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FUNDRAISING AND AMERICORPS
FUNDRAISING AND GRANT
WRITING
FUNDRAISING GUIDELINES• Members are generally not allowed to participate BUT;
• Member may raise funds for projects and activities that are directly connected to the goals of his/her service.
• Receive Fundraising Approval Form from Program Director
• Only account for 10% of your total hours
EXAMPLES OF PERMISSIBLE ACTIVITIES • Seeking donations of clothing and
household goods for newly housed clients
• Writing a grant proposal to a foundation to secure resources to support the training of volunteers
• Securing supplies and equipment from the community to enable volunteers to help build houses for low-income individuals;
• Seeking a donation from alumni of the program for specific service projects being performed by current by current members.
EXAMPLES OF PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES
• Cannot raise funds for his/her living allowance
• Cannot raise funds for an organization's operating expenses or endowment
• Cannot write grant applications for AmeriCorps funding or for any other funding provided by the Corporation for National and Community Service
• Cannot write grantapplications for funding provided by any other federal agencies
GRANT WRITING• Grants must specifically go towards your project
• Most require a 1-3 page application process
• Examples of grants compliant with AmeriCorps’ requirements:
• Michigan Community Service Commission grants
• DoSomething.org grants• Awesome Foundation grants
(Grand Rapids and Detroit Chapters)• VolunteerMICHIGAN funding alerts• Kohl’s Cares Associates in Action
program
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
SOME TIPS ABOUT GRANT WRITING• Apply well before the
deadline!
• 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.
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• Other ideas?
IN-KIND DONATIONS VS. MONETARY DONATIONS• In-Kind Donations: Donations other than monetary value
such as goods, time or professional services
• Examples: Clothing, Hygiene products, Non-perishable food items, volunteering, providing pro-bono work for graphic design
• Monetary donations: Donations of monetary value given towards funding of an organization
• Examples: Membership drives, donations given through website, checks written to organization, cash donations given to the organization ect.
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 is “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 (e.g. clothes, non-perishable foods, toiletry items, ect.) to be given to your clients, that is eligible.
SCENARIO #2
Global Youth Service Day is coming up soon and you plan on a service project at your agency renovating the common area where clients may congregate during the day. You would like to purchase paint and other supplies. You plan on engaging 25 volunteers and need $200. Is this activity allowable?
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.”
You can also apply for grants mentioned previously such as DoSomething.org and AwesomeFoundation grants. You may also seek Community Foundation grants, as long as they towards the purchase of the items needed for the event.
SCENARIO #3
Your agency has tried numerous ways to raise funds for clients at your shelter. They decide to plan a 5K which will raise funds to buy medical supplies for the clients. You are asked to help in the planning of the 5K. 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 the member cannot participate. But you may participate in activities on your own time.
SCENARIO #4
Your agency wants to host a community breakfast to engage about homelessness. The money raised from the event will go to the overall organizational costs. Can you plan this??
ANSWER #4
No, you cannot participate in organizing this event. You “Cannot raise funds for an organization's operating expenses or endowment.”
Though there are some caveats…
• Recruit volunteers for event• You could fundraise if you were seeking in-kind donations for
Community breakfast (e.g. food) • Monetary donations were NOT going towards organizational
fund
QUESTIONS?
Contact Information:
Michelle Adams
517-853-3887
Reminders: Conference Call Tues Dec 17th from 10am-11am
Volunteer Training Webinar Thurs Dec 19th from
10am-11am
