You're already a pro, actually, but Steve Butz concept is a bit more dynamic. He takes a pro-ball look at the non-profit sector - an MLB fan, Steve figures that, if those team players who have stellar performances get paid more, than why not so in the non-profit world? So, the Superstar Foundation gives what they call the Veronic Grant to those non-profit folk who "can prove that the outcomes and impacts they get are the best."

There are five categories for applications:

Okay, I said I'd return with examples of non-profs who have received these grants, tracking the performance of your AdWords advert, and applying for a Google grant. Let's dive in...

Yes, that’s the lamest article title I’ve ever thought of and, worse, actually published. But 5 G’s? Would you be able to resist?!? Regardless, Google continues to allude the day when someone with a reputation publicly calls them the next evil empire to pick up Microsoft’s torch (and I happen to like Microsoft and think those people are a bit too harsh.) FYI – this article will be published in several parts so as not to inundate you with content as you work to absorb the work necessary to implement. If you want to educate yourself before the next installment, visit http://www.google.com/grants/tour/1.html for a full tour developed by Google of this program.

My blog is located at:

http://theraiser.blogspot.com/

Amy Luckey's recent GEO article, "Grantmaking 2.0: Using New Technology to Enhance Grantmaker Practices," covers four ways foundations can use the social web:

1. Facilitate communication among grantees through tagging and facilitating connections before and after in-person gatherings. (She highlights the nptech tag here!)

2. Connect grantees with external experts.

"If people are actually going to get engaged and stay engaged in their communities, one thing has to happen first -- they must be given more chances to connect with one another (including those they might disagree with) and figure out how they can work together for the common good."--Case Foundation

Since the season is almost over--by June 9th we'll be done with all of our programming-- I've decided to take the summer to write up a proposal for the use of the Internet to extend our reach and promote our mission. I am proposing that we use the blogging format to reach out to people, not just to get people in the seats, because most likely the people who will view our blog won't be in the area, but to spread our valuable content through the web.

At the suggestion of my mother, who is a seasoned grant writer, I'm using the New York/New Jersey Area Common Application Form to structure my proposal. Here are some of the questions I will have to answer...What need does this project address? Who is the audience? What are your strategies? Who will be working on it? How does it contribute to our mission? How will you measure success?