Writing Grant Proposals

by Kai Aiyetoro

As many LPFM applicants and stations have noted, fundraising is one of the most important aspects of station development and longevity. Stations raise funds in a variety of creative ways, including concerts, benefit dinners, and auctions. Other fundraising activities are more business oriented, such as underwriting sponsorship, local and national grants, and on-air community giving marathons. All of these activities take planning and cooperation from staff, volunteers and the community. There are many ways to prepare for these activities, and one in particular is grant proposal writing.

You never know when that perfect grant application will come across your desk. Will you be ready? In all likelihood you will only have between a few days and a few months to prepare. When the window of opportunity arose for LPFMs to apply for construction permits, only 5 days were available to submit all of the information the FCC needed to decide which applications were acceptable. The FCC only gives approved applicants 18 months to complete the project. So it is with grant opportunities as well! There are grant opportunities that are available on a regular basis, and your organization needs to be aware of them, because you may have only a few days to complete an application once it’s been introduced to you.

Right now is the time to gather materials that are usually requested by funding sources. Having the necessary information and narrative needed to complete your applications will increase your chances for a fast turnaround. Here’s a list of what you can expect to be requested:

1. A letter from the Internal Revenue Service that reflects your organization’s current 501(c)3 status, or the official document that identifies the organization as either a unit of state or local government or a federally recognized tribal community/tribe (have legible copies ready for distribution).
2. A list of your board members, including their board position, professional affiliation, contact information (including phone number), ethnic origin, and gender.
3. Biographies and resumes of key personnel (volunteer or paid).
4. Organization budget.
5. Organizational background, including mission and purpose of your organization.
6. Date organization was incorporated.
7. Accessibility plan for individuals with disabilities. (For technical assistance see the U.S. Justice Department Disabilities Act at: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm.
8. Application requirements:
        A. Official IRS name
        B. Mailing address, city, state, zip
        C. Contact person
        D. Phone number
        E. Taxpayer ID Number
        F. Authorizing official’s signature (usually the board president)

If your organization does not have the required 501(c)3 status, check with the grant provider to find out if you may use a fiscal sponsor. Should that be acceptable, you would want to have an organization already committed to accept the responsibility of being your fiscal sponsor. The organization must have a 501(c)3 status in good standing and be willing to filter the funding through their organization to yours, maintain good financial records and may need to submit a report to the grant provider at the end of the grant period. You must maintain good records and supply the fiscal sponsor with the proper documentation of use of the funds.

Upon receiving an RFP (Request for Proposals), review the application calendar and highlight the following: deadline dates for your application; number of originals and copies required; and requierd signatures.

Having this information readily available relieves the grant writer of stress and allows her/him to focus on composing the narrative of the grant proposal. Compile all of the above information and make sure that it is easily accessible for future use.

Check out grant opportunities for your station through the National Endowment of the Arts, your state Arts and Humanities Councils and Nonprofit Resource Centers.

List of State and County Arts Councils (PDF)

List of State Humanities Councils (PDF)

Kai Aiyetoro
Director of Low Power FM
(510) 451-8200 ext.303
kai@nfcb.org