4 tips to fund an EMS project through multiple grant sources

In the world of EMS nothing comes cheap.

From  equipment to training to health care, this is an expensive field, and sometimes agencies can get needed funding thracough a combination of different grants, rather than relying on a single grant.

A recent article on EMS1.com shows how West River Ambulance Service used a North Dakota state grant, a community foundation grant, and a general fund contribution to purchase a new $150,000  ambulance.

While combined funding may not be common in EMS, it’s very common in the grant world. Most grant makers do not have the financial capability to fund hundreds of large-scale projects; instead they prefer to allocate smaller resources to a larger group of recipients.

Given the financial constraints that grant makers face, they can assure their resources are having the greatest impact on the community through collaborative projects. Sometimes it is even a requirement that a previous grant maker has contributed to the project to ensure trust, transparency and strength within the project to accomplish the intended goal.

To attract multiple funders for a single project your agency needs to show:

1. Collaboration: A track record of collaboration should show groups of agencies working together to address a significant community need.

2. Financial and programmatic capacity: A successful project with multiple funders is evidence of a solid financial organization and gives potential funders confidence that the work will be sustained beyond their initial investment.

3. Leadership: Organizations that have been previously funded should have executive leadership that is collaborative and knowledgeable about the community and the field in which they operate.

4. Measurable results: Multiple funders on a single project highlights that your agency is clearly able to articulate organizational goals, can present a clear plan for achieving results, and has an ability to track outcomes and impact on the community you serve.

To find multiple funders for a large scale project look to both government and private foundation funding sources. Remember,  West River Ambulance was able to fund their ambulance through a combination of grants from the state, a community foundation, and a general fund contribution.

Using multiple funders is just another tool to accomplish large-scale projects in EMS.