I'm throwing this out there for general consumption. I would like to know what everyone else feels on this.
Why doesn't CAP get out and pursue government grants for homeland security & disaster preparedness like the FEMA grants? Why aren't we going after equipment grants from DoD like local law enforcement, fire depts and EMA? Here in Tennessee, local law enforcement is getting surplus Humvees from DoD excess and fire departments are getting new equipment through FEMA grants.
Why isn't CAP stepping up to the plate on this?
My first thought is that the money is not there in suffecient amounts to spread the wealth around to all the units accross the nation except in some very limited areas. (like something to equip the small number of GA-8's) Even one specialty item per wing (52) might get more pricey than the grant is worthwhile (many of the grants are matching funds rather than straight up cash for the whole "purchase" cost) My personal opinion when there is/are a limited amount of specialty pieces of equipment like that (think special radios, NVG/thermal imaging, sat phone etc etc) it is kept in a special place by a special person at wing, and somehow is never available or able to be brought to the right place at the right time for it to be used by the people who need it... so in essence the grant was a waste of time (not that is a good reason why NOT to get the grant, but I am sure that plays a part in some decision making process somewhere)
Also in what I have seen when grant serching for my work and volunteer fire department, many of the Grants though federal in origin are administered by the state either EMA or Fire administration agency; basically each wing would have to apply rather than national.
mk
Good suggestion. However, we're already federally funded in those categories we would be eligibile for and there is an avenue under federal law that gives us access to surplus equipment determined to be excess.
Grants like the FEMA DHS AFG Program or related police department grants are for small local departments who do not have the revenues or resources necessary to purchase upated or necssary equipment that is vital to their missions.
Most such grants are aimed directly at specific types of agencies (law enforcement, firefighters).
As far as I know, there isn't a generic "homeland security" grant program that CAP would be able to apply for.
Right now, the majority of CAP wings are already receiving grants from the states either through the state military or emergency management departments.
Oh boy.... where to even start. Ive researched grants, obtained aircraft for my LE agency. CAP isnt really set up for that. If anything, national HQ would get the money, not individual units. Most grants are set up around certain missions. Homeland Security grants for volunteer organizations dont really work.
Quote from: Flying Pig on November 23, 2012, 05:46:29 PM
Homeland Security grants for volunteer organizations dont really work.
I will absolutely disagree with this statement 100% - the application security organization that I also belong to, OWASP (501c3) has procured DHS grants and they have worked out quite well with raving review from both our side and theirs. I can't speak to the FEMA or other grants, but I can absolutely tell you that working with volunteer organizations and open organizations is a high priority item for the DHS grants. Granted this is coming from the technology development side of the fence (proactive technology as opposed to reactive technology [ie CAP]) but that doesn't preclude us from qualifying for grants to my knowledge.
Apples and oranges.
CAP looking to apply for HLS grants would be like the USAF applying for HLS grants. We're a national, deep-tier part of the federal government.
We don't get federal "grants". If the Federal Government thinks we need something we get "appropriations".
^Nope....
CAP gets an annual grant from the Air Force (actually, it comes from congress but, adminsistered by the Air Force). The terms of the grant can be found in CAP's "Statement of Work" and "Cooperative Agreement" which can be found on our Website. CAP-USAF oversees the grant and, can order the "grant's officer" to withold funds if necessary.
As for getting additional grants which can be of use for CAP on a national level; it can happen however, it may affect the annual grant amount. For example, CAP could apply for a grant from the Dept. of Education to expand our school programs. But, this may reduce the amount the Air Force will let us spend on Cadet Programs; sort of a catch 22.
The kind of "grant" we get from the USAF isn't really the kind of "grant we're talking about here, is it?
The USAF is getting an appropriation for us, which they then treat as a grant so they can withhold money as they see fit.
Quote from: cpyahoo on November 23, 2012, 02:30:43 PM
I'm throwing this out there for general consumption. I would like to know what everyone else feels on this.
Why doesn't CAP get out and pursue government grants for homeland security & disaster preparedness like the FEMA grants? Why aren't we going after equipment grants from DoD like local law enforcement, fire depts and EMA? Here in Tennessee, local law enforcement is getting surplus Humvees from DoD excess and fire departments are getting new equipment through FEMA grants.
Why isn't CAP stepping up to the plate on this?
All CAP needs is someone at wing/region/national level to write up the grant request...then follow through on the project.
Why don't we? Well the short of it.....we just don't have the time/know-how to get these things rolling.
Quote from: Eclipse on November 23, 2012, 11:14:16 PM
Apples and oranges.
CAP looking to apply for HLS grants would be like the USAF applying for HLS grants. We're a national, deep-tier part of the federal government.
We don't get federal "grants". If the Federal Government thinks we need something we get "appropriations".
We do get grants from the federal government. The Greeen Flag program is managed as a grant from the USAF.
Quote from: lordmonar on November 24, 2012, 12:46:40 AM
Quote from: Eclipse on November 23, 2012, 11:14:16 PM
Apples and oranges.
CAP looking to apply for HLS grants would be like the USAF applying for HLS grants. We're a national, deep-tier part of the federal government.
We don't get federal "grants". If the Federal Government thinks we need something we get "appropriations".
We do get grants from the federal government. The Greeen Flag program is managed as a grant from the USAF.
Yes, but again, this is an administrative technicality, or foible, of the relationship, not a "grant" in the normal use of the word.
The USAF has a mission mandate and appropriate funds, they are "granting" it to us because it's an expedient way to disburse and
control the funds.
The same with the main appropriation. CAP-USAF is the funds manager, but it is still ultimately an appropriation.
One of the other things you need to be concerned with is whether or not we want the strings that are attached to the grants. Often the strings take you outside your mission scope and core competencies. I don't think that we should base what we do by the grants we get.
Even grants to support "youth" often have restrictions based on race, income level, location, etc. They are often difficult to manage and not something that we may want to get into.
Well ususally with grants....you write up what you are going to do with the money/assets and how that is going to fit in with the mission of the granting agency....be it a branch of the federal government, red cross, charitable ogranisation....what ever.
And yes most of those grants do come with some sort of riders......look at the original DDR program. You could get money to equip your honor guard but you had to have a DDR element to go with it. Then the DDR program was limited to just 70 mile radius around Air Force Bases.
Quote from: Eclipse on November 24, 2012, 12:08:29 AM
The kind of "grant" we get from the USAF isn't really the kind of "grant we're talking about here, is it?
The USAF is getting an appropriation for us, which they then treat as a grant so they can withhold money as they see fit.
The rules for grants are different from appropriations. Before 2000, we did get an "appropriation". However, OMB declared this illeagal. It may be just semantics but, it is what it is... :P ;D
Now, CAP can and, may apply for other grants from the government or, from NGOs. But, these grants can effect the annual grant we receive from congress. In 2009, HLS was going to award a $2M grant to PAWG, NJWG and, DEWG for patrol missions. The CAP-USAF commander determined it would be administered by CAP-USAF and, would reduce the amount of the "annual grant" by the same. Needless to say, the wings turned the grant down (so did NHQ). In 2008 and 2009, Sen. Stevens added $800k to our annual grant for the sole use of AKWG. And, of course, we get a significant extra grant from our dear senators from Kansas to buy Cessnas every year. Do we see a pattern here? Bottom line; the Air Force controls how our money is spent. Federal grants are out there for CAP but, may adversely effect our main "grant".
IMHO, the best bet is for each wing to apply for small grants from other sources to augment their operating budgets. CAP Corporate has staff to help wings apply for these grants. Then again; it would be better to improve our contributor base to fund what we need. This is the reason the "CAP Foundation" was formed.
Quote from: FW on November 24, 2012, 01:43:02 PM
IMHO, the best bet is for each wing to apply for small grants from other sources to augment their operating budgets. CAP Corporate has staff to help wings apply for these grants. Then again; it would be better to improve our contributor base to fund what we need. This is the reason the "CAP Foundation" was formed.
I concur. Some cities and counties (including Native American tribes) may have money available for local Squadrons if somebody asks.
Most federal grants have monitoring and reporting requirements beyond what anybody here could imagine or would consider reasonable. Federal program grants have so many reporting requirements they often require one or more full time persons just to administer and report on the activity/ROI of that single grant. Grants are rarely "free money;" they almost always have strings attached and of grant sources out there the federal government generally has the most strings attached by far.
While complex, they aren't necessarily that complex. I apply for and get federal grants on a routine basis and at least for the programs I work with are not that big a deal to administer.
However, the devil is in the details. Can anyone provide a specific example of a federal grant program that CAP would be eligible for? Thats what we really need here to have an intelligent conversation.
Interoperable Communications grants. Not sure of the name.
Man! This is some really good stuff!
I think the only issue would be that the grant would go to CAP as an organization. Not to a particular squadron. Ive worked with grants before. Trying to do it as a volunteer? No thank you..... it was difficult enough being paid to do it. In all my research that Ive done, I dont know that Ive come across one that I thought CAP would fit in to.
All the talk about CAP getting grants from the AF, or Green Flag being manages as a grant, are apples and oranges. CAP didnt apply for a grant for Green Flag, the funding is just being managed as if it were a grant correct?