Clean Energy Grant Program

EcoStar Grants of up to $5,000 are available to community nonprofits in the areas of pollution prevention, education and outreach, energy efficiency, conservation, and community activism.

Lots of local projects fit into their criteria, making this a grant worth passing along to your local 501(c)3 organizations.

Pollution Prevention

• Recycling projects and drop-off collection events
• Tree plantings and maintenance to reduce CO₂ emissions
• Litter reduction

Education

• Workshops, seminars, training and/or public relations to inform and influence the public regarding environmental stewardship

Energy Efficiency

• Projects and/or partnerships that support large and small-scale energy conservation measures

Conservation

• Wetlands restoration
• Wildlife/habitat protection

Community Activism

• Neighborhood, park clean-ups
• Create public green spaces, community gardens, urban forests

EcoStar grants are a new project of Constellation Energy. Oklahoma is one of the qualifying states where Constellation Energy does business.
 
Deadline: March 16, 2010

More info: EcoStar Grants from Constellation Energy

Source: Philanthropy News Digest RFP Alerts

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Downtown housing from unused commercial space

Most small towns have unused commercial space in their downtown, especially upstairs. The HOPE IV Main Street program makes grants to convert some of that unused space into affordable housing units.

The purpose of the HOPE VI Main Street program is to provide grants to small communities to assist in the rejuvenation of an historic or traditional central business district or “Main Street” area by replacing unused commercial space in buildings with affordable housing units.
The objectives of the program are to:

• Redevelop Main Street areas; 
• Preserve historic or traditional architecture or design features in Main Street areas; 
• Enhance economic development efforts in Main Street areas; and 
• Provide affordable housing in Main Street areas.

Get more information on HOPE VI from Grants.gov or at HUD.

Deadline: March 3, 2010.

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Rural Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Prevention

The United States Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) (www.ovw.usdoj.gov) is seeking applications for the Fiscal Year 2010 Rural Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Assistance Program.  This program furthers the Department’s mission by supporting projects designed to address and prevent sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking in rural jurisdictions.

Applications will be submitted through the Office of Justice Programs Grants Management System (GMS)

Deadline: register online with GMS by February 4, 2010; applications due February 18, 2010.

More info: (PDF)

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Book grants for rural libraries

The Roads to Reading Annual Competitive Book Donation Program is designed to donate books to literacy programming in small and rural communities (population under 50,000 with a median income under $41,000 per household).

All programs must have a strong focus on remedial reading programming or a tutoring component as part of the program. The books that are available through this program are appropriate for ages 6 months to young adult. Eligible programs are:

• School-based programs
• After-School or Community Literacy Programs
• Day-Care Centers
•  Public Library collections available for students and for direct use
  

Check all the requirements on the Roads to Reading site. Also be aware that an administrative fee will apparently apply, although the amount is not specified.

Deadline: March 30, 2010.

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NEA Fast Track Grants for arts

The National Endowment for the Arts will award Challenge America Fast-Track grants for small arts organizations that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations.

Qualifying factors for "underserved" include those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. I think many Oklahoma towns could qualify based on geography, ethnicity or economics. Grants can be up to $10,000. 

Types of projects: 

Looks like this will be useful for funding festivals, murals, and local arts council projects, where professional artists will participate. 

• An arts event or events that will feature one or more guest artists. The project (such as a festival, exhibit, recital, reading, performance, screening, broadcast, lecture) must include the participation of guest artist(s). In addition to artists' fees, the project may include public relations, professional documentation, and program enhancements that are integral to the event. Examples of program enhancements include interpretive material, transportation, program accommodations (e.g., sign language interpretation, audio description), catalogues, brochures, or publications. Other enhancements such as specific lecture-demonstrations, pre- or post-event talks, or workshops relevant to the proposed arts event also are eligible.
  
  
• The creation of professionally directed public art projects such as murals, sculptures, or environmental art that are developed through community engagement.
  
  
• Civic design activities that involve the renovation, restoration, or adaptive reuse of structures to be used as cultural facilities. Projects may include architectural studies, design competitions, charettes (design workshops), or feasibility plans. Funding is not available for actual renovation or construction costs.
  
  
• The unified promotion of community-wide arts activities and resources to enhance cultural tourism or activities in cultural districts. Unified promotion is defined as the professional assessment, design, and/or distribution of public relations tools (calendars, Web sites, brochures, rack cards, signage, etc.) designed to benefit several local organizations. NOTE: Promotional projects for a single organization are not eligible.
  

Deadline: apply by May 27, 2010, for projects starting January 1, 2011. So apply now for your festivals and events next year.

More information: National Endowment for the Arts

Source: Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office.

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Grant to preserve historical records

2010 "Threats to Your Collection" Grant Applications Now Available

To help organizations address threats to historical documents, photographs, recordings, and other archival materials, the Oklahoma Historical Records Advisory Board, administered by the Department of Libraries, is now accepting applications for its “Threats to Your Collection” funding opportunity. Grants range from $500 to $10,000. Funding is made available through the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

To apply, download an application form, view a list of successful applicants from last year’s program and review a previously successful application.

Applications are due by March 1, 2010.

Source: Oklahoma Department of Libraries

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Assistance for EMS or ambulance services

With over $1.1 million in funding, the Oklahoma Emergency Response Systems Stabilization and Improvement Revolving Fund represents a big opportunity for small ambulance services.

The money is collected from cigarette taxes, and may be used by the Oklahoma State Department of Health for:

• funding assessment activities,
• stabilization and/or reorganization of at-risk emergency medical services,
• development of regional emergency medical services,
• training for emergency medical directors,
• access to training front line emergency medical services personnel, and
• capital and equipment needs.

The application doesn't look too difficult. You'll find it online at OSDH, along with a complete explanation of scoring.

Deadline: January 1, 2010. Looks like it will be open every year at this same time.
UPDATE:  I understand the application deadline has been moved back to April, 2010.

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Office of Justice Programs 2010 Program Plan

If you're planning to apply for any law enforcement funding or for any OJP grants, spend some time now at their new 2010 OJP Program Plan.

It's an online database full of details on all the grant programs they plan to offer in 2010.

The Program Plan is searchable and organized by topic. Users can scroll through the  discretionary programs, training and technical assistance, and research and statistics subsections found within each topical chapter. An RSS feed provides an opportunity to receive e-mail notification each time the Plan is updated. The Plan will be updated frequently to reflect new program developments and funding amounts that cannot be determined until the FY 2010 Congressional appropriation is passed.

It also includes lots of information about the application process and an online training tool to help you create a better application.

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Museums and libraries can apply for NASA space shuttle artifacts

How cool would it be to have an actual helmet or glove used in the space shuttle? I actually saw artifacts like this in the Hutchinson, Kansas, Cosmosphere. Well, museums and libraries have a chance to apply for free artifacts, just pay the shipping and handling!

Museums and libraries are invited to apply for free NASA space shuttle artifacts, including small items such as astronaut helmets, gloves, and boots, and large items such as shuttle Motion Based Simulators and Crew Compartment Trainers. NASA will retire the Space Shuttle Program at the end of 2010 and is eager for the public to learn about the wonders of space exploration through museum and library exhibitions. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is helping NASA reach out to eligible institutions, including museums attended by the public and free libraries serving all residents of a community, district, state, or region. A new batch of artifacts will be made available in January 2010.

Museums and libraries must first be determined as eligible through the State Agency for Surplus Property in their state. Artifacts, which will be released as they are no longer needed by the Space Shuttle Program, may be viewed by eligible institutions that have been given a log-on and password at the Web site http://gsaxcess.gov/NASAWel.htm.

The artifacts are free, but eligible recipients must cover shipping and special handling fees. Shipping fees on smaller items will be relatively inexpensive, while larger items may involve extensive disassembly, preparation, shipping, and reassembly costs. NASA will work closely with potential recipients, on a case by case basis, to address any unique special handling costs.

The artifacts are offered in batches. A new batch of artifacts will be made available in January 2010. For the latest information about NASA shuttle transition and artifacts, visit http://www.nasa.gov/transition.

Photo by Becky McCray.
Grant Source: IMLS.

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Increase your firefighter staff or volunteer rolls

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offers grants to help you increase the number of trained front line firefighters in your area, called SAFER Grants.

You can use funds to hire firefighters or to recruit and retain volunteers. Grant funds for hiring work much like the COPS grants, covering a large portion of wages and benefits at first and scaling back over a four year period.

Volunteer departments could spend grant funds in ways that help recruit or retain volunteers:

• Insurance packages such as accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D), disability, health, dental, life, etc. 
• Reimbursement to the member for attending required basic training, i.e., compensation for lost wages, mileage, lodging, per diem. 
• Marketing costs to recruit new volunteer members.  
• Physicals may be eligible if the applicant can adequately demonstrate that the provision of the physicals would enhance the applicant’s ability to recruit and/or retain volunteer firefighters.  
• Explorer, cadet, and/or mentoring programs. 
• Staffing needs assessment. 
• Tuition assistance for higher education (including college tuition) and professional certifications.  Note: Coursework or certifications in this category should be above and beyond what the department typically funds for required minimum-staffing firefighter certification. 
• Length of service awards and other retirement benefits.  
  

The Program Guidance should be out soon, and the application period will be November 16, 2009, to December 18, 2009.

Learn more at the website for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program - www.firegrantsupport.com.

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