The Power of Grants to Unlock New Opportunities For a Non Profit

Only two cents of every foundation dollar was awarded to a program focused on disability in 2019 (Disability & Philanthropy Forum). Despite the challenges, many non-profit organizations make efforts to continue serving this group who represented 13.9% of the population in 2022 (NIDILRR, 2024). Programs oriented to people with disabilities are necessary to help them overcome the significant inequalities reflected in gaps of poverty, education and employment.

A minority-led non-profit organization specializing in serving people with developmental disabilities sought funds to increase its capacity after significantly reducing its work during the pandemic. The organization recurred to Grant Gurus to apply to a list of grants of their choice.

Problem

Queens has is the largest borought in New York City with rich cultural and ethnic diversity. The organization serves Asian Americans and has a particular focus on developmental disabilities who heavily rely on support due to limited English proficiency and persistent poverty. During the COVID-19 health crises, the organization discontinued in-person serivces and shifted to a limited number of possible online activities. After the relaxation of restrictions, the organization has faced difficulties to raise funds for programs.

Project

The organization selected a specific number of grants, and one of them had a specific focus on people with disabilities. The presented project aimed to inform and enroll qualifying beneficiaries with disabilities to Medicare. The funder’s goals had a strong alignment with those of the organization; but it was expected to face a competitive selection process due to the reduced funding available in general for organizations specialized on serving people with disabilities.

Outcome

Thanks to a strong case, the organization was awarded capacity building grant and received training to learn about the funder’s Benefits Enrollment Center (BEC) approach. Beyond the grant received, this represented a chance to establish and build a relationship with a new funder interested in serving adults with disabilities from underserved groups. The program included site visits where the founder could observe the organization’s work.

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