[YL] July Funding Tip

[William Schmid]

July Funding Tip

 

The Finance Project is pleased to announce the next installment in a new
series of monthly funding tips
<http://financeproject.org/irc/yp/MonthlyFundingTips.asp>  for youth
programs.  These tips will cover different approaches to help programs
finance and sustain their work.  

 

Tip: Maximize Public Revenue

For many youth-serving programs, federal and state resources are an
important part of a diverse funding portfolio.  These funding sources
take the form of entitlement programs, formula (or block) grants,
discretionary and demonstration grants, and contracts.  By identifying
relevant public funding sources for your program available from these
levels of government and implementing a strategy to draw down the
maximum amount from each source, you may be able to substantially expand
the funding base for your programs, access stable sources of revenues,
and free up local funds for other purposes.  Some approaches are more
relevant at the program level, where providers match the needs of
families and youth with available resources.  Other strategies are best
accomplished at the intermediary or state level, where program funding
is administered.  

 

In short, you can maximize public revenues by:

*	Identifying relevant funding sources;
*	Understanding how a particular funding source is distributed;
*	Learning who in the state or community makes decisions about how
the funds are allocated; and
*	Implementing a plan to access the funds.

 

Key considerations in using this strategy:

*	Is there someone on staff who can track and respond to relevant
grant or proposal announcements? Is there a state or local intermediary
organization that can help with this effort?
*	Do you have the capacity to manage the grant should you get it?
Are systems in place to meet reporting requirements?  If matching funds
are required, are they available?
*	How does the potential payoff for the grant compare with the
amount of time required to respond to the proposal and carry out its
requirements?

  

Example from the Field: Maximizing Public Revenue to Expand Programming

 

The HEART (Homework, Enrichment, Acceleration, Recreation, Teamwork)
After-School Program offers numerous youth programs in Tulare County,
California, by successfully utilizing funding from various public and
private sources, including federal, state, and local funds.   After
forming a public-private partnership with the Tulare County Office of
Education, HEART was awarded an After School Education and Safety grant
by the California Department of Education.  HEART also uses federal
funding for the reimbursement of snacks through the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's National School Lunch Program.  By maximizing financing
from a diverse set of funding streams, HEART has been able to focus on
the sustainability of their services.   Through funding from the 21st
Century Community Learning Centers Program and the state, HEART is
expanding programming to serve additional children and to include 15 new
schools.  For more information, visit http://www.proyouthheart.org/.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information on this financing strategy and the role of
intermediaries and policymakers in helping youth programs to access
public revenue sources, see The Finance Project's publication, Thinking
Broadly: Financing Strategies for Youth Programs (
http://www.financeproject.org/publications/Thinkingbroadly_PM.pdf) and
visit the Youth Programs Resource Center (
http://www.financeproject.org/irc/yp.asp). 

 

Within the Youth Programs Resource Center you will also find an online
clearinghouse (see http://www.financeproject.org/irc/youth/index.asp),
jointly developed by The Finance Project and The Forum for Youth
Investment. The clearinghouse contains a wealth of information and
resources for supporting and sustaining youth programs and initiatives.
It is designed to help you learn about data, tools, policies, practices,
financing strategies, coordination efforts and technical assistance
resources developed by organizations in the field that aim to improve
the lives of youth.

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