be awarded.

DEADLINE:  January 21, 2008.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Contact Western New York Developmental Disabilities Services, Office of the Director, Western New York DDSO, 1200 East & West Road, West Seneca, NY 14224. To formally request a copy of the RFP document please contact Christine Tremper at (716) 517-2182.

. . . Grant Writing

Grantsmanship Center

The Grantsmanship Training Program is coming to New York: Newburgh, March 24-28, 2008, hosted by Orange County. Another Grantsmanship Training Program will be offered in: Buffalo, April 7-11, hosted by the Salvation Army.

The classes will be conducted by The Grantsmanship Center and are kept at a maximum of 30 participants. The cost is $875, which includes one-year enrollment in the TGCI Membership Program. A limited number of half-tuition scholarships are available to agencies with annual budgets of less than $300,000.

To register, or to apply for a scholarship, contact TGCI at (800) 421-9512 or visit www.tgci.com.

Foundation Center

The Foundation Center has scheduled the following free training opportunities during December 2007:

Grantseeking Basics:
Decmber 10, 18, and 27
Attendees will learn how the Center’s resources can help make them more effective grantseekers. For beginners, this introduction to the library provides instruction in foundation research and identification of potential funders. A tour of the library will follow.

Proposal Writing Basics and Workshops:
December 12 and 17
Attendees will learn about the basics of writing a proposal for their non-profit organizations.

Introduction to the Foundation Directory Online:
December 10 and 27
This session provides a hands-on introduction to the Center’s comprehensive Web subscription database.

How to Approach a Foundation:
December 19
Attendees will learn how to initiate contact with potential funders; plan calls and meetings; and build partnerships with donors. This class is intended for fundraisers with some experience, though not necessarily with foundations.

Classes are held at The Foundation Center, New York Library, 79 Fifth Avenue, 2nd Floor in New York City. Space is limited and you can register on-line at www.fdncenter.org, in person, or by calling (212) 620-4230. You may also visit the Web site for information on other training opportunities available through the Center.