The Texarkana Volunteer Center (www.txkvolctr.org) and the Area Agency on Aging host an Escort Program which provides transportation for older citizens to doctors, grocery stores, and such.  Escort clients call the Volunteer Center to arrange for rides.  Volunteers are then contacted and given details for transportation.

We have been contacted by the Texarkana Volunteer Center to draft a grant proposal to the Public Welfare Foundation (www.publicwelfare.org).  The Public Welfare Foundation is a non-governmental grant-making organization dedicated to supporting organizations that provide services to disadvantaged populations.  The full Guide to Grant Requests is at:

http://www.publicwelfare.org/about/annual_report/annual_report_2002_guide.asp?print=1

Browse through the Foundation's web site (especially the "grants and evaluations"section) and read this entire Guide so that you understand what are the Foundation's needs.  We will specifically be writing a pre-proposal "letter of inquiry" as described under the secion, "How to Apply - - New Applications".  The pre-proposal must be submitted in a three-part letter as specified in the Guide.  This is reproduced below so that you can check off each item when you proof read your report:

The letter of inquiry must include:

1. Cover Sheet
   (one page) with the following information:
• Name and address of the organization.
• Name of executive director and contact person(s), telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web addresses.
• One paragraph summary of the organization's mission.
• One paragraph summary of the purpose of the request.
• One sentence describing how the request fits the Foundation's funding priorities.
• The organization's fiscal year.
• Dollar total of project budget (if not general support).
• Dollar amount being requested.
• Dollar total committed from other funding sources.
• Beginning and ending dates for which grant funds are requested.
• Tax exempt status.
2. Narrative
   (maximum of three pages) with the following:
• The purpose of request.
• The problem or need being addressed.
• The population or community involved in the organization, and how it is involved in the design and implementation of your work.
• How you will address the problem or need you have identified.
• How your work promotes long-term change.
3. Financial Information
• For project support requests, include a project budget detailing anticipated income and expenses and an organizational budget detailing anticipated income and expenses.
• For general support requests, include an organizational budget detailing anticipated income and expenses.

You will work in teams of four or five.  The team is of your own choosing.  Note, however, that all members of a team will receive the same score.

Neatness is considered a minimal requirement in your grade.  Neatness is defined here to include grammar, spelling, typos, correct use of paragraphs, and such.  Problems with these would not be acceptable in a "real world" grant or research proposal and are therefore not acceptable in this assignment.

Please do not use any kind of report folders - they will be discarded if you do.  Just use plain white paper with a single staple in the top left corner. 

Note that the proposal must include specific information that we do not have, so be prepared to ask about these things during the client's visit, not after.  You are encouraged to visit the professor outside of class to discuss your ideas.