Because of an aggressive membership drive bringing the total to 184 women and securing some extra funding sources, Impact 100 Baldwin County will be able to give away two $106,000 grants for 2011.

Announced on April 17 in Fairhope, this grant money will help to fund two different projects for nonprofit organizations in Baldwin County. “We are so excited about this opportunity and thrilled to be able to give out two grants instead of one. We wish we could give out five, one for each category and hopefully in the future we will be able to do that,” said Nancy Corte, Impact president.

On the heels of this announcement, a grant writing workshop hosted by Impact 100 was held on Wednesday morning at the Central Annex in Robertsdale to those interested in learning the ins and outs of grant writing.

With the grant writing period beginning in April and a due date of May 13 for sending in a Letter of Intent to apply for the grant, Impact wanted to give those who apply the tools to help them in putting together a winning proposal.

“We realize writing a grant is not easy and some people who come to these workshops have never written on and can be overwhelmed by the process. We want to make it easier for them and break it down into small sections so it’s easiest to understand. And also to give them specific things we are looking for in a grant so they have a better opportunity to receive one,” Corte said.

The five grant focus categories are art and culture, education, environment, preservation and recreation, family and health and wellness and grant applications will be accepted until July 11. A grant review committee will evaluate the applications from August through September, finalists are named in October and the grants are awarded in November.

“We offer these grant workshops to help the smaller groups gain some familiarity with how to write a grant . We tell them what we are looking for and how to write to get results. It has been very helpful so far and very successful for those attending. They learn so much and so do we,” Corte said.

Applicants must submit an electronic copy of their application with attachments in pdf format or a CD to Jerry Graham at jgraham33@bellsouth.net. It also must be mailed certified with 15 copies. It was also stressed that if an applicant sends in a letter of intent , they can change the content of the grant up until July 11. After the July deadline, there can be no more changes.

Dr. Savan Wilson, an Impact member, shared with the group some tips on how to decide what kind of grant to write and the category they should apply in. “There are lots of great opportunities for grant writing we have today and as you look at the different areas, you need to ask yourself ‘Where do we best fit?’”

Some other tips Savan mentioned were:

-Project organization into the future and Think BIG!

-Start with an end in mind and determine your strengths, goals and priorities for Baldwin County

-Create a plan for the future for your agency- not just a grant proposal.

-Keep your proposal clear and concise and use “common sense” writing

-Demonstrate organizational sustainability and project cost effectiveness

-If the project is designed to be ongoing, describe how it will be funded at the end of the grant period.

-Demonstrate project need. Why is your project critical to Baldwin County?

-Consider a large project that you can partner with another agency on and how it would be beneficial to both parties.

“Sometimes a well-written grant doesn’t get the money but a heartfelt one written with good ideas and given a lot of time will. Don’t promise what you can’t deliver with your grant and be careful of what you ask for because you are going to have to do and follow through with it,” Wilson said.

All nonprofit groups are eligible for a grant in one of the five categories and awarded for ongoing programs, capital improvements, startups or research-oreinted projects. The only nonprofits not eligible are ones dealing with operating expenses, partisan groups, individual churches, indigent care subsidy, travel expenses, loans or for individuals, Corte said.

The only requirement for Impact 100 membership is to be a female and to contribute $1,000 a year, Corte said, but if she wants to join and doesn’t have $1,000, they can get a sponsor or can come to the meetings, but just not have a vote. An application also has to be completed and is available on the Impact website.

“We aren’t discriminating against men and it’s not that we don’t want them to join but it is just an organization for women. If a man wants to be involved, he can sponsor his wife or daughter or employee,” said Corte laughing.

Impact is divided into three areas, Eastern Shore, South Baldwin County and Central/North Baldwin County, has six board members, one focus group chairwoman and committee for each of the five categories and six committees (Communications, Publicity, Membership, Events, Hospitality and Grant Process Coordinator).

All the funds collected from members goes toward the grant, and since all the board members are volunteers, there is no overhead cost. All administrative and fundraising costs are paid for out of other funds, Corte said.

“The members can be as active or inactive as they want to be. We have lots of opportunity for involvement but if they only want to review the grants and vote, that is fine too,” said Ann Miller, Impact board member.

Also at the workshop was Angela Doucet Rand, University of South Alabama Baldwin County Librarian and head of Information Technology, who presented a power point on the use of Social Media and Non-Profit groups.

“There are lots of pros and cons to using social media but it is the wave of the future and its a great way to get people interested in your organization,” Rand said.

To get a membership application or find out more about the grant process, go to impact100baldwincounty.org or email impact100baldwincounty@gmail.com.

The workshop presentation and Rand’s powetpoint presentation is available on Impact’s website and Rand’s contact informatin is www.usabc.org or (251) 928-8133.