1. Fundraising Donations, and Grant Writing

2. Fundraising Guidelines
Types of Fundraising
DOs and DON’Ts
Grant Writing
Example Scenarios

3. Fundraising guidelines
Fundraising MUST:
A) Provide direct support to a service activity of the member
B) Fall within program’s approved activities
C) Not be primary function of host site
D) Not involve activities raising money for the organization
Can only account for 10% of your total hours
Complete Fundraising Request Form with host site supervisor and submit to Program Director for approval
Needed if collecting money or actively seeking out donations from businesses/agencies or applying for grants
In general, AmeriCorps members may not participate in fundraising efforts, but there are some cases where it is allowed. “A member may raise funds for projects and activities that are directly connected to the goals of his/her service”.
Fundraising must:
A) Provide direct support to a service activity of the member. The key here is that the fundraising must be for you, whether that is a project you are organizing or a project that benefits your clients.
B) As always, it must fall within our program’s approved activities
C) Cannot be a main function of your host site
D) Cannot raise money that goes to the overall organization
Remember, it can only count for 10% of your hours, and in order to be approved you have to complete a request form (which can be found in your orientation handbook) and submit it to the program director.
BUT, there are instances when you don’t have to fill it out.
EXAMPLE: If you are having a donation drive for your service project where people can come to a specific place and drop off food, clothing, toiletries, etc. then you do not have to fill out a fundraising request form, that is considered more of a project/event.
BUT say you are actively going from business to business (walking into Meijer or Starbucks) asking for donations of food, clothing, toiletries, money, gift cards, that would definitely be considered fundraising so you would have to fill out a request form with your site supervisor. When in doubt, just ask.

4. Types of Fundraising Grant Proposals Monetary Donations
Donations of money as direct funds
Examples: Donations given through website, checks written to organization, cash donations given to the organization, etc.
In-Kind Donations
Donations other than money such as goods, time or professional services
Examples: Clothing, Hygiene products, Non-perishable food items, volunteering, etc.
There are 3 things under the umbrella of fundraising. There are monetary donations, but there are also in-kind donations which are donations other than money- clothing, toiletries, food, volunteering, etc.
The other kind of fundraising activity is to apply for eligible grants.

5. Dos: 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 members.
These examples are from the CNCS AmeriCorps general provisions documents.
EXAMPLE: Movin On In events from last year. Volunteer Coordinator applied for grant money to purchase goodies to put in baskets to give to people who were newly moving into a home. So you can use money for buying give-away supplies at an event you’re planning, or for food for guests and volunteers, as some examples. If you’re unsure, always ask.

6. DON’Ts: Examples of Prohibited Activities
ME FUND
Cannot raise funds for your living allowance
Cannot raise funds for an organization's operating expenses or endowment (as opposed to a project)
Cannot apply for grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service
Cannot apply for grant from any other Federal agency

7. 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
Awesome Foundation grants (Detroit & Ann Arbor Chapters)
VolunteerMICHIGAN funding alerts
Kohl’s Cares Associates in Action program
Grants must go specifically to your project. You have to be involved in the planning, grant dollars go specifically toward your project, and that project must help the clients you are serving. Time spent on an application counts as fundraising hours. No federal agency grants, but state is ok. - MCSC sometimes has mini-grants to award to individuals/organizations for service project days such as MLK Day (which has already passed) and Global Youth Service Day.
Awesome Foundation is great for those of you in Detroit/Ann Arbor areas. They provide $1000 grants every month and you just have to submit an application on their website that’s quite short. There is also a chapter in Grand Rapids, but the webpage says that it is inactive…
VolunteerMICHIGAN has funding alerts. If you go to the MCSC website you can sign up for alerts that will go directly to your inbox notifying you of upcoming grants you may be eligible to apply for.
Kohl’s Cares is another one. From what I gather, as long as your host site serves children in some way, you get at least 5 Kohl’s associates recruited by a local store to volunteer for at-least 3 hours, then your organization receives $500 (which would have to be used for a another one of your service projects or for your clients) This app can be filled out online as well.
You may have to do some of your own research for other mini grants

8. Grant Writing Cycle
Funding/items for your service project or your clients
Grant may require write-up or event report in order to receive grant.
Identify Funding Needs
Research possible funders
Alignment with Funding Priorities
Building Relationship
Write proposal
Follow-Up, Tracking, Reporting
Aforementioned websites or community foundations for grants
Write grant or fill out an application
Grant writing cycle adopted from Non-profit Network of Jackson. Its more applicable to larger grants as opposed to mini grants such as those you would potentially be applying for, but it could still be good to go through.
What would you need the money for?
Research grants you can apply for
Make sure grants fit AmeriCorps regulations
Write grant or fill out the application
Check to see if the grant requires any additional submission of documents or reports from your event and make sure you do them
Ensure grant requirements are AmeriCorps compliant
Grant writing cycle from NonprofitNetwork of Jackson

9. tiPS for 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.
Don’t procrastinate
You don’t want to turn in a bad application with wrong information and bad grammar
Follow guidelines and include all requirements of the specific grant you’re applying for
Asking for feedback is always a good idea, no matter what you’re doing

10. Scenario #1
Your agency is seeking out donations and wants you to help. Is this ok?
YES/NO
The answer to this certain scenario depends on “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, etc.) to be given to your clients, that is ELIGIBLE .
Example scenarios. Answer whether you think YES the activity is allowed or NO the activity is not allowed.

11. Scenario #2
Global Youth Service Day is coming up soon and you are planning a service project at your agency to renovate 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 fundraising activity allowed?
YES
The funds are for a service project YOU are planning directly.
MCSC grants are eligible for fundraising.
You can also apply for other grants not associated with Federal agencies
Even though it says that AmeriCorps members may not write grants for CNCS, MCSC grants are eligible. Make sure time spent on the app is counted as fundraising hours.

12. 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? NO
Members cannot recruit volunteers or fundraise for activities that the member his/herself cannot participate in. But you may participate in this activity on your own time.
NO. While the proceeds go directly to something specific, this activity is actually ineligible. Members cannot recruit volunteers or fundraise in activities that the member cannot participate. But you may participate in activities on your own time.

13. Scenario #4
Your agency wants to host a community breakfast to engage people about homelessness.  The money raised from the event will go to the overall organizational costs.  Can you plan this? NO
You cannot participate in organizing this event. You “Cannot raise funds for an organization's operating expenses or endowment.”
No. The money is clearly going to general organization costs, so you cannot plan it.
However, you CAN:
Recruit volunteers for the event
Fundraise IF you were seeking in-kind donations for your clients (ex: food for breakfast, gifts for attendees)
Fundraise IF monetary donations were NOT going towards the organization’s fund

14. QUESTIONS? Reminders: Survey monkey quiz Conference Call:
Tues Dec 16th from 10am-11am
Q1 Reports due Jan. 2nd