Workshop To Help Obtain Grants

SEBRING - A total of 26 federal agencies annually offer more than 1,000 grant programs in various categories and maneuvering through the process may be difficult and confusing.

Congressman Tim Mahoney's office wants to help people get through the maze.

Mahoney's office and the Highlands County Economic Development Commission are co-hosting a workshop from 10 a.m. - noon Wednesday, July 9 at the Sebring Civic Center.

The grant application process for federal grants and new grant opportunities will be reviewed during the workshop. Best practice strategies will be discussed.

Susan Turnbull, a grants specialist from Washington, D.C., will attend and be available for questions. Turnbull started her career in 1974 as a grants assistant to several members of Congress. She then worked at the U.S. Conference of Mayors, where she served as the Washington representative for a consortium of government agencies. She has a bachelor's degree in urban studies from University of Cincinnati and a master's in urban studies from the University of Maryland.

Mahoney's office will be unveiling the new GO! program. GO! stands for grants online and Mahoney will be sending out a monthly e-newsletter letting interested parties know about federal grant opportunities that are available in a wide range of areas. The goal is to provide as much information as possible to local elected officials, community organizations and educational institutions so that they are aware of existing grant opportunities.

Additionally, organizations with a specific area of interest can call the office or fill out a form on the Web site. The grants specialist will research existing funding opportunities available at the federal level. The office will also have a grants resource center online to give grant seekers tips on writing effective applications.

The workshop is targeted for Highlands County's 501(c)3 organizations as well as religious organizations and local government agencies.

"For far too long, Florida has been a donor state and it's time for that to change. Florida deserves to get its fair share of federal tax dollars. I'm working hard to get those dollars back to my district by hosting workshops to help organizations in my district compete for and win federal grants," Mahoney said in a prepared statement. "At a time of state budget cuts, we need to be as aggressive as possible in getting federal funding to fill in the holes. There are too many missed funding opportunities simply because people are not aware of what's out there."

Those interested in attending are asked to call the EDC at 385-1025.