The RRF Foundation for Aging (formerly known as The Retirement Research Foundation) is accepting applications for Advocacy Grants Program.

RRF funds advocacy projects that focus on improving public policy for older persons. Of particular interest are projects that:

• Advance policy issues of critical importance to older people such as economic security, caregiving, housing, etc.
• Use clearly focused and strategic efforts to address systemic problems.
• Forge partnerships with organizations to achieve better use of resources and to share knowledge.

Priority Areas

RRF Foundation for Aging focuses on improving the quality of life for older people. In an effort to strengthen the Foundation’s impact, RRF has established Priority Areas.

• Caregiving: Ensuring that caregivers are informed, well-trained, and supported while providing care to older people in community settings;
• Economic Security in Later Life: Valuing the dignity of older people through efforts that ensure and protect their economic security and well-being;
• Housing: Promoting efforts that make housing more affordable and provide coordinated services that enable older people to live safely in community settings;
• Social and Intergenerational Connectedness: Strengthening social bonds through efforts that promote meaningful connections, including those that span generations;
• Organizational Capacity Building: Improve the management and governance of organizations in Illinois;
• Other Promising Projects: While Priority Areas reflect RRF’s primary funding interests, we remain open to supporting other opportunistic ageing projects (on a selective basis).

Eligibility Criteria

Advocacy Grants are provided to nonprofit organizations that are

• Proposing a project that has a significant impact on persons, ages 65 and older;
• Focusing on achieving policy change throughout the U.S. or within the states of Illinois,
• Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Wisconsin, or Florida.

How To Apply

RRF requests that all proposals include the components outlined below.  You will upload each of these documents as individual files via their online application.

Formatting Guidelines:

• Kindly use a 12-point Arial font.
• Word documents should be single-spaced with 1” margins.
• The Executive Summary, Proposal Narrative, Budget Narrative, and Timeline are to be uploaded as Microsoft Office documents (.doc/.docx or .xls files).
• When possible, include the organization name and document page number in the footer of the Executive Summary, Proposal Narrative, Budget Narrative, and Bios/Resumes.
• The Budget should be uploaded as a Microsoft Excel file.
• Please note that, except for the Executive Summary and Bios/Resumes, there is no page or length restriction.
• The Executive Summary is a separate two- to a three-page summary that concisely describes the project. The Executive Summary offers a succinct overview of your project and allows RRF to understand what you are trying to accomplish. Include brief information about the project’s need, objectives, methods, total cost, and the amount requested from RRF.
• The Proposal Narrative provides an opportunity for you to describe your project thoroughly to RRF by addressing the following:

Applicant Organization

• Include a brief history of your organization, recent accomplishments, and the organization’s qualifications to lead this project.

Project Significance

• Importance and relevance of the proposed project, citing relevant literature.
• Background information on the issue(s) to be addressed.
• Current status of the policy/issue the project aims to address.
• Anticipated contribution of the project.

Project Goals and SMART Objectives

• Concisely state the goals of your project and list Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound (SMART) objectives to achieve the goals.
• Explain the targeted policy or practice changes you hope to affect.

Proposed Methods

• Advocacy strategies and methods your organization propose to use.
• Partner organizations/stakeholders and their roles in the advocacy project.
• Identification of decision-makers to be targeted and methods for reaching them.
• Schedule of activities.

Evaluation

• Evaluation approach and the nature of evidence to be collected to determine the impact.
• Type of information that will be collected and how it will be captured.
• Methods that will be used to analyze the data.

Dissemination

• Define target audiences for dissemination.
• Describe methods for reaching each audience.
• Describe how the advocacy efforts will be shared publicly including the groups, conferences, and media outlets where the project and its outcomes will be publicized.
• Describe or include any proposed tools, reports, briefs, policy research papers, professional journals, new releases, etc.
• Plans for Continued Support
• Describe plans for continued support if the project is expected to operate beyond the period for which grant funds are requested.

Personnel

• Describe the key personnel and their qualifications to lead this effort.
• Include job descriptions for any staff to be hired.
• The Budget, Budget Narrative, and Timeline will be uploaded as three individual Microsoft Office documents.  While RRF does not require a standard form for these documents, samples are provided for illustrative purposes.  You may use more than one page for each document.
• The Line Item Budget includes all expenses and income, including grant funds requested from RRF and funds received and/or requested from other sources for this project, if any. Please include the percentage of time allocated for project staff.  Up to 10% of the funds requested from RRF may be allocated for indirect project costs.
• The Budget Narrative describes how the budget relates to the proposed project activities. Budget narratives generally contain a description for each line item identified in the budget, explaining how the requested amount was computed.
• The Timeline corresponds directly to the activities that are described in the proposal.

In addition to the documents listed above, you will also be asked to upload:

• The Signature Page to provide proof of who in your organization has authorized this project.
• Resumes of no more than 2-3 pages for the Project Director and other key project staff. Include job descriptions for positions to be filled. Upload in one file.
• Current Board of Directors roster with affiliations. Upload in one file.
• Signed letters of support, if appropriate. Upload in one file.
• Letters of commitment from collaborators, if applicable. Upload in one file.
• IRS 501(c)(3) designation letter or other evidence of federal nonprofit status.
• Most recent audited financial report (preferred) or IRS 990.
• Most recent annual report (an optional item).

Source:http://www.rrf.org/apply-for-a-grant/advocacy-grants/