Most of our funding comes from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which receives federal grants from the Center for Disease Control, and the Ryan White Care Act, which provides grants for case management. We also get money from the United Way, private grants and community-based fundraising. Most of my work is pulling together resources, applying for grants and writing reports. I also coordinate fundraising, manage personnel and provide support for the staff. I also manage financial records and handle public relations.
Volunteers are essential.
We were founded by volunteers eleven years ago and run by them until 1993. Their role has changed, but they are still very important. There are 90 volunteers who do everything from office work to direct client interaction. They are also critical in our education programs, since most of our speakers are volunteers. The epidemic in the Third World is a whole different picture.