City of Springfield
| Grantseeking for Nonprofits |  |
Proposal Writing and Proposal Budgeting Basics
Tuesday, June 23, 9 am - 12 noon
Central Library Community Room
Springfield City Library is excited to announce that Caroline Herbert, Manager of Multi-Media and On-Demand Training at the Foundation Center Office, Washington, DC, will present two free classes on grant proposal writing at the Central Library. Proposal Writing Basics is an introductory overview of the process for new proposal writers, addressing questions such as "who should sign a grant request, and how should the proposal be packaged?" Proposal Budgeting Basics will tackle the level of detail necessary in a budget as well as the kinds of expenses that might be covered. Representatives of area nonprofits and grassroots organizations are encouraged to attend! Registration includes both sessions. They'll be held in the Central Library Community Room, 220 State Street, Springfield, on Tuesday, June 23, from 9 a.m. to noon.
Proposal Writing Basics
Learn about the basics of writing a proposal for your nonprofit organization. If you are new to proposal writing, you may be wondering:
- What are the key components of a proposal to a foundation or corporation?
- Who should sign a grant request?
- How should the proposal be packaged?
- Should you contact a funder if your proposal is turned down?
- Where can you find more information on proposal writing, including sample proposals?
Proposal Writing Basics, an introductory overview of the process for new proposal writers, will give you some answers!
Proposal Budgeting Basics
Are you stymied by this essential component of any grant proposal?
Are you wondering if you need a financial expert to create a budget for you?
This free training session geared to the novice grantseeker will cover such topics as:
- What kinds of expenses are covered under "personnel"?
- What level of detail do you need to include for non-personnel expenses?
- How do you determine an overall amount that is neither too high nor too low in relation to what you expect to accomplish?
- What is the relationship between the budget for your project and the overall budget for your nonprofit organization?
- What kinds of expenses should be included on the "overhead" line?
Proposal Budgeting Basics will answer these and related questions. Prior attendance at Proposal Writing Basics is strongly recommended.
These classes are free and open to representatives of area nonprofits and grassroots organizations. To register, call 413-263-6828 ext 213, email askalibrarian@springfieldlibrary.org or register online.
Caroline Herbert, Manager of Multi-Media and On-Demand Training, is responsible for designing, implementing and delivering training programs through the Foundation Center's web site. Since joining the Foundation Center's Washington, DC office in 1998, she also served as senior training coordinator and reference librarian, and technology specialist. Prior to joining the Center, she spent over five years working in nonprofit organizations as an administrative director and as a fundraiser for the Ounce of Prevention Fund in Chicago.
Caroline is a member of the selection committee for The Washington Post Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management. Caroline holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and a Master's degree in Library Science from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Cooperating Collection of the Foundation Center
The Springfield City Library is a Cooperating Collection of the Foundation Center. Formerly known as the Western Mass. Funding Resource Center hosted by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, the Cooperating Collection is now housed at the Central Library, 220 State Street.
As a member of this nationwide network of libraries, community foundations, and other nonprofit agencies, the Springfield City Library provides visitors with free public access to grantmaker directories, books on fundraising and nonprofit management, and the Foundation Center's electronic databases, The Foundation Directory Online and Foundation Grants to Individuals Online. The fully searchable database includes detailed profiles of all active U.S. foundations, as well as an extensive file of recent grants awarded by the nation's top funders.
Representatives of nonprofit and grassroots organizations and other patrons are welcome to use the print collection and databases in the main reference area (Wellman Hall) at the Central Library at any time during our open hours. Librarians are available for assistance. Wireless access for laptop computers is available. No preliminary training is required.
Computer access at the Springfield libraries requires a library card from the Springfield City Library or any C/WMARS library. Free Foundation Center Online introductory computer classes are available through our HiTech @ the Library class schedule.
For more information or for group visits, please contact the Collection Supervisor, Donna Goldthwaite, at 413-263-6828 ext. 437 or by email at: dgoldthwaite@springfieldlibrary.org. To be added to our e-mail list (to be advised of upcoming programs and Foundation Center updates), please send a request to dgoldthwaite@springfieldlibrary.org.
DATABASES available through the Cooperating Collection:
Foundation Directory Online
A searchable database of 80,000+ U.S. foundations, grantmaking public charities, and corporate givers, including sponsoring company information. Additional program information and expanded application guidelines for larger funders. Links to over 7,400 grantmaker and corporate Web sites. Links to IRS 990-PF and 990 returns. See a librarian for assistance. In-library use only at Central Library.
Foundation Grants to Individuals Online
A searchable online database of more than 6,200 foundation and public charity programs that fund students, artists, researchers, and other individual grantseekers. See a librarian for assistance. In-library use only at Central Library.
Free Audio Version of Guide to Proposal Writing
The Foundation Center, in partnership with the New York Unit of Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D), is making available free of charge a new audio version of The Foundation Center's Guide to Proposal Writing, the most popular book in its Fundraising and Nonprofit Management Series. For web visitors' convenience, the recording is divided into tracks corresponding to chapters in the book, and users can listen to the chapters that interest them or download the entire audiobook as a single mp3 file. The Foundation Center's Guide to Proposal Writing is also available as an AudioPlus© CD in RFB&D's library for those with visual disabilities. Click here for the free audio version.
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