WELCOME!
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anyone else; participants are placed on mute in order to
limit background noise
NATIONAL CASA ASSOCIATION
GRANTS PROGRAM
JULY 2015
CONTACT US:
GRANTSPOLICY@CASAFORCHILDREN.ORG
OBJECTIVES FOR THE WEBINAR:
• Review the 2015 National CASA annual grants policy
• Learn about grants categories and the criteria and
eligibility requirements for each
• Discuss the 2015 grant application materials and timeline
• Understand the application review process
• Identify points of contact at National CASA for technical
assistance
• Answer your questions
2015 GRANTS POLICY
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
• Fund our strategy
• Allocate funding with greater impact
• Position ourselves for funding increase
• Manage more effectively and efficiently
• Increase accountability
ALIGNMENT TO OUR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
Grant funding will support
Enabling Focus Areas
2015 GRANTS POLICY DEVELOPMENT
• State Steering Committee (SSC) discussed grant strategy and
directed National CASA staff to develop draft annual grants policy
• Discussion and vetting of draft grants policy by SSC
• SSC reviewed policy and voted unanimously to support
• National CASA Program Committee reviewed and
recommended annual policy to full National CASA board of
trustees
• Review and approval by Board of Trustees
• Ongoing engagement of and input from the CASA/GAL network
2015 GRANTS POLICY SUMMARY
• National CASA Association will sub-award $1.7 million in
competitive grants to state and local CASA/GAL organizations in
four categories for 2015.
• The grants cycle will begin October 1, 2015 and end
on September 30, 2016.
2015 GRANTS POLICY SUMMARY
• For the 2015 grants cycle, National CASA strategically seeks to
partner with state and local CASA/GAL programs to identify and
strengthen demonstration projects which will significantly increase
the impact of the CASA/GAL program and that can be replicated
across the network.
• Available grant funds will be focused on best practices under
consideration as demonstration projects.
QUESTIONS
GRANT CATEGORIES, CRITERIA,
AND ELIGIBILITY
SUMMARY OF CATEGORIES
Local CASA/GAL Grants
Growth
Development
Resource
• Competitive, internal review based upon set criteria with input from
state offices with the goal to increase number of children served
• Select three to five proposals:
• States with a state organization, working collaboratively with
local programs to significantly increase the number of abused
and neglected children served by CASA/GAL volunteers
• Select up to five proposals:
• States without a formal state organization
• States with a state organization with limited capacity
• Select up to eight proposals:
• No direct monetary support but would receive targeted and
enhanced resources, expertise, and technical assistance to support
a statewide project in key strategic areas
KEY CRITERIA AND CONSIDERATIONS
All Grant Categories:
• Close working partnership with National CASA Association
 Including regular reporting and communication
• Stakeholder/network engagement and support for proposal
• Clear and well-supported project plan with measurable objectives,
goals, and timeline
• Member in good standing with the Association
QUESTIONS
LOCAL PROGRAM GRANTS
LOCAL PROGRAM GRANTS
Purpose: Initiatives funded through National CASA Association’s
partnership with Jewelers for Children will increase the number of
abused and neglected children served by CASA/GAL volunteers
Applicants:
• Local programs or state organizations that directly serve abused
and neglected children with volunteer advocates
• Applicants must be in good standing with National CASA
Association
LOCAL PROGRAM GRANTS
• Projected Awards: at least 14 awards
• Amount: Up to $35,000 (estimated total of $500,000 awarded)
• Grant Period: 10/1/15 through 9/30/16
• Requirements:
• In order to be considered for a local program grant, the applicant
must support the growth category statewide plan, if applicable
• If the growth category statewide plan is funded, the local program
application will be excluded from consideration in this category
LOCAL PROGRAM GRANTS
Requirements:
• Local program plan to increase the number of volunteers and new
children served.
• Explanation of any gaps between the demographics of volunteers
and children served. If a gap exists, the applicant must submit a
diversity plan.
• Plan for engaging the local Jewelers for Children member(s).
• Statement of support from state organization.
LOCAL PROGRAM GRANTS
Award decisions will be based upon:
• Strong project plan with measurable objectives, goals, and timeline
• Demonstrated ability to expand the number of volunteers and
children served in a 12-month grant period
• Past performance with National CASA Association grant funds and
grant goals
• Clearly explained, reasonable, and realistic grant budget based on
the projected increase in children served
• Strong sustainability plan
QUESTIONS
GROWTH GRANTS
• The Growth Grants category supports the National CASA Association
vision to serve every abused and neglected child. This is a
demonstration grant opportunity to support statewide initiatives to
significantly increase the number of abused and neglected children
served by CASA/GAL volunteers.
• National CASA Association will award three to five grants of up to
$250,000 each ($710,000 estimated total) to state organizations.
GROWTH GRANTS
• State organizations must propose statewide projects that will lead to
significantly exceeding the state’s three-year average growth rate and
that also include the support of the local program network and pass
through funding to targeted local programs to support growth.
• State organizations will be asking every local program to support the
growth statewide plan.
GROWTH GRANTS
National CASA Association, among other items, will consider the
following:
• Strong statewide plan to significantly increase the number of abused
and neglected children served by CASA/GAL volunteers
• Inclusion of local program support and engagement and pass
through funding to targeted local programs to support growth
• Demonstration of success in increasing the number of children
served
• Extent of unmet need
QUESTIONS
DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
• The Development Grants category aligns with the National CASA
Association Strategic Framework by strengthening and developing
state organizations to effectively partner with the Association in
support of local programs.
• This category is a demonstration grant opportunity to strengthen and
build the capacity of state CASA/GAL organizations with limited
capacity or develop a state organization in a state without a formal
state organization. Successful initiatives in this grant category will be
developed into model approaches for network replication.
DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
• National CASA will award up to five grants to state organizations.
Awards for the 12-month period are up to $75,000 each, with
$490,000 total (including $139,000 for 2014 Capacity Building
Renewal Grants).
• At the end of the 12-month period, informal state networks will be
expected to operate as state organizations, and existing state network
awardees will be expected to sustain the capacity building effort as
evidenced in a long-term state organization plan.
• Development grants also require the support of all local programs.
QUESTIONS
RESOURCE GRANTS
• Resource grants are designed to bolster statewide initiatives, in
alignment with National CASA Association’s strategic focus to
provide strong support to member programs.
• National CASA Association will provide enhanced technical
assistance, through National CASA staff expertise, for statewide
initiatives to build the capacity of the state CASA/GAL network to
serve more children with quality volunteer advocates.
• The Association will provide eight in-kind awards to state
organizations or informal networks over a 12-month period.
RESOURCE GRANTS
Resource grant project areas:
• Launch of the I am for the Child ® campaign
• Strategic plan development
• Statewide leadership development
• Statewide in-person training – Fostering Futures and
•
Knowing Who You Are research-based curricula
RESOURCE GRANTS
Additional grant project areas:
• Development of a Superhero Race toolkit
• Market, donor, and/or volunteer research and surveys
• Policymaker education and awareness initiatives
QUESTIONS
APPLICATION MATERIALS
APPLICATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS
• Application materials will be uploaded to
CASAforChildren.org/Grants on Friday, July 17
• Local programs and state organizations will also be notified by email
on Friday, July 17
• We are again providing a PDF fillable form for your use and allowing
for supplemental material (as specified in the grant instructions), as
one combined PDF attachment
• Application materials relate directly to the goals and objectives of
each grant category and reflect input from local programs and state
organizations
KEY DATES
• Friday, July 17 – Grant materials released
• Tuesday, July 28 at Noon EDT – Technical Assistance (Q&A)
Webinar for Local Grants
• Monday, August 31 – Grant Applications Due
• Monday, September 14 – Awards announced
• Thursday, September 24 – Terms & Conditions due
• Thursday, October 1 – Grant Cycle begins
APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS
• Applications will be reviewed by two panels with knowledge of the
CASA/GAL network:
National CASA Staff Review Panel
Network Review Panel
• Reviews will be conducted based on standardized criteria as
outlined in the grant applications and instructions
• For the network panel, potential reviewers with a conflict of
interest for any category will be excluded
GRANTS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: GrantsPolicy@casaforchildren.org
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WEBINAR FOR
LOCAL GRANTS
• Local programs and state organizations are invited to attend our
next Grants Technical Assistance webinar, during which we will
discuss the local program grant application and provide an open
forum for questions.
Tuesday, July 28 at 12 Noon EDT / 9 am PDT
• Call information will be circulated one week in advance.
QUESTIONS