Where
This is an online event.
Congressionally Directed Funding
Program Schedule: Presentation 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Presenter: Tonia R. Brown
Tonia R. Brown has been employed both as a grantseeker and a grantmaker – and served as a grant reviewer – so she has a unique combination of experiences that yield special insights that have earned more than $20 million in funding over her career. She serves on the national GPA Professional Growth & Development Committee, the board of the GPA Ohio-Miami Valley Chapter, and is one of 55 people nationwide who is a GPA Approved Trainer. She has also successfully applied and advocated for federal appropriations requests for community projects at three different nonprofit organizations in four separate federal fiscal years (FY2011, FY2012, FY2022, and FY2023). Additionally, she has written a popular blog post (#3 on Google search) and consulted with several nonprofit organizations on the best way to approach the federal appropriations process.
Program Description:
After a self-imposed ban in 2011, US Congress resumed receiving requests for federal funding for the FY2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act. By making a “Congressionally Directed Spending” request to your US Senator and/or a “Community Project Funding” to your US Representative, you may be able to earn a one-time federal appropriation for your nonprofit organization! This is an unconventional grant application process, where you advocate to Congress to appropriate funds for your special project which serves the broader community.
However, the appropriations process can feel like an overwhelming and confusing process that can sometimes take a year (or more) to complete with lots of moving parts. Attendees will learn how the federal appropriations process works, who is eligible, what you can apply for, and how much money you can request (we’re talking five to seven digits, baby!), as well as whether or not match requirements will apply to your project. Attendees will also learn how to connect with the offices of their US Senators and Representative(s) and how to find the applications for making a request in the spring, how to appropriately cultivate a relationship with Congressional offices, and how to advocate for your appropriations request before and during the appropriations process. This process is all about timing, advocacy, and developing relationships with both your Congressional delegates, as well as stakeholders within the community; attendees will walk away with a calendar template so you can plan out and effectively time your activities for the best chance at earning an earmark!
Learning Objectives:
- How to research, identify, and match community projects to available federal appropriations budget accounts
- How to craft, construct, and submit an effective federal appropriations request, including preparing community letters of support
- Best practices for improving written and oral advocacy skills, including ideas for events, site visits, presentations, and other skills and tools that will also raise the level of professionalism of grant developers
- Methods and strategies that cultivate and maintain relationships between US Congressional delegates offices, as well as community stakeholders, throughout the federal appropriations process