Helping communities find the federal funding they need.

AZ State EditionThe FundBook

June 2011

www.fundbook.orgp.� ~ The Fundbook - AZ | June �011

It’s a sign…the road to recovery

begins

The economic downturn that has brought a nation to its knees is now turning around in Arizona. Although growing slowly in comparison to the dramatic spiral down, employment gains are forecasted to contin-ue to increase. Reports released in late April indicate Arizona’s annual growth in 2011 is expected to be 0.7%. For 2012, the Arizona Department of Commerce is expecting to double 2011 increases at 1.4%. These rates may seem like little comfort for unemployed Arizonan individuals and families without income or to the state’s many laid off work-ers. However, when converting these rates into solid numbers, 17,300 jobs are forecast-ed to be added in 2011 and 34,600 in 2012, to-taling a two-year gain of 51,900. Phoenix is set to lead the state with the majority of job opportunity development. The six sectors said to show gains in 2011 and 2012, making up the majority of the anticipated jobs are Natural Resources and Mining; Manufac-turing; Trade, Transportation and Utilities; Financial Activities; Educational and Health Services; and Leisure and Hospitality. Con-currently, on the contrary, the outlook con-tinues to be grim for local and state govern-ment agencies where job losses are projected to the tune of 5,800 positions. Unfortunately for these cash strapped agencies, this seems to do little to relieve stretched-thin staffs and the public’s demand for services.

As we are on the cusp of the State’s cen-tennial, we must be reminded that Arizonans have a legacy of bravery and hardiness and the economy will bounce back. For the time being, however, recovery might be synony-mous with creativity or open-mindedness,

if Arizonans want to embark on the jour-ney to self and state economic recovery. For those individuals seeking employment, it might be worth investigating new job mar-kets, specifically the sectors demonstrating gains, to leverage a new position. It is pos-sible that a lateral move exists across dif-ferent sectors. Employers, both private and public sectors, should secure grant funding to supplement budgets and seek state level programming to proactively support job creation. For example, in March the Small Business Administration’s Arizona Small Business Development Center Network re-ceived a grant for $837,632 to meet the criti-cal need for business expansion and job cre-ation within the small business community by providing in-depth business counseling and advice to entrepreneurs and small busi-ness owners. Their objectives include busi-ness start-up and development counseling

The View from Arizona State

June Tip Tac Toe: Sign Your Grant

Away

Whether you have inherited grant writing at your agency or you are a seasoned professional writer, surely by now you realize how critical signatures are for grant preparation and submission. During your design meeting or planning stage determine what signatures are required and by whom; immediately find out what procedures are required and the time involved to get each signature, and then integrate these steps into your timeline. Recently, when work-ing on a grant with a long-time client, I was reminded of my own advice. Many grants require the signature of the city mayor and many grants we had written, had received the mayor’s signature; we had the pro-cess down. But, what happens when it is now a new mayor? It means a new process and no longer a one-week timeline at that. No one told me! It was an ex-tra crunch and one you don’t want to deal with while preparing a grant application. §

www.fundbook.org June �011 | The Fundbook - AZ ~ p.�

Meggie Chapman & Associates is committed to providing our clients with the ability to acquire valuable information, assess needs and goals, create and enhance programs, cultivate relation-ships, leverage funding, and evaluate and continuously improve performance through our top-notch grant development firm.

Meggie Chapman & Associates understands that no one entity has the same fundraising or evaluation needs. We strongly believe in providing a full-range of customized and value-added consulting services to each client. Each client, short-term and long-term, is considered our partner. For the past eight years, Meggie Chapman and her team have partnered with educational institutions, govern-ment agencies, non-profit organizations, corporations and small businesses in support of their respective missions.

Meggie Chapman & Associates’ personalized process con-sists of a unique, multi-pronged approach that includes research, design, writing, editing, technical support and evaluation. These established processes and our 21st Century innovation and exten-sive network of highly-qualified consultants enables us to offer effi-cient and affordable services, as well as products that we are proud to stand behind. A pure demonstration of the firm’s efficacy is their success at raising millions in funding and connecting clients with valuable knowledge, resources and partnerships. Our ultimate goal is to assist each client to achieve their goals, further their mission and meet their needs.

To get started on your project today or to learn more about how our firm can tailor services to meet your specific needs, please contact Meggie Chapman at:

Phone 602-672-3064Fax 866-422-6024

info@meggiechapmanandassociates.com

Helping communities

secure the federal

funding they need

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The FundBook bridges the gap between your needs and those sources of federal funding available to your community. With a list of features that is growing each month, the FundBook can help you…

• Stay Organized – User-friendly features help you sort through the federal funding quagmire and locate quality grants.

• Gain Access – Expert insights into the federal assistance programs that matter to you.

• Prioritize Effectively – Tools to help your community navigate the federal funding process.

How We Help: Hundreds of communi-ties across the nation

are using the FundBook to navigate an increasing array of federal funding opportunities available to cities and counties each year. De-signed to give local government leaders a commanding view of the fed-eral funding process, each issue promotes and educates a do-it-yourself approach to pursuing assistance in Washington, D.C. and working with the federal agencies. The FundBook is designed to be the most user-friendly federal funding resource for all sizes of local government.

Why Us? Unlike other news magazines or govern-ment relations products designed for local

governments, the FundBook endeavors to provide specific, actionable advice rather than general news and policy information. Drawing upon the grant and appropriations experience of our staff and contributors, we strive to give our readers the tools needed to stay on top of the federal funding process every step of the way.

Sign up for the FundBook today and join a growing list of cities and counties that are maxi-mizing their ability to secure federal funding. Plus, check back with us soon as we

grow our capabilities at the state-level!

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www.fundbook.org June �011 | The Fundbook - AZ ~ p.�

for minorities and veterans, providing fi-nancial education to business owners and counseling for high growth potential busi-ness leaders. For information about these programs, contact SBA’s Arizona District Office at (602) 745-7200. Another resource is the Western Trade Adjustment Assis-tance Center (WTAAC) which addresses the challenges of import impacted manufactur-ing and producing firms located in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Hawaii. WTAAC offers qualified companies an opportunity to improve their competitive position in the global marketplace through custom tai-lored grants to manufacturing and produc-ing companies that have experienced de-clines in sales and employment partially due to foreign competition. If you are interested in this program, visit http://goo.gl/QEvbK. There are many great opportunities and re-sources waiting to be tapped that can have significant benefits. §

Banking on tourism

Arizona’s beautiful and diverse landscape, monuments, resorts, weather, and special events are all draws for travelers and va-cationers. Travel and tourism is one of the state’s biggest champions! You know this, if you have ever visited the Grand Canyon, Snow Bowl, the Lake Havasu Poker Run, South Mountain or even just tried to get into a restaurant on a Friday night during baseball’s spring training schedule. The en-tire state, all 15 counties, reap the rewards of the millions of visitors who choose to come to Arizona each year; billions gener-ated in local, state and federal tax revenues and approximately 300,000 jobs. Arizona’s economic recovery depends on being a de-sired destination.

Year-to-date statewide lodging indicators reported by Smith Travel Research are dem-

onstrating improvements over 2010: state-wide occupancy volume is at 65.2 percent, a 5.8 percent increase; the average daily rate is $108.14, up 2.0 percent; revenue per avail-able room is $70.45, a 7.9 percent increase; and demand is up 6.7 percent. Further, the Arizona Department of Commerce has re-ported that the weaker dollar has resulted in an increase in international tourism, in Arizona. These statistics are soothing con-sidering in early 2010 the state Legislature redirected funds from the Arizona Office of Tourism’s (AOT) budget to the general fund, said to have taken approximately $28 mil-lion away from AOT over the 2011 and 2012 fiscal years. Marketing funds diminished, other states normally riding on Arizona’s travel and tourism coattails are scurrying to grab-up Arizona’s market share. Realiz-ing the detrimental ramifications of the re-direction, the tourism industry, led by the Arizona Tourism Alliance, is campaigning to reclaim the budget, banking on tourism to help pull Arizona out of the economic downturn and return millions of visitors to Arizona. Proof is in the trends and because we cannot count on hosting a Super Bowl each year, communities and local agencies need to join in the effort and will need to look to other avenues to intrigue visitors, including utilizing free social media and online forums, or exploring new trends in travel and tourism including agri-tour-ism, voluntourism, eco-friendly hotels and traveling, heritage and cultural touring, edutainment and small travel grants. §

This article was contributed by Meggie Chapman of Meggie Chapman & Associates. Meggie Chapman is very knowledgable of the grants and funding territory in AZ and works with local governments and non-profits on grants-related services there.