Tricks to Find State Grants & Contracts

Did you know that you can tap into your state and city government agencies for grants or contracts for your nonprofit organization?Yep, you can.First you might be interested in where your state or territory comes up with grant funding (side note: this is geared toward U.S. state and territory grants). Where do State Grant & Contract Money Come From?Federal Pass-Through MoneyA lot of state and territory grant and contract money is derived from federal monies. This is called federal pass-through funding as it is money from the federal government awarded, “and the state governments then make subawards to other organizations to carry out the public purpose of the grant program within their state’s jurisdiction. This gives the state governments more flexibility and autonomy over the use of the federal grant funds.”Basically this means…The federal government will award states different types of money,, and then the state is able to then fund nonprofits or other agencies grants from that money.Taxes and AllocationsAnd then of course there are taxes in your state, and money that’s generated in your state. Through these allocated funds (for specific purposes) your state then awards certain monies for nonprofits,  organizations, businesses, individuals, and so forth.Grant or Contract?Grant fundingGrant funding is given out (usually via grant competition) and then the state will create an agreement on awarding the funds to you if you spend them how you outlined in your grant budget. They will also most likely demand a whole bunch of receipts and reports to ensure you are spending the money the way you said you would spend the money.Contract fundingNow a contract on the other side is actually legally binding. They can take you to court if you don’t spend the money the way you said you were gonna spend the money. But at the same time, there’s a little bit more flexibility in the funding.For reports to draw down contract money, you may just need to show the monthly or quarterly deliverables in the scope of work (not all the receipts for every penny). If you met under budget and you still met all of your goals, you will still be awarded the money under the contract, whereas with a grant you might only be reimbursed for what you actually spent. So there could be a little bit more flexibility and less reporting with contracts. However, you will have a legally binding contract for due diligence.If you can get a contract, go after the contract. If you can get a grant, go after the grant. If you can go after both. Go after both. Where to Find State Grants & ContractsNow, where do you find this state money? State and City Agency WebsitesYou can definitely find it by looking at your state agency and city agency websites. The issue with websites is that each state and city government agency may not use the same language on their website to announce their grant and contract opportunities.Some key words to look for include: “RFP,” “Announcement,” “News,” “Grants,” and so forth.NewspapersAnother place you can find out about state and city agency grants and contracts is in the newspaper.I know we haven’t heard about the newspaper in a long time, but believe you me, a lot of these agencies must publish their announcements and they still use the newspapers. Social MediaFollow the state and city agencies that might have grant or contract opportunities for your nonprofit! Some of these different agencies are now active on social media and will also publish their announcements there.You can also see what else is going on at these agencies and find some great statistics or reports that might resonate with your nonprofit. Reach out to a Point of Contact at State or City AgencyYou can even call a state or city agency program officer and ask if they can add you to their email list (if they have one), so you can stay up-to-date with announcements.Importance of State Grants & ContractsAnd why are these types of funding important? Well, because if your nonprofit is serving in your certain geographic area of that city agency or that state government agency, then that is a win. State and city governments primarily give out funding in their geographic area to move forward their priorities!So don’t fall into the trap of only looking for federal or foundation grants! There is a huge money pot available for you in your city and state. Try the above ways to tap into it and let me know what you find! Links:For more on how to write and find federal grants, sign up for our On-Demand Grant Writing Master CourseTo learn How to Become a Federal Grant Reviewer, click here.Find out more about where to find Federal Grants, click hereABOUT HOLLY RUSTICKGrant Writing & Funding (GWF) has a Global Movement to Secure $1 Billion in Grant Funding for Good and $30 Million in Grant Writing Businesses by 2030.  Holly Rustick, CEO of GWF, is leading the movement; a world-renowned grant writer with 20+ years of experience, bestselling author, and business coach for new and seasoned grant writers to replace their full-time income writing grants part-time from home through her signature programs: the Freelance Grant Writer Academy and the Grant Professional Mentorship.  Rustick is the host of the top grant writing podcast “Grant Writing & Funding” and the author of the Bestselling book, The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing. With an MA in International Political Economy,  past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, serving on numerous boards of directors, Holly is also an unapologetic feminist. She lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella. CONNECT WITH HOLLY RUSTICK Website: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/ RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies ever...