SMALL GRANTS that support advocacy groups led by people with developmental disabilities

1. Are you an advocacy group led by people with developmental disabilities that needs money to support a specific advocacy project or advocacy activity?
   
   
2. Are you an advocacy group led by people with developmental disabilities that needs money to help you train or educate your members to become stronger advocates?
   
   
3. Are you interested in starting an advocacy group?

If you are a person with a developmental disability or an advocacy group whose members have developmental disabilities
and
You answered “yes” to one or more of these questions,
then you might be interested in requesting funding from
the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council.

Here’s what you need to know…

SMALL GRANTS
 Policy and Procedures

What is the Maryland DD Council’s mission?
The Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council is an organization that advocates for the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all parts of community life and supports people with developmental disabilities to be strong advocates.      

What is a Small Grant?
The Council sets aside funding (money) each year to support small, one-time-only projects or activities that support the Council’s mission (described above). We especially like projects and activities that try new things and support new ideas. Small Grants are $2,500 or less.

What types of activities will the Council consider supporting with a Small Grant?
Examples for advocacy groups led by people with developmental disabilities:

• Specific advocacy projects or activities your group wants to take on.
• Training or educating advocacy group members. This could be training your members at a meeting or sending your members to a training or conference.
• Recruiting and keeping new members.
• Outreach and support to teenagers and young adults with developmental disabilities.
• Learning how to select and work with your group’s facilitator so they do what you want.
• Projects that improve society’s understanding and inclusion of people with developmental disabilities.   
• Other projects or activities that increase the self-determination, influence and inclusion of people with developmental disabilities.  

These are just some ideas. You may have other good ideas.

Small Grants cannot just benefit one person. The Council typically does not fund equipment. To find out where you might get assistance with equipment, contact the Department of Disabilities – Constituent Services at 410-767-3660 or
1-800-637-4113.

Who can submit a proposal?
For Small Grants that support advocacy groups led by people with developmental disabilities, the grant request must come from a person with a developmental disability or an advocacy group in Maryland.

Other types of Small Grants may be submitted by family members of people with developmental disabilities and non-profit organizations, in addition to people with developmental disabilities. To learn about other types of Council Small Grants, visit our website at: www.md-counil.org or call Linda Nelson at the number below.

When should Small Grant requests be submitted?  
Small Grant requests may be submitted at any time but they should be submitted well in advance of the start date of the activity you want funding for. The timeframe will vary according to when the review committee meets.

Contact Linda Nelson to obtain current information on timelines.  Ms. Nelson can be reached at:LindaN@md-council.org  410-767-6249 or 1-800- 305-6441, ext. 1

Grant requests should contain:
1) A description of your project or activity. You can provide this in one of these ways:    

A letter (Letters are typically 2-4 pages)
A video
A tape recording that you talk on


2) A complete proposed budget, using the Council’s Small Grant budget form. 

The description of your project or activity should explain the following:

1. What is the project that you need a Small Grant for? Provide details about what activities are involved.
2. When will the project or activity take place?
3. How many people will be involved and benefit from the project or activity?
4. What outcomes do you expect from your project?
5. How will you evaluate your project to know if it was successful? 
6. Did you try to get funding from other organizations?

The Council will not provide funds for a project or activity when other sources of funding are available.

Where should Small Grant requests be sent?
Send 1 copy electronically to Info@md-council.org   AND
Send 1 copy to:          Brian Cox, Executive Director
                                    Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council
                                    217 E. Redwood Street, Suite 1300
                                    Baltimore, Maryland 21202

 If you submit your proposal as a video or audio recording and you cannot submit it electronically, then you can just mail or deliver the hard copy.

PLEASE NOTE:   You will be notified when your proposal is received by the Council. If you have not received confirmation within five (5) working days, it is your responsibility to contact Linda Nelson at the phone numbers listed above to ensure that your proposal was received.

How will you be notified about the Council's decision?
You will be notified in writing within two weeks after the Council makes a funding decision. Decisions are made by the Council’s Executive Committee and are final.

If funding is provided, you will be required to provide a report on the outcomes and impact of your project or activity. This can be provided in the format you choose.      

 
 Adopted: July 2009

 

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