Applyingforfederal funding:tipsforTJ programs

June,2011 ManyfederalfundingopportunitiesforTransitionalJobstaketheformofcompetitivegrants madedirectlytoTransitionalJobsproviders.InordertohelpTJproviderswithpreparingfederal fundingapplications,theNationalTransitionalJobsNetworkoffersthesetipsforrespondingto federalsolicitations. Beforeyouprepareyourapplication Identifyyourpotentialpartnersnowmanyfederalsolicitationsinvolveabroadscope ofworkthatmaybebeyondthecapacityofoneorganizationtodeliver.Some solicitationsevenrequirethatapplicantsformgroupswithmultiplepartner organizationsinordertobeeligibletoapply.InthecaseofTJ,lookcloselyatthecore elementsandbestpracticesanddeterminewhereapartnershipwouldbebeneficialto fullydeliveringthatelement. Registerwithgrants.govearlyinordertosubmityouapplicationonline.Registration processtakeslongerthanyoumightexpect,andsomesolicitationsnowacceptonly onlineapplications.Getregisteredhere: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp MakesureyourorganizationhasbeenassignedaDUNSnumber.Allapplicantsfor federalgrantsneedtohaveone.ApplyforaDUNSnumberbyvisiting http://fedgov.dnb.com Grants.govhasaguidetorequestingaDUNSnumber: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/request_duns_number.jsp Readthesolicitationcarefullyimportantrequirementsandinstructionsareoften buriedwithinsomewhatdensetext.Multipleclosereadingsareusuallynecessaryto fullyunderstandapplicationrequirements. Participateinbiddersconferencecallsorwebinars.Thisisyourbestandsometimes onlychancetogetclarificationonthesolicitation.Besuretohavecarefullyreadthe solicitationfirsttomakesureyouhaveallyourquestionsready.Ifyoumissthecall,they aretypicallypostedonlineafterwardsinrecordedand/ortranscribedform. Preparingtowriteyournarrative Constructatimetableforwhensectionsofyourproposalshouldbecompleted.Allow ampletimeforrevisions.

 Ifmultiplepeoplewithinyourorganizationorcollaborativeareinchargeofwriting differentsectionsofyourproposal,itmaybehelpfultoassignasingleindividualthe taskofcollectingthedraftsectionsandcombiningthemintoasingleproposal.If possible,thatpersonshouldalsoleadeffortstocirculatedraftproposalsforeditsand revisions,incorporatefeedback,ensurethatallpartnersareadheringtothetimetable developedandensuringthatallnecessaryattachmentsareaccountedfor. Followapplicationinstructionscloselyandfollowdirections.Applicationsmaybe disqualifiediftheyomitrequireditems.Agoodpracticeistostructureyourproposal narrativeascloselyaspossibletotheapplicationinstructions,andprovideinformation inthesameorderinwhichitisrequestedinthesolicitation.Thisnotonlyensuresthat youhaveprovidedalltherequiredinformation;italsomakesiteasierforthereadersof yourproposaltorecognizethatyouhaverespondedproperly.Performmultiplerounds ofinternalreviewtocatchmistakesoromissions. Reviewrequiredattachmentscarefully.Oftenfederalapplicationshaveanumberof requiredattachmentsthatcantakelongerthananticipatedtogathertogetherand prepare.Ifpossible,assignastaffpersontobeinchargeofgatheringandcompleting therequiredattachments.

WritingaboutTJ TheNTJNcannotprovideassistancewiththewriting,editingorreviewofindividual applicationsforfederalfunding,norNTJNendorseorrecommendaparticularapplicant. However,insomeinstancestheNTJNmayassistapplicantsforsomeopportunitieswith languagetoincludetheNTJNasasubcontractorfortechnicalassistance,andprograms arealwaysfreetodescribeanywaysinwhichtheyareaffiliatedwiththeNTJN,for exampleasamemberorganizationorrecipientoftechnicalassistance. Besuretoplananddescribeaprojectthatalignswiththecoreelementsandbest practicesofTJ.Makesurethatyoucandescribeyoucapacityineachofthecoreareas ofTJservicedelivery;therearemultiplebestpracticeguidesinthepublicationssection oftheNTJNwebsite. MakeacasefortheneedforTJforyourspecifictargetpopulationandinyourparticular servicearea.Forthispurposeyoucanusefigureslikeunemploymentrates,poverty rates,andeducationalattainment.Alsonotethenumberofpeopleinyourtarget populationhowmanypeoplearereenteringfromprison,orreceivingTANFpayments? Howmanyunemployedyouthordropoutsarethereinyourarea? Manyofthesedataareavailablefromfederalsources;forexampletheBureauofLabor Statistics(http://www.bls.gov)hasalotoflabormarketinformationincluding unemployment,theBureauofJusticeStatistics(http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov)providesdata onpeoplereleasedfromprisonsandjails,povertyandincomeinformationisavailable fromtheCensusBureau,andtheDepartmentofHealthandHuman Services/AdministrationforChildrenandFamiliesoffersdataonTANFrecipients.

Additionally,yourstate,countyormunicipalitymayalsoprovidedataforthelocallevel ontopicslikeeducationalattainmentandworkforceskilllevels,aswellasfigureson unemployment,prisonerreentry,andreceiptofpublicassistance. IfyourorganizationisalreadyprovidingTransitionalJobs,youcanalsouseinternaldata todemonstrateanincreaseindemandforthoseservices.Howmanyrequestsor referralshaveyouhadtoturnawayduetolimitedcapacityorinadequatestaffing?How doesyourannualcapacitytoprovidetransitionalemploymentcomparetothenumber ofpeopleinthetargetpopulationinyourregion?Forexample,ifyourprogramserves 100formerlyincarceratedpeopleannuallyinacitywhere10,000peoplereturnfrom prisoneveryyear,youcanmakeastrongcaseforlocalneedforadditionalTransitional Jobsservices. Youwillbeexpectedtosubmitadetailedbudget;itisagoodideatodeterminefirst howmanyparticipantsyouwanttoserve,andbuildyourbudgetfromthere.Forhelp withestimatingbudgetamounts,consulttheNTJNsbudgetestimationtool.

Moreresources TheDepartmentofLaborEmploymentandTrainingAdministrationoffersaguidetoDOLETA grantapplicationshere:http://www.doleta.gov/grants/applyinggrants.cfm ProposaldevelopmentguidefromtheCatalogofFederalDomesticAssistance: http://njms.umdnj.edu/research/orsp/DevelopingAndWritingGrantProposals.htm Grants.govapplicantresources:http://www.grants.gov/applicants/resources.jsp GrantwritingtipsfromtheNationalInstitutesofHealth: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/grant_tips.htm AguidetograntapplicationsfromtheSubstanceAbuse&MentalHealthServices Administration(SAMSHA):http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/ta/index.aspx InformationonfederalfundingandgrantsfromtheAppalachianRegionalCommission: http://www.arc.gov/funding/GeneralInformationAboutGrantsandFunding.asp Formoreinformationortorequesttechnicalassistance,pleasecontactChrisWarlandat cwarland@heartlandalliance.org