Jan 25 2009
Saving the U.S. with Government Grants
What: More people are setting up non-profit organizations and hoping to get help saving the U.S. with government grants. A U.S. government grant is money or other resources given by the government in order to solve problems that hurt American communities which ultimately affect the global status of the nation. These grants generally come from tax dollars and do not have to be repaid.
Perhaps because of the present mindset of Americans believing that change is coming, there is some hope that the reported social economic picture can improve. President Barrack Obama is certainly enjoying an appearance of bipartisan cooperation as he unveils his plan to boost the overall morale of the American citizens. Among his plans to enhance America, President Obama has announced his intent to advance the service sector which includes the area of Social Entrepreneurship.
The two words “Social” and “Entrepreneurship” describe the developing arena of non-profit practitioners whose success has broadened the opportunities for grass roots organizations to receive government grants. The word “Social” deals with association and community, while “Entrepreneurship” involves taking risks and responsibility. The past years have provided government grants to many newly funded organizations with visions and dedication while sometimes lacking in years of formalized experience. Many tried and proven social entrepreneurs demonstrated that they were worth having the opportunity to test the waters of giving government grants to startup projects.
Social Entrepreneurship is increasing in popularity as the non-profit community has been more active with seeking to address human suffering. The field of social entrepreneurship is also demanding a higher level of accountability and structure in the delivery of service. At the same time there is a realization that size or years of experience is not as important as effectiveness. In this present arena of philanthropy, the new kid on the block has the same chance for getting a government grant as the traditional more experienced service provider.
The search is on for what works- period. If your organization is a well established dinosaur whose success ratio is less promising than the newer ABC community service, then you may be passed over for this round of funding. More grassroots organizations are being funded as grant makers recognize the value and capabilities of real community stakeholders that have the interest, trust and participation of their target population.
Two areas that President Obama plans to enhance according to his service agenda include the following:
- Create a Social Investment Fund Network: Use federal seed money to leverage private sector funding to improve local innovation, test the impact of new ideas, and expand successful programs to scale.
- Social Entrepreneurship Agency for Nonprofits: Create an agency within the Corporation for National and Community Service dedicated to building the capacity and effectiveness of the nonprofit sector.
The Corporation for National and Community Service is a grant making agency that offers government grants to fund initiatives that encourage and support community service projects.
To this end there are four government grant announcements for applications that are due in March and April. The Corporation’s mission is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. The purpose of Learn and Serve America grants are to expand participation in community service and service-learning programs to meet the human, educational, environmental or public safety needs of their local communities.
Why :More grassroots organizations are being funded with government grants as documented results uncover the value and capabilities of real community stakeholders that have the interest, trust and participation of their own neighborhoods.
Online References
- Read more about President Obama’s Service Agenda .
- Learn about the government grant for Higher Learning Service (Application due March 26, 2009).
- Learn about the government grant for Community Based Service Learning Projects
(Application due April 14, 2009).
- Learn about the government grant for School Based Service Learning Projects
(Application due April 14, 2009).
- Learn about the government grant for School Based Indian Tribes Service Learning Projects (Application due April 14, 2009).
Thank you for your insight and basic strategy about Social Entrepreneurship. I am not certain about what you are referring to in your comment “a realization that size or years of experience is not as important as effectiveness.” Is this an attempt to apply a measurement such as “size” to the budget, number of employees or the impact to their communities or target population?
I agree that “non-profit practitioners” are growing in numbers and will be far more effective at resolving grass-root issues than big government has ever done before. I wonder if they will gain the needed support of government to effectively address these issues without the large administrative staffing needed to produce lengthy and technical documentation as a show of accountability. Additionally,
I hope that people will get over phobias about the government leaving them out to dry through budget cuts comprised to appease special interest groups.
Change will effect us all and it is risky business in this uncertain economy. Let’s hope we can all be brave enough to answer the call.