Building the Capacity of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community in Illinois

On March 6, 2015, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders’ Great Lakes Regional Interagency Working Group, comprising representatives from over a dozen federal agencies, partnered with Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) to host a beginner to intermediate-level grantwriting and technical assistance workshop in Chicago, Illinois. More than 30 local community members representing diverse organizations braved the sub-zero winter weather and participated in the all-day training to gain a deeper understanding of grant research, writing, and approval.

Community members attend an all-day grantwriting and technical assistance training in Chicago, Illinois, March 6, 2015. (by George Mui)

The training provided participants with a unique opportunity to learn the dynamics of the grant process from multiple angles and also gave attendees the opportunity to dialogue with representatives from local federal agencies and successful grant recipients. Pedro Arista, MPH, trainer and facilitator from APIAHF, framed the workshop around the following key topics:

• Preliminary Planning
• Grant Proposal Development (GPD)
• Goals and SMART Objectives & Organizational and Staff Experience
• Budget
• Continuous Evaluation
• Putting It All Together

Community members attend an all-day grantwriting and technical assistance training in Chicago, Illinois, March 6, 2015. (by George Mui)

Feedback from event participants was overwhelmingly positive. Participants reported an increased understanding of the grant process and many felt better equipped to apply for federal grants.

The workshop was a direct follow-up from a community listening session, held on October 29, 2014 where nearly 100 leaders serving the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in Chicago met face-to-face to discuss how to access, navigate, and apply for government services.

This training was part of the Initiative’s broader efforts to improve access to federal resources. In the past several months, the Initiative has hosted similar workshops in cities across the country and will continue to do so in the months to come. For more resources on grants and resources, visit the Initiative’s website here.

Doug Nguyen is the Deputy Regional Communications Director for the Social Security Administration. He is Lead of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders’ Great Lakes Regional Interagency Working Group.