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Request for Proposal:
2008 Verizon Wireless—West Area HopeLine Ò Grant

Funding Parameters

This RFP is for domestic violence agencies (either 501(c)(3) or government) located in the twelve western states and El Paso County (Texas).  Funding falls within three broad categories: 1) direct client services, 2) raising public awareness and 3) staff and volunteer training. 

Background: Verizon Wireless--West Area HopeLine Grants

Grant can range from $3,000 to more than $10,000 and vary in size by state.  Grants in prior years have funded, for example: improving child-to-staff ratios in group therapy sessions; purchasing supplies and equipment for a shelter's on-site pre-school and child care facility; producing and distributing an awareness video to public television stations; establishing a GED library at a transitional living facility; expanding the capacity of a batterer intervention program; creating and distributing Spanish-language materials; and producing resource manuals to help train advocates working in shelters.

Mandatory Proposal Format: Cash Grants

Cover sheet: to include:

• The organization’s name and address
• A contact name with a work phone number and an email address
• The organization’s federal tax ID number

Description Section: to include, in the following order:

1) A description of how the organization would like to use the grant money;
2) Three short paragraphs (maximum) describing the organization’s history;
3) A bulleted list of services provided by the organization (one page maximum);
4) A list of the number of employees by type and status (e.g. “Our full-time staff includes: 3 counselors and 1 executive director. Our part-time staff includes: 4 case workers and 2 therapists.”);
5) A paragraph describing the demographics (e.g. age, race, gender, etc.) of clients served by the organization (but not of the general population of the city/county/state); and
6) A simple budget (no more than 10 line items) showing how the organization proposes to spend the HopeLine grant money.

Documentation Section: to contain:

• An IRS letter confirming the organization’s 501(c)(3) status;
• The organization’s most recent audited financial statement (government entities: submit applying unit’s current budget);
• A list of the members of the organization’s current Board of Directors with each director’s job title and company affiliation; and
• A list of the organization’s largest donors (public and private) in the previous calendar year.

Key Application Guidelines

• Please limit Description Sections in the proposal to 10 pages or less (double-spaced).
• Grants will not be awarded for construction or building maintenance projects.
• Proposed budgets can include one line item for fixed costs (e.g. rent, property taxes, utilities, insurance, etc.) — but this line item must not exceed 15% of the total grant request.
• All grants are one-year grants.
• When writing your application, please assume that our reviewers are very familiar with the definition, history, causes and effects of domestic violence, as well as the degree to which domestic violence is commonplace in our society.

Explanation of Deadlines and Award Dates

HopeLine Phones

Verizon Wireless donates cell phones, with prepaid airtime, to domestic violence prevention agencies for use by survivors.  With these phones, survivors can stay in touch with loved ones and social service providers; schedule appointments with doctors and interviews with potential employees; and, make a host of other calls as they work to rebuild their lives during a very difficult time.

To learn more about this program, including agency benefits and responsibilities, please call Verizon Wireless at (949) 286-8085.