National Endowment for the Arts

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The program brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment. To support innovative reading programs in selected cities and towns, the initiative provides grants, comprehensive resources and support for discussing literature.

Approximately 200 organizations in communities of varying sizes across the country will be selected through this selection cycle to participate in The Big Read from January through June 2008.

Online, visit
http://www.neabigread.org/application_process.php

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Children and Families

The Office of Head Start, with the ACF, is requesting applications for grants from institutions of higher education with experience and capability in educating and preparing early childhood teachers to work effectively with Hispanic/Latino young children and families. Those receiving grants will work in partnership with Head Start, Early Head Start and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (when the college or university offers an infant toddler degree or specialization). Awards will be for a one-year budget period.

The primary purpose of these partnerships is to increase the number of employed Head Start, Early Head Start and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start teaching staff with associate and baccalaureate degrees in early childhood education to improve the quality and long-term effectiveness of program services to young Hispanic/Latino children and their families.

Online, visit
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2007-ACF-OHS-YP-0011.html

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development

1890 Land Grant Universities are eligible for competitively awarded cooperative agreements for projects that support USDA Rural Development's goals and objectives of providing technical assistance for business creation in economically challenged rural communities; for educational programs to develop and improve upon the professional skills of rural entrepreneurs; and for outreach and promotion of USDA Rural Development's programs in small rural communities with the greatest economic need.

The goals of the program are to develop income-producing projects for under-developed rural communities; create self-sustaining, long-term economic development in targeted areas of high unemployment through partnerships with the Universities and community-based organizations; and assist and guide those communities in becoming self-sustainable.

Online, visit
http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?oppId=14489&mode=VIEW

Youth Service America; Youth Venture, Inc.

The YSA Youth Venture Program is accepting applications from young people (ages 12-20) nationwide who are interested in starting their own sustainable social ventures. Ventures must be youth-created and youth-led, and designed to be a lasting, sustainable asset to the community. YSA Youth Venture teams are required to plan a Global Youth Service Day project every year their Venture is operational. The Youth Venture Program provides a variety of resources including a national network of like-minded young people, media opportunities, technical support, helpful toolkits and workshops, as well as seed money funding of up to $1,000 for start-up expenses.

Online, visit
http://www.genv.net/en-us/region/ysa

Economic Development Administration; Department of Commerce

EDA advances economic growth by assisting communities and regions experiencing chronic high unemployment and low per capita income to create an environment that fosters innovation, promotes entrepreneurship and attracts increased private capital investment. EDA encourages the submission of only those proposals or applications, as appropriate, which will significantly benefit regions with distressed communities. Distress may exist in a variety of forms including high unemployment levels, natural or other major disasters, loss of population, etc.

Online, visit
http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=13169

The Annenberg Foundation

The Annenberg Foundation focuses on four major program areas:
1) Education and Youth Development
2) Arts, Culture and Humanities
3) Civic, Community and the Environment
4) Health and Human Services

Letters of inquiry are accepted at all times during the year and there are no deadlines. Those interested should review the grants database on the foundation's Web site to gain familiarity with the types of programs that have received funding.

Online, visit
http://www.annenbergfoundation.org/grants/

The Surdna Foundation

The goal of the Effective Citizenry program is to support young people to take action with others to address meaningful problems in their schools, neighborhoods and the larger society. The Surdna Foundation funds efforts that help young people (ages 13-29) become effective, problem-solving citizens; improve practices and performance of organizations that help young people move through leadership development and into productive action; and develop networks that can anchor and expand a field of effective citizenry.

Program support follows two primary themes:
1) Young People Taking Action
2) Strengthening Infrastructure

Online, visit
http://www.surdna.org/grants/grants_show.htm?doc_id=326178&cat_id=949

The Public Welfare Foundation

The primary goal of the Public Welfare Foundation is to address human needs in disadvantaged communities. The Foundation strongly emphasizes support for organizations that include service, advocacy or empowerment in their approach, with particular interest in efforts that combine two or all three of these elements.

The Community Development Program promotes affordable housing, safe working conditions and fair wages. The Youth Program promotes the positive development of young people through improving access to quality education and training, adequate health services, leadership development and empowerment. The Civic Participation Fund supports grassroots organizations in the development of their capacity to encourage the people they serve to become involved more actively in their communities and to encourage their civic participation at all levels of government.

Online, visit
http://www.publicwelfare.org/news/news/fund_2007.asp