FUNDRAISING AND AMERICORPS FUNDRAISING AND GRANT WRITING

NEW GUIDELINES A Michigan’s AmeriCorps member’s service activities may not include organized fundraising, including financial campaigns, endowment drives, solicitation of gifts and bequests, and similar activities designed for the sole purpose of raising capital or obtaining contributions for the organization. Members may raise funds in direct support of activities that meet local, environmental, educational, public safety, disaster preparedness or other human needs and align with the scope of work in the program’s approved application. No more than 10% of a member’s total service hours may be devoted to allowable fundraising efforts.

EXAMPLES OF PERMISSIBLE ACTIVITIES Seeking donations of books from companies and individuals for a program in which volunteers teach children to read. Securing supplies and equipment from the community to enable volunteers to help build houses for low-income individuals. Securing financial resources from the community to assist a faith- based or community-based organization in launching or expanding a program that provides social services to the members of the community and is delivered, in whole or part, through the members of the faith- based organization. Seeking donations from alumni of the program for specific service projects being performed by current members.

EXAMPLES OF PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES Raising funds for his/her living allowance. Raising funds for an organization’s operating expenses or endowment. Writing grant applications for AmeriCorps funding, or any other funding provided by CNCS. Writing grant applications for funding provided by any other federal agency.

GRANT WRITING Grants must specifically go towards your project Most require a 1-3 page application process Examples of grants compliant with AmeriCorps’ requirements: DoSomething.org grantsDoSomething.org Awesome Foundation grants (Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Detroit Chapters)Awesome Foundation Michigan Community Service Commission grantsMichigan Community Service Commission 9/11 Service Day Grants Due Jun 28 VolunteerMICHIGAN funding alertsalerts Kohl’s Cares Associates in Action programKohl’s Cares Associates

GRANT WRITING CYCLE Identify Funding Needs Research possible funders Alignment with Funding Priorities Building Relationship Write proposal Follow-Up, Tracking, Reporting Grant writing cycle from NonprofitNetwork of Jackson NonprofitNetwork

9/11 MICHIGAN COMMUNITY SERVICE COMMISSION GRANT 9/11 Day of Service – Sunday, September 1, 2013 through Sunday, September 15, Preference will be given to events that occur on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 View grants application herehere $500- Engage 100 or more volunteers $350- Engage at least 50 volunteers $200- Engage at least 25 volunteers Application Deadline: Friday, June 28, 2013 Notification: All applicants will be notified electronically by Friday, July 19, 2013.

FUNDING GUIDELINES FOR 9/11 SERVICE DAY GRANT Funds must be used to support elements of a service project. Projects must focus on education, health, clean energy/environmental stewardship, economic opportunity, disaster preparedness, supporting veterans and military families, or public safety. Projects should demonstrate collaboration among multiple organizations such as higher education institutions, volunteer centers, youth service organizations, and/or national service programs. Mini-grant funds must be used to support essential volunteer project materials that correlate with the volunteer project activities outlined in the project description section of the application. Allowable expenses include, but are not to limited to, the following items: -Environmental clean-up supplies (ie. gloves, rakes, shovels) -Building supplies (ie. lumber, nails, hammer) -Educational supplies (ie. books, markers, scissors)

REQUIREMENTS OF 9/11 SERVICE GRANT Reporting Requirements Grant recipients must complete a final report survey. A link to the final report survey will be provided to grantees after they have been awarded funds. The final report must be completed by September 21, Other Grant Requirements If approved, an organization representative will be required to participate in one webinar for /11 Day of Service mini- grant recipients. Available dates include Tuesday, July 30 at 10:00 a.m. or Thursday, August 1 at 3:00 p.m. Webinar registration information will be provided to the mini-grant recipients. Mini-grant recipients will be required to register the service project as an official /11 Day of Service event. Service project registration information will be provided during the mini-grant recipient webinars.

WEBINAR REGISTRATION Webinar Registration: June 11, 2013 at 4:00 p.m.- June 13, 2013 at 10:00 a.m

SOME TIPS ABOUT GRANT WRITING Apply well before the deadline! Attend MCSC webinars PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD Have multiple people look it over Follow guidelines Read all requirements about the grant When will you receive the money? Any additional reporting? Age restrictions? If not accepted, ask for feedback.

SOME GENERAL THINGS TO REMEMBER Fundraising can only account for 10% of our overall time as AmeriCorps members When in doubt, ask Program Director if event is permissible

OTHER METHODS TO FUNDRAISE Asking for sponsorships from local businesses Organizing drives through schools, local agencies or other non-profits to collect in- kind donations for service project South Oakland Shelter Lunch with a purpose Some examples of in-kind donations Having your local high school or town government – if they have a printing department – print your group's invitations to a community-wide meeting. Housing your group meetings in a building of the local state college. Having access to the college's photocopiers, and receiving help from them in doing your mailings. Having coalition members bring snacks and drinks to a meeting. Asking store owners to donate items for use in a fundraising raffle. Inviting skilled volunteers, such as carpenters, painters, or a local handyman, to fix up donated street-level office space that your coalition will use. Receiving old office furniture from a law firm that’s redecorating its own offices. Other ideas?

SCENARIO #1 Your agency comes to you with a request for donations and wants you to help. Is this ok?

ANSWER #1 The answer to this certain scenario are “What type of donations and what will they be used for?” If they are cash donations for a general fund, that is ineligible. If the agency is seeking out in-kind donations to be given to your clients, that is eligible.

SCENARIO #2 The 9/11 Service Day is coming up soon and you plan on collaboration with the local Habitat Humanity to create a service project. You will need some tools and wood in order to complete the project. The Michigan Community Service Commission releases a grant for $500 if you can engage at least 100 volunteers. Is this activity permissible?

ANSWER #2 Yes, MCSC grants are eligible for fundraising. Even though it says that AmeriCorps members may not write grants for CNCS, MCSC grants are eligible because they “raise funds in direct support of activities that meet local, environmental, educational, public safety, disaster preparedness or other human needs and align with the scope of work in the program’s approved application.”

SCENARIO #3 Your agency has tried numerous ways to raise funds for clients at your shelter. It decides to raise funds through a 5k and the proceeds go to buying medical supplies for the clients. They ask you to help plan this. Can you do this?

ANSWER #3 One’s first response is “Yes” because the proceeds go directly to something specific, but this activity is actually ineligible. The reason is that members cannot recruit volunteers or fundraise in activities that they themselves cannot participate. But you may participate in activities on your own time.

QUESTIONS? Contact Information: Michelle Adams