User:Books/Grant Writing Group Vote

Sponsor

• Books

Co-Sponsors

• Andrew Locke
• Carl Karsten (Treasurer)

Vote Results

 Quorum:[ ~?? ]

Statement of Purpose

• Alert the Pumping Station: One membership that we are looking to fund people to write grants
• Establish a group to support grant writing
• Enable donors to give money to PS:1 restricted for exclusively writing grants

Schedule

Proposal Date

Date this proposal was posted to the membership and a request for a vote date was sent to the Board.

July 29 2025

Member Input

Does the Sponsor choose to open the language of the vote for changes due to member input? (optional and can be modified at any time)

YES

Vote Announcement and Beginning Date of the Discussion Period

August 1 2025

Language Lock Date and Start of Voting

Five days prior to the Day of the Vote, the vote language is locked, all edits are frozen, and the language of the vote is converted to a pdf file. Ballots that include the pdf are sent to the Membership, and electronic voting begins. Note that the minimum discussion period of seven days leaves only two days for changes before the lock takes place.

August 7 2025

Day of the Vote

Date the Board has assigned for the vote. The Day of the Vote is the day the vote closes.

August 12 2025

Background

• PS:1 needs money
• Grant Writing is not easy
• PS:1 can hire people to write grants
• Restricted funding allows paid grant writers without using member funds
• PS:1 needs a framework to manage writing grants and funding grant writing
• Andrew Locke has experience with Grant writing, and is willing to take this role

As of July 2025, PS:1 continues to meet its financial goals to buy the building. The building purchase is a process that will take decades, and raising outside money to improve PS:1 can relieve some of the financial pressure the 501c3 organization is feeling in the interim. Up to this point, all of the financial obligations, tool purchases, and activities of PS:1 have been primarily funded by member dues. Requesting grant money is an alternative that deserves investigation.

Grants applications are not easy to write. Over the 15+ year history of PS:1, the idea of raising money through grant writing has been suggested several times. Until recently, no-one has successfully submitted a grant on behalf of PS:1. Grant writing is a well-paid, full-time job that people do professionally. While it may seem simple at first glance, it can be both complicated and tedious, and require more time than is typically donated by volunteers. There are usually several organization competing for the same grant money, so the quality of the grant application can make a difference in whether and how much money is acquired. Even professionally written applications can end up unfunded, so the process can stressful and discouraging.

PS:1 has paid professionals to do electrical work and janitorial maintenance when no one is willing or able to donate their time to those tasks. It would be nice to be able to hire professional grant writers, but getting any grant writing submitted at all is a laudable accomplishment. Hiring members to write grants is also an option. Hiring amateur member grant writers allows the organization to fund more written grants for less money, adds value to membership, and increases the pool of people in the organization with grant writing knowledge and experience.

Recently the board narrowly authorized payment to a member for writing and submitting a grant. One of the reasons this was controversial is that since there is no guarantee that the grant will be awarded, limited member funds may be spent with no visible improvement to the space. While the board may be risk-averse when it comes to grant writing, small donors tend to embrace this kind of risk. Arrangements where a philanthropist's donation is matched or multiplied tend are easier to acquire than simple donations straight into the non profit organization's general funds. The money spent on writing a grant can be multiplied a hundred-fold if the grant is acquired. This makes soliciting donations directly for grant writing easier than soliciting for general donations.

The board does not have experience managing or distributing grants, nor should it be expected to add this responsibility to its docket. PS:1 can instead create a specialty group to vet grant writers and grant writing opportunities, and make suggestions to the board on which to support and fund.

Andrew Locke has volunteered to hold this position, and is uniquely qualified as a professional grant writer. He is not interested in doing his day job for a significantly reduced rate, but has generously volunteered to shepherd amateur grant writers through the philanthropic obstacles. If you are a PS:1 member, this vote also serves as an advertisement that you can be paid to write grants for the benefit of PS:1!

Synopsis

This vote builds on the previous Club Vote, and creates a Club called the "Grant Writing Group" with Andrew Locke as the Club Host. It also establishes that PS:1 can accept funds that are given on the condition that they be used for the specific purpose of funding grant writing.

Language of the Vote

The Grant Writing Group (abbreviated as GWG) is established and behaves similar to a Boosted Club, as established in the Club Vote. This means it is expected to hold a public meeting at least once a month, reports on its activities, and has a sponsor and Club Host, both of which are Andrew Locke.

Public Meetings

Meetings of the GWG will be posted to the Pumping Station: One official public calendar at least 72 hours before the event occurs, and the calendar post must accurately represent the event's actual place and time. At least one advertised meeting a month must be open to attendance by any member of Pumping Station: One in good standing.

Public meetings of the GWG may take many forms:

1. It may be a meeting or activity where participants attend in person on the premises of Pumping Station: One 2. It may be a virtual event where club participants interact through teleconferencing technology 3. It may be a meeting or activity that takes place in person at a location within 30 minutes of travel via public transportation from the premises of Pumping Station: One.

Public meetings of the GWG will NOT restrict Pumping Station: One members from attending based on an entry fee or other material remuneration. A public meeting can be held in a commercial establishment like a restaurant or cafe, on the basis that all attendees are not expected to purchase service; it is advised that those organizing such events make arrangements with the proprietors of those establishments beforehand.

Reporting

Taking and submitting minutes may be delegated, but is ultimately the Club Host's responsibility. Minutes for a public meeting must be submitted to Club Oversight within 8 days from the date of the scheduled meeting or activity.

Grant Writing Group Host

The GWG Host may be, but is NOT REQURIED to be a Pumping Station: One member. The only requirement for a GWG Host is that they are not banned from the premises of Pumping Station: One. GWG Hosts that are members in good standing also qualify as Sponsors for the GWG and for Public Meetings. A GWG Host may choose to pass responsibility for the GWG to another person eligible to be a GWG Host. The membership dues of the GWG Host are waived for the duration of their service as GWG Host. The first GWG Host will be Andrew Locke.

Resources

Aside from the perks of GWG Host (Work In Lieu of Dues, optional storage), funding for the GWG must come entirely from donations restricted to grant writing at Pumping Station: One. Money acquired through member dues will not be used to fund grant writing or pay for associated grant writing costs of the GWG.

Minimum Attendance

In order for boosted clubs to maintain their status, there needs to be at least three people in attendance at their monthly public activities or meetings. As the Grant Writing Group has a focus on grant writing over socializing, the three person minimum is waived so long as the Grant Writing Group has restricted funds in their budget. Updates on grant writing activities that occur outside of scheduled public meetings are encouraged to be included in monthly reports.