The Gifford Newsletter

Summer 2023
Understanding Grants and Grant Writing

Sheena Solomon is the Executive Director of The Gifford Foundation.

4 Takeaways From The Grant Writing Workshop

Consultant Babette Baker led members of the Central New York nonprofit community through a comprehensive two-part series exploring strategies for writing successful grants. Looking back on the experience, we highlighted some of the key ideas that resonated most with the audience and shaped the foundation of the class.

Mark your Calendar: The HR + Talent Workshop is Coming!

with Dr. Tiffanie Dillard

Avenir Consulting Partners

Wednesday, Sept. 27th, from 9 am – 4 pm

It’s no secret that the nature of the workplace has changed, and success today requires a new set of practices when it comes to growing a strong and resilient workforce within your agency.

This full day class will provide clear and actionable strategies around how to update and improve your workplace culture and processes, with a focus on employee retention, recruitment, and engagement.

This opportunity is supported by The Gifford Foundation, The Central New York Community Foundation and The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation

Photo Credit: Upstate.edu

Shared Knowledge: John Tumino on Grant Writing

In 2011, John Tumino left his job as a restaurant owner and chef to launch In My Father’s Kitchen with his wife Leigh-Ann. Their work supports people facing homelessness through access to food, medical care, spiritual resources, and other avenues of assistance. Neither of them had experience with grant writing, but their first opportunity came when they heard about a chance to apply for a small pool of community funds and successfully earned $3,000 to support their work. Twelve years later, their budget has grown to nearly $1 million. They recently made headlines after deploying a new full service medical van delivering care to the homeless, paid for by a $200,000 HUD grant through the City of Syracuse.

Putting Grants in Perspective

The biggest challenge facing most nonprofits is fundraising. Anyone with any proximity to the nonprofit sector is aware of the disconnect between the massive problems that these organizations are working to solve and the limited financial resources available to them to do their work. One of the most talked about revenue sources in this sector is grants, but can an organization survive on grants alone? How do most organizations keep the lights on?

Salt City Harvest Farm Executive Director Jacob Gigler-Caro wears a t-shirt and jeans while talking to a farmer in their apple orchard.

Seeking Funding? Visit the Central Library Downtown

Buying a grants database subscription can cost thousands of dollars, but you can get it for free at the Central Library. Branch Manager Rene Battelle gave us a tour of their Nonprofit Resource Center, which includes a wide variety of helpful resources for organizations and individuals. You can even bring your kids along to play on their new indoor KidsSpace while you work.

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