Iowa Women's Foundation (IWF)

General Information Regarding Grants/Grant Applications 2008 (to be funded in 2009)

Background: Read this before you begin your application.

You may also download the 2008 Grant Application and complete the information.

What is the IWF?

The mission of the Iowa Women's Foundation is to expand and improve opportunities and choices in all aspects of women's and girls' lives through raising funds, awarding grants, providing education and technical assistance and bringing women and girls together. During the past 10 years, the IWF has awarded nearly 1/4 of a million dollars to 69 projects in 67 counties in Iowa.

Who is eligible to receive an IWF grant?

Nonprofit, 501(c) (3) tax-exempt organizations serving women and girls in Iowa; Grassroots groups are also eligible for consideration.

What types of projects receive funding?

The Foundation hopes to receive proposals for projects that:

1. Advocate on issues that lead to long-term change for women and girls
2. Employ strategies designed to address causes of systemic, societal problems
3. Address activities that enable women and/or girls as a group to achieve economic self-sufficiency.
4. Offer strategies that develop positive self-images for young and adolescent girls
5. Promote prevention and early intervention and enrichment activities
6. Are creative, innovative and new to the community they serve in Iowa
7. Increase the range of choices and expand opportunities for women and girls
8. Activities that work toward the elimination of discrimination
9. Have a strong possibility for replication, or benefiting other service providers addressing the same clients or similar needs
10. Promote the interconnectedness of issues across states, regions, or countries between the women in Iowa and the global world

What types of projects are NOT eligible for funding?

1. Existing or new endowment funds
2. Capital projects such as the acquisition of land, buildings, and major equipment; or the construction or renovation of facilities
3. Research or medical projects
4. Reimbursement for previously incurred expenses
5. Educational scholarships
6. Political campaigns for candidates
7. Promotion of religious activities
8. Activities inconsistent with federal, state, and local non-discrimination ordinances regarding equal employment opportunity

IWF GRANT APPLICATION 2008

Background: Read this before you begin your application.

What are the IWF's 2008 Grant Categories?

The Iowa Women's Foundation is seeking proposals in two specific issue areas in 2008:

1) Assisting girls and women in the justice system, and

2) Skill-building in women and girls to help give them economic and personal success in life.

Area 1: Women and Girls in the Jusice System: To identify and intervene in certain at-risk factors that prevent successful rehabilitation of women and girls in the justice system. This may include projects that assist women who are currently incarcerated and/or girls in the juvenile justice system, or those identified as at-risk for entering the systems. This includes interventions that improve the health and mental health for these women and girls. Projects that address mental health are especially sought.

Area 2: Skill Building in women and girls: To develop and implement programs that encourage and educate/provide training to women and grils to develop skills that promote employment and economic success. This area will compliment the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women's goal to encourage non-traditional training and for skill-building, education, and recruitment of women for key industry sectors that have a skilled worker shortage in Iowa.

Related Links:
    1) Girls and the Juvenile Justice System - http://www.state.ia.us/dhr/sw/girls/summit.htm
    2) Iowa Commission on the Status of Women - http://www.state.ia.us/dhr/sw

Keep in mind that the goal(s) of the grant proposals should focus on creating underlying social change for women and girls as a group.

How do I apply for an IWF grant?

Review the grant guidelines and submit a completed grant application by 5:00 p.m., Friday, May 30, 2008. You may print the application from our website (scroll down), download it as an Adobe PDF or request a hard copy of the application by phoning 319.337.4222 or 1.888.488.4293 (toll-free). Grant Award Recipients will be announced in late October 2008. The monetary allocations will begin in February 2009.

Please remember

• Proposal quality affects potential for funding.
• Follow the outline format with headings clearly labeled by number and title.
• Check all spelling carefully.
• Ask two readers to review and edit your proposal.
• Check your math.
• You must supply ten (10) collated copies of your complete grant application including your cover sheet, narrative, budget, and supporting materials.
• Do not fax or e-mail applications.
• Do not put proposals in binders or covers.
• Please paginate your pages.

If you have questions about your grant proposal/application, contact the Iowa Women's Foundation office at 319.337.4222, 1.888.488.4293 or info@iawf.org.

Proposals are due in the IWF office at
5:00 PM on May 30, 2008

IWF GRANT APPLICATION 2008

COVER SHEET

IWF GRANT APPLICATION 2008

OUTLINE

Please include (collated in numerical order) 10 copies of each the following:

1. Grant Application Cover Sheet
2. Description of Organization (mission, programs, locations, etc.)
3. Project Abstract (a concise summary of the project -150 words maximum)
4. Project Narrative (5 pages maximum - see outline below)
   1. NEED AND PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT
      1. Background and supporting data showing why the project is needed
      2. Statement regarding the specific purpose of the project (overall goal)
      3. Main steps (objectives) to achieve the goal
   2. PROJECT PLAN
      1. Activities to be conducted to meet each of objectives
      2. Timeline for activities
      3. Additional fundraising, if any, needed for the project
      4. Publicity for the project
   3. PROJECT MANAGEMENT
      1. Responsibilities of primary project leaders
      2. Collaboration with other agencies or organizations (if applicable)
   4. PROJECT EVALUATION
      1. Plan for evaluating projects short and long-term success
      2. Plan for sustainability and/or replication
5. Explanation of project's Social Change Impact
   • How is your project designed specifically for women and girls in Iowa?
   • How does it create long-term change in the causes of gender barriers?
   • How many and in what capacity are project participants are involved in planning and decision-making process?
   • What methods insure the project is inclusive and diverse?
   • What additional sources of funding do you have or will you seek?
   • What other organizations are addressing the issues addressed in your proposal and how does your project differ?
6. Projected Budget Summary (outline attached)
7. Projected Budget Explanation (answer all of the following)
   • What is the total cost of your project?
   • How much is the IWF being asked to fund?
   • What will the IWF funds be used for?
   • Explain each line item expense.
   • How is the remainder of the budget being funded?
   • Include explanation of in-kind contributions.
8. Resume of Project's Principal Directors/Staff
9. List of Board of Directors (names, home and business addresses)
10. IRS determination letter of non-profit status
11. Grant Proposal Information Sheet (attached; one copy only)
12. Optional Supporting Materials (select with care; include 10 copies of each)

IWF GRANT APPLICATION 2008

BUDGET SHEET


Project Name:                                                                                              



Organization:                                                                                                

Expense Categories	Total Requested from IWF			Total from Other Sources (cash & in-kind support)				TOTAL
Advertising/Promotion
Office Supplies
Equipment (rental/purchase)
Printing/Copying
Postage/Shipping
Phone/Internet
Food/Catering
Travel
Contract Wages1
(includes speakers' honoraria, stipends, etc.)
Payroll Taxes
Employee Benefits
(health insurance, retirement, etc.)
Other Costs (please itemize)
TOTAL

¹  IWF will consider funding contract wages necessary to carry out the project.

IWF GRANT APPLICATION 2008

INFORMATION SHEET

 


The Iowa Women's Foundation tracks the types of grant applications that we receive.

This information will not be used in any way to determine funding.

Please fill in the appropriate information for the program, not the organization for which you are seeking funding.

Please note: you need to send only ONE copy of this sheet with your grant proposal.

 


 


1. Funds for which we are applying will be used for:

                  providing direct services to women/girls

                  promoting local/community change

                  creating widespread (regional/statewide) social change

                  using the arts as a tool for change

                  anti-racism/anti oppression work

 


2.  Primary area(s) on which this project will focus (choose ONE):

                  Advocacy/Public Policy

                  Arts

                  Domestic Violence

                  Education

                  Employment

                  Economic Education

                  Health/Reproductive Rights

                  Housing/Homelessness

                  Intervention

                  Leadership Development

                  Anti-racism/anti-oppression 

                  Physical/mental health

                  Sexual Assault

                  Transportation/Accessibility

                  Women's Philanthropy

                  Other (specify)

 


Constituencies directly served by this project (or, for whom are you designing this project?)

3.  Age group that this project is designed to serve 

     (please note by providing approximate percentages of participants from each of the following)

            %  Girls ages 0-5

            %  Girls ages 6-11

            %  Girls ages 12-17

            %  Women ages 18-25

            %  Women ages 26-40

            %  Women ages 41-61

            %  Women ages 62+

 


4.  Ethnic/racial constituency that this project is designed to serve

     (please note by providing approximate percentages of participants from each of the following)

            %  African-American/Black

            %  Asian/Asian-American (specify)

            %  Anglo/Euro-American

            %  Latina/Chicana

            %  Native American/American Indian (specify)      

                


Please specify other ethnic/racial constituencies not listed here due to space constraints  

                               


IWF GRANT APPLICATION 2008

Information Sheet - Cont'd

 


5.  Disability Status of those who will be served by this project:

                %  Participants with a disability

                %  Participants without a disability

 


6.  Income Level of those who will be served by this project:

                %  Poverty level (at or below)

                %  Low-income

                %  Middle-income

                %  Upper-income

 


7.  Neighborhood/geographic region of those who will be served by this project:

                %  Neighborhood

                %  Community

                %  Suburban

                %  Urban

                %  Rural

                %  Reservation

 


8.  Other constituencies/groups directly served by this project:

                  Boys/Men

                  Displaced persons

                  People w/ English as a second language

                  Incarcerated women/girls

                  Lesbians/Bi-sexual women

                  Persons who are mentally challenged

                  Non-traditional students

                  Older women

                  Persons living with AIDS/HIV

                  Persons who are physically challenged

                  Refugees

                  Single mothers

                  Teen mothers

                  Women in the trades

                  Women re-entering the workforce

                  Other (please specify):

 


9.  Please list the county (counties) served by this project:

                               


                               


 


10.  Estimated number of women/girls who will be directly served by this project:                    

 


11.  How did you find out about the IWF grant?

                  received guidelines in the mail

                  received the guidelines electronically/downloaded them from the Foundation's website

                  newspaper

                  radio

                  other (please specify)