HowToGetYourGrant.com/Blog

3 Days Left for Stimulus Package Website Input

admin — Fri, 01 May 2009 07:31:26 +0000

Recovery.gov is dedicated to explaining the $787 Billion Dollar Stimulus Package, called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It shows you how to easily find out about Federal and state Stimulus Package funds and how to use benefits and programs to your advantage.But what does all that mean for you, your family, and your business?

Well, log on to Recovery.gov and see for yourself. Then, tell the Federal government how else it can be of assistance to you. Your feedback is vital!

To get things started, the Recovery Accountability and Transparency board is asking, “What ideas, tools, and approaches can make Recovery.gov a place where all citizens can transparently monitor the expenditure and use of Stimulus Package funds?”

Watch this video. Then, take a moment to give your input.

10 Facets of Ideal Letters of Support

admin — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:11:13 +0000

Click here to download handout for video

How Nonprofits Can Thrive Online

admin — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:03:03 +0000

Steve Mistretta worked with the top names in Internet marketing before becoming disillusioned. He wanted something more meaningful to do with the time he has left on this planet. He decided to help others help themselves … and make the world a better place.

So, what did this Internet marketing expert do? Steve, an avid gardner, turned his expertise into increasing traffic and online sales for the Food for Everyone Foundation.

He did not stop there. Seeing the tremendous needs for many non-profits on shoe-string budgets, he created ChangeTheWorldU.com, a website where Steve and select experts teach people to build their own business online while helping a non-profit in their niche.

He reminds people that there is no “magic lightswitch” to online success; however, if you follow the ChangeTheWorldU.com blueprint, you and the non-profit will success.

Click on the “PLAY BUTTON” below to listen to Steve Mistretta and Phil Johncock in a heart-to-heart conversation about the successes at the Food for Everyone Foundation and how ChangeTheWorldU.com can help you be successful.

To give you an idea of the depth of expertise Steve offers, check out the list of podcasts already available for you:

How to Save Money by Creating Your Own Charity Website

admin — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:55:36 +0000

PROBLEM

Tired of paying high prices to webmasters?
Tired of waiting weeks … even months for changes to be made to your site?
Tired of feeling like you’re not a priority?
Tired of the same old site … with traffic trickling in, if at all?
Want to reach more donors & clients with less effort?

If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, then read on.

It’s time for you to stand back and take back control of your website. In these tough economic times …

Tighten Your Belt, Not Your Outreach

SOLUTION

Fortunately for nonprofits and charities, WordPress® came along when it did. It is “open source” platform that allows you to create a website in seconds without any technical knowledge. It is easy-to-learn and easy-to-use. WordPress® takes the power to create visually appealing, high-quality websites and puts it directly into your hands.

No longer do you have to put up with the high cost and slow response rate of a web master. Learn WordPress® and have your own site up and fully functional in no time. All you need is a phone, a computer with a high-speed internet connection, and a desire to learn AND save money for your agency!

If you already have a site, it can be easily converted to a WordPress® site if your hosting service supports that, or be transferred to a different hosting service that does.

If you do not have a site yet, this is the perfect time to create one.

No additional money is needed, if you already are paying for a website. Just take the money you were paying your web designer and hosting service. Then, divide it in half or even quarter! Use that money.

For example, if you were paying $2,400 annually for your site now. For 25% of what you are paying now, you can learn WordPress®, AND get your website hosted for 12 months. Nice, right!

Example:

Previous web designer + web hosting = $2,400

WordPress for Charities class + web hosting (12 months) = $600

$2,400

- $600

$1,800 << SAVINGS

That’s just the first year, too. In year #2, you ONLY pay for hosting! Now, that’s a real savings!

What would you do with all that money you save?

Provide more services to clients?
Get rid of that slow, old computer and replace it with a faster one?
Purchase well-needed supplies?

WordPress for Charities class << click here for sneak preview

Final Tele-Fundraiser for 2008

admin — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 21:10:57 +0000

The Relationship between Entrepreneurship & Giving

Alex Mandossian, Founder of SmartStartGiving.com, with Jack Canfield, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.

Click here to listen

Twitter for the Social Good

admin — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 23:04:38 +0000

This post is repurposed here with permission from Barry Graubart’s blog. Barry is a “NY-based social media, content and technology executive.” If you raise funds for a non-profit, Twitter is a great tool! Click here to follow us!

While marketers flounder about looking for a business model for the use of Twitter, I’ve seen some recent viral examples where Twitter was used for the common good. In both of these instances the network effect of Twitter made a huge impact.

The first example was the use of Twitter to help identify a potential kidney donor for Marielle, a teenager with failing kidneys, in search of a living donor. Her mother posted a plea to her blog, letting people know of the challenges she was having in getting potential donors tested. That blog post led to a tweet by @chrisbrogan which was later retweeted by many, including Laura Fitton (aka @pistachio). I first learned of Marielle’s situation through the @pistachio tweet. Clicking through, I found a form to apply to be a living donor. I filled out the form and submitted it to NY Presbyterian and also retweeted the original message to my network.

The next day I received a call from NY Presbyterian confirming they’d received my application but that they’d received so many requests “from the Internet” that they would get back to me if needed.

Subsequently, through her online outreach, Marielle has found a potential donor match and they are hoping to perform the transplant the day after Christmas. Wow!

The second instance is a great charitable fundraising effort started by Amanda Mooney, a Chicago-based social media maven at Edelman PR. About 6 weeks ago, Amanda began to ask her Twitter followers to give up their Friday cappucino and instead donate $5 to a worth cause. She asked her followers to propose potential causes and chose one each week. My pet cause – Donors Choose – was selected the second week and we quickly raised enough funds to buy two Flip digital video cams for a classroom project. Fast-forward a few weeks and the effort has really taken off. This week’s goal was to raise $1,000 for the Staley Foundation, which provides support services for cancer survivors. The Staley Foundation was created by Alicia Staley, herself a three-time cancer survivor, whose website tagline is “Kick ass cancer survivor… need I say more?”

@AmandaMooney posted the first tweet a bit early on Thursday night and I was honored to be the first one to donate. By Friday morning, we’d surpassed the $1,000 goal and @stales quickly doubled the target. The $2,000 target was surpassed that evening and by the end of the weekend, we’d surpassed more than $3,400.

So, why is Twitter so important in this process?
What makes Twitter so critical is the network effect. Sure, we could start a weekly email list where those who opt-in could get a weekly request to make a donation. But it could only grow as quickly as the list grew. Instead, @amandamooney posts a tweet each week, which is then picked up and retweeted by some of her 2,000+ followers, then subsequently retweeted by many of those users’ followers and so forth. So, a simple tweet (and subsequent retweets) may easily be read by tens of thousands of people, more than would ever see an email list.

Twitter is beginning to move towards mainstream adoption. With that comes risks that spammers and marketers will muck up a system that’s just starting to take shape. Of course, with Twitter, you can’t spam someone unless they follow you, so I’m hopeful that the Twitter environment will remain clean for a bit longer so that viral activities like the ones described here may continue to flourish.

Have you used Twitter for the common good? Post your stories on Barry Graubart’s blog.

Assessing Impact of Financial Crisis on Nonprofits

Phil Johncock — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 05:28:53 +0000

Audio (3 min 51 sec) from NPR

click here to listen

Google Gives $10 Million, Apply by Oct 20

Phil Johncock — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 02:30:16 +0000

6 Steps to Get a Scholarship for Your Masters Degree

Phil Johncock — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 02:08:45 +0000

QUESTION

If I wanted to get a masters degree, do you know of grants or ways of getting grants for something like that?

ANSWER

Absolutely! I got two scholarships for my masters degree. One came from a family trust fund I found about talking with my brother. The second came from the university I attended through what is called a “teaching assistantship” (see #5 below)

I recommend 6 steps to getting scholarships for a masters degree …

Commit | Commit first and the universe will support you.
Learn the Scholarship Types | Click here to learn about types and how to obtain local scholarships.
Model What Works | Ask people you know who have masters degrees (perhaps in counseling) what scholarships they got and how they got their masters paid for | For example, I learned a lot by asking my brother how he got his Ph.D. paid for.
Get to know the financial aid officers at the institution you want to attend | Make sure they get to know you and your unique needs and interests. They can be your best scouts. They often have unique scholarship opportunities that few know about. They also are the first to hear of scholarships when they come available.
Look for Fellowships or Assistantships | Most graduate schools and masters departments offer special scholarships in the form of fellowships or teaching assistantships. Teaching assistants often teach lower level university courses. Some departments, like Physics and Chemistry, offer research assistantships. These include tuition waivers. I had a teaching assistantship and the scholarship covered all by $11 per credit.
Help 3 other people get a scholarship | In addition to building good karma for yourself, helping 3 others builds momentum and gives you a good idea of places to look.

Good luck! I hope this helps.

Phil Johncock | Founder of 4Grants.Net