Grant Assistance Services Inc.

To strengthen our communities by enriching, educating, and providing unparalleled support to nonprofit organizations that seek to provide community service to other organizations and individuals for the sake of essential humanitarian needs. Grant Assistance Services, Inc. understands that nonprofit organizations are vital to our communities under served and under privileged. With that in mind, we assist and mentor local area nonprofits in an effort to provide strategic development of their programs. We strive to raise awareness and provide crucial community actions, which promote health, wellness, stability, reduced recidivism, and unwavering support and advocacy of local causes such as the elderly, youth at risk, emergency management, disaster preparedness, homelessness, literacy, and job skills training. Grant Assistance Services, Inc. believes that a well-educated / trained nonprofit will positively influence the willingness on part of donors, grant makers, corporate sponsors, city and state offices, individual giving and the community as a whole. We provide training workshops as a vehicle for raising awareness about the importance of good governance and best practices. Our communication and support programs seek to provide information, resources, and services that are critical within the nonprofit sector. To assist these organizations more effectively, Grant Assistance Services, Inc. offers personalized support services to nonprofit organizations to apply practically the knowledge disseminated at our workshops, event and fundraiser planning.

Grant Assistance Services, Inc. provides the tools necessary for nonprofits to reach success by implementing the following strategies and core beliefs:Building communities by promoting transformation, growth, and sustainability within the nonprofit sector.To develop social change the nonprofit must be the change.To assist nonprofits in achieving long term success by building effective leadership skills, sound strategies, specific to the organization, and providing diversified resources.Providing developmental tools and training in reference to the importance of a transparent, active, and attentive board within the organization.We know that a nonprofit must be accountable to donors, its board, and the public. Therefore, workshops, seminars, and consultations provided to the nonprofit sector assists the organizations with development of best practices for maximum transparency.

The economic downturn brought funding cuts for many area organizations, services, and operations that are vital to our communities. Grant Assistance Services, Inc. met the challenges of 29 nonprofit agencies using our organizational skills to assist the organizations to adjust, adapt, and advance their missions as well as our own. Our dedicated team and volunteers worked together to provide over $184,000.00 in in-kind services and provided a multitude of resources for these organizations. In the coming months our professional program members will begin pursuing interns specific to industries who can provide assistance with new technology, marketing, fundraising, event planning, capacity building and capital campaigns which will further our reach within the communities and assist those organizations who need strategic development in order to advance their cause. Our Board of Directors is committed to increasing funding and program expansion efforts for many struggling nonprofits. We will continue to engage in advocacy for nonprofit organizations from city, state, and federal levels as well as corporate sponsorship and major event planning. We have developed collaboration with other professional services and non profits and continue to seek opportunities to pull vital resources to ensure professional quality management and education to the nonprofit sector.

Results: Often we stand in resilience of our communities and the men, women, and children who reside within them. Stories of the challenges and crises they have endured in the face of adversity has been our driving force for the dedication and inspiration in our work. Grant Assistance Services, Inc. has assisted 29 nonprofit organizations reach many of their goals, further their mission as well as their reach in to the communities. Our primary focus was development as stated below.108 WorkshopsDevelopment of 31 programs/projects59 Grant proposals completed29 LOI's completed15 Nonprofit business plans completed24 State formations, organizational documents and policies completed.Prepared and attended 3 meetings with City Council for funding on behalf of 2 nonprofit organizations.Completed IRS Form 1023 for 5 nonprofits agencies.58 Required reporting documents completed and submitted for area nonprofit organizations.By maintaining retention of our local nonprofit agencies, volunteers, corporate sponsors as well as through surveys and questionnaires completed we will be able to measure our performance and quality of service. In addition, new organizations will complete a needs assessment at the onset of our partnerships. Intermediate surveys given will gauge not only the nonprofits progress but our progress as well. Phone interviews conducted at 3, 6, 9, and 12-month intervals after a program or projects implementation by the nonprofit agencies will further our knowledge base and provide quantitative data as to the progress reached or exceeded. Many organizations within the nonprofit sector are in need of funding. Therefore, to further assist community causes and organizations, Grant Assistance Services has added 2 additional programs. Event planning and fundraising for these community actions will allow our organization to promote, advocate, and provide additional avenues and doorways to the nonprofit sector. When we open doors we empower, accomplish, and sustain. In turn, our communities grow, connect, and provide a platform for success. What haven't we accomplished yet? Focused marketing plan with clear goals and strategies for 2012Additional alliances offering sources for referrals and joint marketing activities to extend our reach.