(This is my birthday Grant Gazing and I am always pleased to see another birthday and celebrate life – I hope you are too).

I was driving back from Sioux Falls, South Dakota last weekend when I got caught in a terrible storm on the notorious Interstate 90. If you are not familiar with it, picture Minnesota’s own version of the Bermuda Triangle. The weather for this trip was fine until I hit I90 and encountered zero visibility with rain and lightening. I edged my way off the road and headed south for a while to escape the treacherous driving. It seems our entire spring and summer have been filled with bad storms and so many people have had heart-breaking consequences because of them. I am hoping the funder I am highlighting today can bring relief to some.

This week’s pick: The Alliant Energy Foundation is offering flood grants to non-profit organizations in their Rebuilding Our Communities Grant Program. Alliant has a large wind electric system project here in Minnesota. Their foundation’s grant program will “provide unrestricted grants in the amount of $5,000, $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000 to organizations for increased operating and other expenses incurred as a direct result of the recent flooding.”

Grant applications from 501©3 organizations must be submitted by October 1, 2008. If you are eligible, a determination will be made within 14 days of submission. Those needing to re-establish essential community services will be given priority.

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The Improve Group team members conducting the DHS Waiver Reviews are once again off visiting counties far and wide here in Minnesota. The smallest towns are always favorites with our staff. We enjoy sampling the local cuisine and meeting the good folks that work to keep rural Minnesotans healthy. Unfortunately, the more remote the location, the harder it can be to get the needed services for the people in their population. Lack of availability of providers and the distance they must travel can be a big factor in scarce resources. My choice for Grant Gazing today is an opportunity from the federal government to assist rural health communities.

This week’s pick: The Rural Health Care Services Outreach Grant Program from the federal Office of Rural Health Policy.

“This program encourages the development of new and innovative health care delivery systems in rural communities that lack essential care services. The emphasis of the grant program is on service delivery through collaboration, requiring the grantee to form a consortium with at least two additional partners.”

Total funding for all projects granted is $11,000,000. The grant application and further requirements can be accessed through Grants.gov by CDFA #93.912. Projects funding is for 3 years with an award date of May 1, 2009.

Keep in mind - federal grants take a good lead time to prepare so anyone who might be interested should starts planning their collaboration right away. The application deadline is October 16, 2008.

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I have now been on my third staff retreat here at the Improve Group and I can honestly say there hasn’t been a bad one in the bunch. I think Leah, our fearless leader, has hit on a formula that works well. Here’s the recipe:

Step 1: Start with a really great staff that enjoys working with each other.

Liz, Leah, David, Steve, Eric, Susan, Deb (plus one) and Becky at Earle Brown Center 7.15.08

Step 2: Plan a day that has a good training element and a good business reflection and planning element.
Step 3: Make lots of good food available.
Step 4: Don’t forget what we like to call “forced fun” (which is nothing of the sort). Play games, do relaxation and have some neat prizes to win.

If you do all these steps I can guarantee you will look forward to your next staff retreat and feel refreshed and renewed for the work ahead.

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(NOTE: My vacation and the summer holiday have me a week behind so I will post two Grant Gazings this week.)

My children and I were very fortunate to spend the 4th of July with my folks. My dad is a Korean War Veteran and he’s expressed what it cost him to be a part of that conflict. He is one of my personal heroes. Since his tour happened before I was born, I didn’t have to feel the fear and separation a child has for a parent away from home while serving their country. I do currently have relatives in the army, air force and marines and I know the worry that is part of the families’ daily lives. Our next funder tries to keep the child in childhood for military families.

This week’s pick: Our Military Kids, founded in 2004, exists to support children whose parents are deployed in U.S. military service. The type of activities that may receive grants “ensure that the children have access to activities and support that help the children better cope with challenges arising during a parent's deployment or injury recovery.”

Eligible activities include:
Youth Sports Programs
Fine Arts Programs
Tutoring Programs
Miscellaneous Other

There are two separate applications; one for the Air Force Reserve or National Guard, and one for the Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Marine Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve. Links for these can be found here. No grant request or award can exceed $500. Family income is not a consideration when applying for a grant and specific documentation is needed to complete the submission process.

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