Design Grant Developments: Navigating Organizational Opportunity and Regional Growth

Healthcare, education, local government, nonprofits, technology, and manufacturing industries all have the potential to obtain grant funds and spur innovation in the region. Our team’s expertise guides grant research and development across all enFocus sectors. Sponsors partner with enFocus to help research and write grants in hopes of securing the funding to increase their capacity as a business or local organization, and spur regional innovation as a result.

Our partnership with United Way of Marshall County (UWMC) is one example of grant research and writing that will design solutions for future growth. UWMC wanted to secure funds through the Employer-Sponsored Child Care Fund to support child care needs in Northern Indiana. Fellow Nicole Fry worked with UWMC to add capacity to their operational functions. In collaboration with UWMC, she worked with team members to complete the grant application

Nicole describes grant writing as a team effort. The narrative, budgets, and community support must all be acquired, assembled, and interpreted to complete the application. Nicole shares, “The application was a highly collaborative effort between the three of us, as well as, community leaders, child care providers, and local employers who wrote letters of support. Without their support and the relationship they had with our project sponsor, Linda Yoder, we would not have had the success we did.” UWMC’s work in gaining community support from local child care providers and employers helped them secure $750,000 that will be distributed among several child care providers to pilot a new child care program in Northern Indiana.

The funds they have secured will go on to implement the pilot program. Nicole says, “The secured grant funds will create low-barrier access for UWMC to develop the pilot program. It also ensures that the program will be created in a way that supports Marshall County and their unique relationship to the childhood education landscape. Through the funding, this program will be the third of its kind in Indiana. Our implementation of the program may go on to serve as a blue-print for additional child care programs in the state.”

Securing grant funds is popular in philanthropic and civic spaces. Lesser known are grant opportunities available to small businesses and local manufacturers. Kartik Maheshwari has worked with local manufacturers to write Manufacturing Readiness Grants (MRGs). MRGs are employer-matched funds that provide financial support for manufacturers seeking support to update equipment and implement new technologies.

Much like the civic sectors, Kartik expresses that his experience applying to an MRG is a collaborative experience. Together, enFocus works alongside iNDustry Labs at Notre Dame to provide ample support to manufacturers who are interested in applying for the private grant funds through Conexus. He says, “enFocus and iNDustry Labs work together to provide a highly viable option of funding to innovate current manufacturing systems. Grants pave the way for manufacturers to access financial support and expertise that will ultimately increase their organizational output.”

MRGs are not the only way businesses can reinvigorate their operations. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are highly competitive programs that encourage domestic small businesses to engage in federal research and development with the potential for commercialization.

While SBIR and STTR programs are not pursued as heavily as MRGs, they show great potential for small businesses and start-ups interested in product development and commercialization. Businesses can leverage existing resources at iNDustry Labs and enFocus to apply for funds through SBIR and STTR grants.

Grant funds are applicable to any enFocus sector. Leveraging grant funds can strengthen your day-to-day operations and spur community economic development. There may be a grant opportunity for your organization and enFocus looks forward to helping navigate the application and administration of it. At enFocus, we are committed to the collaborative grant application process, and the potential to catalyze innovation for the entire region.