The Amazing Adventures of...

Captain Funds Finder

Introducing YOU to the Nutrition and Aging

Resource Center’s NEWEST SUPERHERO!

Providing nutrition to aging adults is incredibly important 

and can be challenging at times. Often, one of the biggest 

obstacles Older Americans Act (OAA) nutrition programs 

face is sufficient funding to serve the number of older adults 

who need services. It is important to find other sources of 

funds to help pay for much-needed meals and services. 

Finding (and securing) funding can be a challenge 

.......and an adventure! 

Use this treasure map as a guide to obtain funds from 

local governments and organizations. Along the way, the 

Captain will give tips and tricks that have worked for her as 

she seeks out treasure in the form of funds for OAA meal 

programs. 

But first, we must Prepare for the Journey 

As with many things in life, the more time and effort spent preparing, the better the results. 

The same is true when it comes to getting funding. Preparing for the journey includes 

studying your program, the funding opportunities available, and the community. Then you 

can put the information (or data) you have gathered to good use.

This project was supported in part by grant number 90PPNU0002 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health 

and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely 

their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.
Get to know more about...... your funding needs: 

What is it in your organization that is missing or needs to 

expand? What need is not being met in the community? 

Get specific and know the exact need, including what 

the funds will be used for and how much you will need, in 

order to seek funds effectively. For instance, if you need 

new equipment for cold food storage, research the size of 

cooler you will need to fit the space you have available. 

Find a supplier of that equipment and the exact cost to 

purchase and install the cooler. The more precise you are 

with knowing the need, the more targeted you can be in 

finding funding that will cover the costs and that will fund 

equipment for food storage.

When it comes to aging nutrition programs, it is extremely 

important to know the cost to deliver meal services. 

Knowing your meal cost, your true meal cost, is extremely 

important. It isn’t just food that contributes to the total cost 

of a meal. You must also account for all of the other costs 

including paid labor, utilities, meal packaging, location 

expenses, etc. to know how much funding you actually 

need. To help calculate this, see Identifying the Total Cost 

of a Meal summary brief and Extended Brief. Knowing 

this exact cost is important for day-to-day operations 

and budgeting. It is also important for calculating funding 

needs when you want to expand services. 

Knowing your 

exact needs can 

help narrow down 

potential funders. 

Know the 

NEED.

Know the 

COST.

Get to know more about...... funding 

opportunities that already exist. 

Do your local and state governments or 

other community organizations regularly 

offer funding opportunities such as 

grants? Are there individuals, foundations 

or other charitable organizations in your 

community that could provide funding? 

One way to find out is by reaching out 

to local government offices, councils 

of government, and state government 

officials to ask what funding may be 

available. Also, contact other similar 

organizations in your community to ask 

about how they are funding projects. 

Perhaps they can offer some insight. 
Another option is to search online for “funding opportunities for nonprofit organizations.” You are 

likely to find results including articles listing top sources of current funding opportunities as well as 

sites such as grants.gov, grantwatch.com, and Philanthropy News Digest, among others. Explore 

these options, filtering results to match your organization and goals. It may be helpful to know that 

in some cases, a funding opportunity may be known as a “purchase for service agreement.”

Sign up for newsletters from local and national programs whose mission and values align with your 

work and may offer funding. This is a great way to stay up to date with what is happening, including 

funding opportunities and related activities and deadlines.

And of course, don’t forget about revenue opportunities like social enterprises and fee-for-service. 

Securing various funding sources for meal programs helps ensure sustainability of services. You 

can find more information about funding sources and how to make the most of them here.

The Captain says:

Ahoy! Once you know what funding is available in your community, 

get involved and learn more about the organizations offering 

thee treasure! Going to funding awards ceremonies is a great 

hobby! When you learn of one through newsletters and other 

communication from funding organizations, local advertisements, 

or even word-of mouth, go to see whom attends and which 

organizations receive awards. This is one way to find out if, or how, 

ye’ organization could be the next to plunder the treasure.
Also the Captain says:

I am a “people person”, which, I admit, helps. I 

always ensure to be present, active, and seen in my 

community. Make the effort to introduce yourself 

to other pirates, errrrrr, ....community members, 

whether at a formal event or even the grocery store, 

post office, or PTA meeting. Ensure people in the 

community, especially those in political office and 

those who are involved with funding, know your face, 

whom you represent, and how you help older adults 

in the community. Also, provide talking points to ye’ 

crew: staff, volunteers, and board members, to be 

champions on your organization’s behalf!

Make the effort to 

introduce yourself 

to other community 

members...

Never applied for a grant before? Here is a hot tip:

Offer to review grant applications before you apply for a grant. 

This is good practice for grant writers ....or future grant writers, 

such as yourself. You will learn the ins and outs of the grant 

requirements, what makes a good grant application, and 

perhaps even more helpful, what makes a poor application. 

You can take these skills and apply them to your own grant 

application when the time is right. To be a grant reviewer, contact 

the organization offering grants. For example, the Administration 

for Community Living (ACL) is always looking for grant reviewers 

to help! 

...take these skills and apply them 

to your own grant application 

when the time is right...
Get to know more about...... the key players: 

Individuals within government agencies and 

community organizations create funding opportunities 

and even review funding applications. In some 

instances, they may also decide who receives funding. 

Know whom these individuals are and develop working 

relationships with them.

Try stakeholder asset mapping to discover those you 

know or need to know. In other words, take the time to 

ask “who am I and my organization connected with 

already? Who are we not connected with, but should 

be?” If there are individuals and organizations within the 

community that are not current connections, explore 

opportunities to meet. 

...discover those 

you know or need 

to know...explore 

opportunities to 

meet...

The Captain says:

I get to know the key players in my community who 

may know of funding or are involved with funding 

opportunities. I have created professional social media 

pages that I use to connect with other professionals, 

especially the “who’s-who” of funder organizations. 

This is one way to learn about their lives and the 

organizations they work for. 

I look further into the organization to see if they currently 

offer funding and if their mission, vision, and goals align 

with my work.

Also, what do I have in common with the 

professionals themselves? Do they have little lil’ 

buccaneers? Pets? These clues show what we 

have in common and are ways to connect when 

we interact. Ultimately, I want these people to feel 

comfortable with me and like me. This way, they are 

more interested in what I do and my work providing 

nutrition for older adults in the community.

Remember: I want 

them to know my face, 

whom I represent, and 

the amazing work I do. 

This way, if and when 

funding opportunities 

arise, they will think of 

me. Arrrr!
Get to know more about...... your community:

Do some research to find data on your local community. 

Also, know how your community stacks up against 

other communities across the nation. This data may 

be quantitative (numbers and figures) or qualitative 

(information that is more descriptive such as testimonials 

from participants), and having both kinds of data is likely the 

most beneficial. Where do you get this data? Try the following:

Look within your organization:

• Is your organization collecting data via a survey, perhaps at

intake? Compile and use the data you have at your fingertips.

Find the number of older adults currently served, how many

are at risk of food insecurity and/or malnutrition, wait lists,

demographics such as race and ethnicity, poverty status,

etc., or other information that has been collected.

• If useful data is currently not being collected on meal

participants, can you begin offering a survey to obtain facts

and feedback that may be helpful?

Look within your community:

• Reach out to your city/town government office to gather

information about the local population.

• Contact the local Extension office, supported by the landgrant university in your state. Ask what data may be

available about your local community and the population

you serve.

• Do not overlook testimonials! These are examples of

qualitative (descriptive) data and can be very powerful.

Look within your state and beyond:

• Data regarding aging Americans and Older American Act

(OAA) programs participants, both nationally and locally, is

found within the AGing, Independence, and Disability (AGID)

Program Data Portal.

• Data from the Community Preventive Services Task Force

(CPSTF) study can be very powerful in showing the impact

of OAA Title III meal programs.

• Check out the Nutrition & Aging Resource Center’s Program

Evaluation page for additional resources.

Once you have your data, find a way to keep it 

organized so that it is easy to use. 

The Captain 

says:

Ay, the easiest way to organize and store 

data is with data tracking software programs. 

These programs can keep track of changing 

conditions, ensuring your data is always 

up-to-date and allows for comparisons 

across time. If purchasing new software is 

not possible, even tracking your current data 

in a simple spreadsheet can be extremely 

beneficial. 

Though it isn’t necessary to do 

these steps in any particular 

order, it is thee pirate’s code 

of conduct to gather as much 

information as possible. Any 

great pirate knows that ye’ 

must prepare for the journey 

ahead.

Ensure your data is 

always up-to-date!
Chase down Ye Treasure

Now that you have collected your data, you are going to 

apply and “capture” the funding! 

Know what is needed:

Whatever the source may be, it is important to fully 

understand the requirements of the funding. Read 

the application or requirements thoroughly and ask 

questions, if necessary. Some grants, foundations, 

and funding opportunities have specific eligibility 

requirements such as having non-profit status, etc. 

Also, some may require thorough record keeping, 

data collection, regular follow-ups, specific reporting 

requirements, etc. Others may not. Be sure that you 

can manage everything that is required before you 

apply or ask for the funding.

Fill in the blanks:

Next, begin completing the application 

process, if required. An informal or formal 

proposal might be required if a formal 

application process is not in place. Both 

of these options could take many hours, 

especially if you are new to the process, 

so plan ahead. Know who else within 

your organization will need to contribute 

information or may need to approve the 

application and communicate those needs 

and appropriate timelines in advance. 

Follow instructions, and be concise when 

answering the questions. The person who 

reviews your application should be able 

to understand what you have written. If 

possible, have someone else read through 

your answers to check for understanding 

and give you any feedback.

The Captain says:

When possible, it may be beneficial to 

have one crew mate from an organization 

writing, or at least involved and 

assisting with all grants. This can ensure 

consistency and efficiency in the process. 

This swashbuckler should work closely 

with subject-matter experts from the 

organization for specific funding requests 

or applications to ensure the proposal is as 

strong as possible. Additionally, consider 

creating a template for your organization 

so that answers can be stowed away and 

used on future applications to save time.

Some answers will be clear while others 

will give you the opportunity to make your 

application stand out from the crowd. This 

is your chance to tell the story of ye work, 

the impact it has on the community, and 

why ye program deserves the funding you 

are seeking.
Tell a Tale:

Compelling stories help gain support, funding and participation, and drive positive outcomes. The 

first step is to ensure your audience can understand the data and information you are conveying.

The what:

Data provides the evidence for your great story. 

Presenting that data in a way that is meaningful to your 

audience can be the real challenge. When it comes 

to quantitative data (facts and figures), simplify the 

numbers to help others visualize the information.

Consider the following example. “In SFY22, 38.9% 

of home-delivered meal consumers and 18.9% of 

congregate consumers are at risk for food insecurity.” 

Ensure your audience 

can understand the 

data and information 

you are conveying.

Can you really grasp what is being conveyed? 

One of the best ways to help your audience 

“get it” is to simplify the data. Instead of using 

percentages, try using whole numbers that 

can be pictured easily. In this case, we could 

say that “4 out of 10 home-delivered meal 

consumers are at risk for food insecurity, and 1 

out of every 5 congregate meal consumers is 

also at risk for food insecurity.” 

The Captain says:

Ay, me hearties! 

It is even better if 

you can provide 

actual visuals!
Take credit for the work you are already doing. Be sure to highlight 

any existing synergies and strengths. What relevant or related 

partnerships already exist for your organization? Draw attention 

to how your organization is working closely with other community 

organizations to accomplish common-goals efficiently and to 

make the biggest impact possible.

The Captain says:

For example, our homedelivered meal clients often 

need home modifications to 

continue living safely at home, 

so me organization partners 

with Habitat for Humanity. 

Funders in thee community 

are familiar with the work 

that Habitat for Humanity 

does which helps give our 

work credibility. Also, we can 

demonstrate that by working 

with a volunteer organization 

such as Habitat for Humanity, 

we are saving on costs! The 

volunteer hours save on staff 

wages, and we are able to 

obtain building materials atcost through this partnership. 

Funders often appreciate 

knowing that funds are being 

used responsibly. 

The why:

Communicating data in a simple and 

understandable way is only one part of your 

story. Why is that data important? This is 

what your audience really needs to know. 

Develop your story to let them know what the 

information means, specifically to them and 

the community. Use the data, or evidence, to 

help them see why your program needs the 

available funding. This is done by showing how 

your work aligns with the funder’s mission and 

the goals of the funding opportunity. This is your 

value proposition. Organize and develop this 

story in advance.

 This is my friend, The Nutrition 

Communicator, with some great 

storytelling tips.

Do you know what 

makes a good story?

.....Stories are about 

people

Conversation to be continued.....
Who are the people in your story? Your 

meal participants? Volunteers? A parent, 

relative, or neighbor? Make thee story 

real. 

.....Stories are about struggle.

What is an obstacle or challenge your 

main character or characters had to 

face?

.....Stories are about taking action 

to achieve success

Ay! Ideally, your program and services are the tools that 

were used to achieve success. This is when testimonials 

can come in handy! 

As you develop your story, it is 

important to remember to:

.....Be concise – use as few 

words as possible

Know the information and message 

you want to convey and stick to it.
.....Be clear – make sure your 

audience understands your 

meaning.

Remember that data? This is why it is so 

important that it is easy to understand. Also, the 

people you will be asking for funding do not live 

and work in ye’ world every day, so be sure to 

use simple, regular terms and avoid jargon and 

acronyms. Ensure they know that “congregate 

meal” refers to meals being served at the County 

Senior Center, use home-delivered meals instead 

of HDM, etc.

.....Be compelling – speak to the head, 

the heart, and the hands and feet. That 

means impact knowledge (the head).

give them new knowledge with ye’ data attitudes (the heart)

Ensure they care about the 

work you do and the impact it 

makes to your community

and behaviors (the 

hands and feet)

this is where you ask for 

action on their part....

you are asking for the 

funding. 

This is why you have 

done all this! SAVVY?

Be sure to use simple, regular 

terms and avoid jargon and 

acronyms.

Give them knowledge with your 

data.
The how:

For some, creating an infographic to tell 

the story is beneficial because it can 

be engaging and tells the important 

data and information in a concise 

way. Perhaps a written story works 

best, especially when it comes to 

applications for funding. Sometimes, 

being able to verbally tell your story 

can have a major impact, especially 

when given the opportunity to speak at 

an event, on a podcast, or via radio or 

television segment. 

Be engaging and 

tell the data and 

information in a 

concise way.

The Captain says:

Telling me tale is always important for me to gain thee interest 

of me hearties. I present me data and find ways to share either 

personal stories of caring for me granny or those personal tales 

of other pirates I know. 

It is important for me to capture the heart of thee funders, so I 

also ask for a chance to present in person whether or not that 

is offered. Then, I can tell me tale as I look them in the eye. I 

keep a lookout and read the body language of me mateys in 

the room. 

When I know I have touched their heads, with me data, and 

their hearts with me story, I know it is time for their hands and 

feet; it is time to make the “ask.” The ask should be specific and 

personal. For example, “We currently serve 10,380 meals in the 

community with our own investment of $125,000. We are asking 

if you will partner with us for $1 per senior in your community for 

a total of $5,000.”

I make it personal whenever I can by also using examples of 

actual individuals, families, or local businesses that will benefit 

from the funding. It is a reminder of how thee treasure will 

benefit real people in their community.
Finish Strong

Our map led us to the treasure we seek. We have 

discovered both funding needs and opportunities 

and have explored key players and needs in your 

community. We then voyaged into seizing the 

funding including capturing the heads, hearts, 

hands and feet of our funders with our tale. 

Congratulations! You are likely on your way to 

receiving new funds. 

If not, don’t give up. Instead, follow-up! Return to 

the funder the following year and be prepared to 

provide updated data. Sometimes patience and 

persistence will be what finally “pay” off. 

The Captain says:

Ay! Now ye have found your sea 

legs. It is time for the adventure 

to continue. I find that by 

staying present and involved 

in the community, people and 

organizations are now approaching 

me when they hear of treasure to be 

found. All of the hard work is worth 

it when we can expand our services 

and feed more older adults in the 

community. Arr!

Best of luck on ye journey, and 

anchors away!

Glossary of Pirate Terms 

for Ye Landlubbers

Ahoy! – An interjection used to hail a ship or person, or to attract 

attention.

Arr! – An exclamation

Aye (or Ay) – Yes; an affirmation.

Buccaneer – A pirate.

Code of Conduct – A set of rules which govern pirates behavior on a 

vessel.

Hearties – A term of familiar address and fellowship among sailors.

Landlubber – A person unfamiliar with the sea or seamanship. 

Lookout – The pirate who keeps watch for land or oncoming ships.

Matey (or Mate) -A piratical way to address someone in a cheerful, if 

not necessarily friendly, fashion.

Me - My

Plunder – To take booty

Sea legs – The ability to adjust one’s balance to the motion of a ship, 

especially in rough seas. After walking on a ship for long periods of 

time, sailors became accustomed to the rocking of the ship in the 

water. Early in a voyage a sailor was said to be lacking his “sea legs” 

when the ship motion was still foreign to him. After a cruise, a sailor 

would often have trouble regaining his “land legs” and would swagger 

on land.

Savvy? – A question asking, “Do you get it?” or “Do you understand?”

Swashbuckler - An adventurous, romantic swordsman who is also 

chivalrous, witty, and generally has a sense of humor.

Ye - Your

https://www.pirateglossary.com/

https://lewespirates.com/pirate-lingo/

Avast ye! Special thanks 

to me hearty, The Nutrition 

Communicator, Barbara J. 

Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND for 

ye counsel in telling tales. Arr!