Grant Proposal Development Resources

In addition to serving as a grant-maker ourselves, the Trust can also support beneficiary-serving agencies in pursuing other grant funding.

The Trust has obtained a contract to assist agencies in identifying potential grants or other funding sources for new or existing programs that serve Trust beneficiaries. The contractor researches grant opportunities, assists with proposal planning and development, provides technical assistance to prepare grant proposals, and provides grant writing training for provider agencies related to the Trust’s mission.

Each fiscal year a small number of projects can receive technical assistance for in-depth consultation and grant writing. These resources are for more complex grants, often for federal funds, and will be prioritized by system impact and contractor capacity. Grants likely to have multiple agencies from Alaska applying would not be eligible, as we do not want to provide an unfair advantage to one beneficiary-serving organization over another.  If you are interested in receiving this technical assistance, the first step is to talk with the Mental Health Trust Program Officer assigned to your focus area.

To help determine if an agency will be considered for Trust technical assistance, here are some examples:

Example 1: The Division of Behavioral Health issues a request for proposals for up to 20 Alaskan behavioral health agencies. All agencies applying are Trust beneficiary-serving organizations, and we would not consider providing technical assistance for a single agency under these circumstances.

Example 2: SAMSHA issues a request for proposals for 20 statewide entities (one per state) to provide a service. Technical assistance could be considered for this type of proposal.

Below is a curated report that lists federal, state, or foundation grant funding opportunities pertinent to organizations that serve and support Trust beneficiaries. It is not intended to be comprehensive.  An updated report will be posted twice a month, so be sure to check back regularly.

Trust Grant Proposal Development Opportunity Report (April 23, 2024)

Recognizing that only a few grants will qualify for the technical assistance component, the Trust is now offering grant writing training for Trust beneficiary-serving organizations through our proposal development support. Past topics include where to find grant opportunities, how to review a grant opportunity to determine if it is the right fit for the organization, the go-no-go decision, applying for grants that require evidence-based practices, and the SOA GEMS grant database.

This training is not about how to apply for Mental Health Trust grants, rather is intended to add to the skills of beneficiary-serving organizations to analyze and be better prepared to apply for all available grants that support the agency’s mission.  If you have questions about applying for Trust funds, talk with our Grants Team.

Upcoming Grant Writing Training Opportunities

None planned at this time, please check back regularly

As part of our proposal development support, our current contractor, Denali Daniels and Associates, is offering a limited number of 30-minute one-to-one consultations for agency-specific questions about proposal development. Registration in advance is required.

Upcoming office hours:

9:00am - Noon, May 15, 2024 - click here to learn more and to register

For more information about the Trust's proposal development support, contact:

Kelda Barstad, Trust Program Officer, 907-269-3409, or kelda.barstad@alaska.gov.