This page includes some tips to guide applicants through the process of writing a grant for the Neighborhood Small Grants Program.

After coming up with a project that meets the overall goals of our grant program and finding an organizational partner for your project, it’s time to start writing your grant.  The steps below will help to ensure success with the technical details of your grant application.

Your grant application packet consists of 5 components described in detailed below. Applicants are required to submit 6 complete copies of your grant application packet. Each packet must be made up of double-sided printed pages.  Be sure to review the application checklist on page 6 before submittal to ensure that you have met all requirements.

1.    Cover page:  Use the same format as provided on page 7 of the grant application.

• Project title:  A title unique to this particular grant project.
• Applicant:  The neighborhood, business or community-based organization applying.
• Project coordinator:  The person selected by the applicant to manage the project and project funds and complete the final report.
• Phone, email and address:  This information will be used for future communication with the applicant, so please fill out accordingly.
• Fiscal sponsorship information:  If you have a fiscal sponsor for the project you must fill in the organization’s name, tax ID number, address, phone and email.  The only exception is if you are applying for fiscal sponsorship with SE Uplift, in which case you only need to list SE Uplift as the organization.
• Partner organization:  List the name of your partner organization(s)
• Amount requested:  List the amount of grant funds requested. 

2.    Narrative:  Your narrative must address each of the 5 questions on page 8.  The narrative cannot exceed 2 pages, single-spaced with 12-point font.

• Question 1:  You must describe your project and its anticipated outcomes.  Your answer must address how the project will effectively build community, attract new and diverse members and sustain current volunteers and members.  While you are not required to meet all three goals, your project will be scored higher if you are able to incorporate more than 1 of the program goals.
• Question 2:  You are required to have a minimum of 1 organizational partner on this project.  Please describe the role of your partner(s) and whether the partnership is ongoing or new.  A letter of support is required from each partner organization.
• Question 3:  This is the narrative description of the budget you will provide on page 9.  Be sure to clearly describe each line item.  You also must describe additional resources that will be leveraged and can include volunteer hours, donation services or items and additional project funds.  Since grant funds are limited, the committee will be evaluating your efforts to leverage funds in addition to funds you may receive through our grant program.
• Question 4:  If you are funded, you will be required to acknowledge SE Uplift and the Neighborhood Small Grants Program as sponsors of your project.  Describe how you plan to meet this requirement.
• Question 5:  Provide a rough start and end date as well as major milestones.  Since you will have less than a year to complete the project, the committee will be evaluating how prepared you are to succeed with proposed activities.

3.    Project Budget:  The budget provided on page 9 is a sample.  We would like you to use the same columns however rows may be adjusted to best reflect the budget for your project.  Delete unnecessary rows and change language as needed.  You will be discussing the requested budgetary items in question 3 of your narrative so you can simply use broad categories in the budget.

• Requested Funds:  In this column you must determine the areas in which grant funds will be used. There should be a dollar amount in this column for each row. While it is challenging to have exact numbers at this point, a budget with actual numbers supported by evidential research will be stronger than one with vague amounts.  Be sure to include an administrative fee if required by your organization or fiscal sponsor.  The total for this column should match the dollar amount requested on the cover page.
• Leveraged Funds:  In this column list any additional funds that you are seeking or have already secured for the project.  These funds are separate from the funds being requested through the SE Uplift grant program.
• Donated Services & Time:  In this column you must quantify donated items and services that you plan to seek for the project.  For example, list a dollar amount for all the donated refreshments you plan to acquire.  You must also estimate the number of volunteer hours that are anticipated for the project during the course of the grant year and multiply that figure by $18/hour.  The total dollar amount for volunteers should be listed in the personnel row of this column.

4.    Confirmation of eligibility status:  In order to apply you must represent a neighborhood, business or community-based organization.  Individuals must be affiliated with one of these groups.  Applicants must have 501c3 tax exempt status, be a government entity or have fiscal sponsorship.

• For nonprofits, confirmation consists of a copy of the nonprofit determination letter.
• For government entities, confirmation would be a letter on organizational letterhead.
• If you enter into a fiscal sponsorship arrangement with one of the above groups, you will be required to provide the corresponding info for the groups described above and provide contact information for your fiscal sponsor on the cover page.
• If you are interested in having SE Uplift serve as your fiscal sponsor, contact Kristen Hagstrom to discuss possible fees and receive an application.  A copy of the fiscal sponsorship application must be submitted.  You can simply list SE Uplift as fiscal sponsor on the cover page.

5.    Letter(s) of Support:  Applicants must include a letter of support from each partner organization.  The letter should be printed on organizational letterhead and confirm intent to participate in the grant project if selected for funding.