Table of Contents

• What does it mean to be "incorporated?"
• Why is being incorporated important for councils?
• How do I have my council incorporated?
• How do we obtain 501(c)(3) designation (tax-exempt status)?
• What guidelines should I follow to be sure my council operates efficiently?
• What type of information should be included in my council's bylaws?
• Sample bylaws

• I have just been elected president -- now what?
• What can I do to become a more effective leader?
• What are common responsibilities and duties of council officers?
• What records should council maintain? Who keeps them? Where? For how long?
• How do I run a meeting?
• How can I reduce the possibility of conflict during my meetings?
• Can I be an effective leader? What are my strengths? Weaknesses? (A worksheet)

• How many and what types of businesses are located in my neighborhood?
• How many and what types of schools, religious institutions, and social services agencies are here?
• What types of services or charitable activities do they provide to area residents?
• What do the residents of my neighborhood look like?
• What do they want and need?
• Who among them are potential council members and/or volunteers?
• How do we organize groups in my neighborhood?
• What are some points we should know before going door-to-door?
• What are Block watch groups? How are they formed?

This section includes a community-produced directory of important neighborhood contacts and resources, as well as a brochure and booklet listing key information about county and state departments and county-wide elected representatives. Also included is a segment devoted to special programs sponsored by the City of Cincinnati.

• What is the Grants Resource Center?
• How do I get started writing a grant proposal?
• How do I determine who to ask for funds?
• What are some do's and don'ts of grant writing?
• What is an RFP? How do I use it to prepare my proposal?
• What are my responsibilities if I get funded?
• Who can apply for an Invest Merit Grant?

Leadership Manual

Grant Proposal Writing

SOURCES AND SUGGESTED REFERENCES

Corporate Foundation Profiles. New York: The Foundation Center. Provides giving profiles of 250 of the largest company-sponsored foundations.

Conrad, D. The New Grants Planner. San Francisco: Public Management Institute. Provides information about networking, developing ideas, researching, budget strategies, contacting funders, proposal review, proposal writing, and developing continued grant support.

Corporate Giving Yellow Pages. Washington, DC: The Taft Group.

Foundation Directory. New York: The Foundation Center. Provides a comprehensive listing of foundations in the United States, with information about number of awards, size of awards, funding preferences.

Funding Sources. Drug Information and Strategy Clearinghouse. Provides a list of agencies and foundations that fund proposals related to drug and alcohol abuse prevention.

Guide to U. S. Department of Education Programs. Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office. Provides information necessary to begin the process of applying for funding from individual federal education programs. Lists the many grant opportunities available from the Department of Education.

National Data Book. New York: The Foundation Center. Provides assistance in identifying companies that have established giving programs.

Source Book Profiles. Quarterly. New York: The Foundation Center. Provides detailed descriptions of the 1,000 largest foundations.

Taft Corporate Giving Directory. Washington, DC: The Taft Group.

Taft Foundation Reporter. Provides comprehensive profiles and giving analyses of major private foundations.

U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. Handbook for Evaluating Drug and Alcohol Prevention Programs. Washington, DC: Author.

Note: In addition to the sources listed here, a number of computerized foundation and grant opportunity searches are available at local libraries for a nominal fee.