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Wildfire Prevention Grants

Lorelay Mendoza

Anpotowin Jensen

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Recap from last time

Week 1

ㅁFind a community partner ㅁEstablish contact

ㅁSearch for successful grants

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✔️ Found partner

✔️Worked on Palo Alto Grant draft

✔️ Reviewed available grants

✔️Developed a best practices document

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Introduction

Process

Result

Takeaways

Week 10

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The Process of Grant Writing for Wildfire Prevention

Introduction

Process

Result

Takeaways

Created list of wildfire prevention grant awardees.

Contacted grant awardees and asked for example grants.

Only a 16% response rate.

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Interview-Based Research

  • Conducted semi-structured interviews

  • Designated grant writers do exist
    • Why their grants are accepted or rejected is a mystery!

Introduction

Process

n Result

Takeaways

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Key Findings From Process

  • Successful grants are often public documents! Learn from them.
  • Understand your environment and community needs.
  • Use persuasive writing to demonstrate how this grant will do exactly what it’s intended to do.

Introduction

Process

Result

Takeaways

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So you want to write a grant?

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  1. Include a map

Introduction

Process

Result

Takeaways

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2. Partner with other agencies

Name drop the people you’ll work with!

Introduction

Process

Result

Takeaways

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3. Reference nearby, existing projects

Introduction

Process

Result

Takeaways

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4. Lean on local Fire Safe Council

Introduction

Process

Result

Takeaways

Connections + network

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Help with grant writing

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5. Justify cost

Be prepared to answer the question: Why isn’t this already in the budget?

Introduction

Process

Result

Takeaways

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Grant with Palo Alto Emergency Operations Center

Introduction

Process

Result

Takeaways

What does EOC do?

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  1. Dispatch local law enforcement

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  • Ambulances/ medical help

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  • Fire Department

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Grant with Palo Alto Emergency Operations Center

  • Objective: Increase situational awareness
    • Put cameras and sensors on the WUI
    • Early warning system

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  • Amount: $350,000

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  • Our contribution:
  • Identified suitable funding sources
  • Discussion/summary for grant

Introduction

Process

Result

Takeaways

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Challenges

  • Finding a partner

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  • Acquiring successful grants

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  • Finding a suitable funding source

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Result

Introduction

Process

Result

Takeaways

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Thank you! Questions?