LabF3S Matchmaking Day I

In collaboration with EDA and FEMA, the Economic Recovery Support Function (ERSF) successfully executed the first Matchmaking Day as part of the Titín Foundation’s LabF3S Initiative. The pilot program aimed to strengthen participating Third Sector organizations (nonprofits and NGOs) by increasing their grant writing, proposal submission, and award management capacity. Many challenges to delivering the program were overcome, such as a language barrier, COVID-19 restrictions, and the remote format of virtual conferencing, as well as securing access to broadband, intermittent internet connections, and federal agencies’ restricted use of online meeting platforms.

The participating NGOs were divided according to their project’s alignment with the various federal programs and organized into four breakout rooms. Each NGO was allocated 3 minutes to pitch its proposal to a panel of federal agencies. The panel immediately provided feedback to the presenter on the strength of the proposal’s alignment with a program of the agency and observations to improve any weaknesses in the presentation. A rubric prepared by the UPR Mayagüez University Center was used as an evaluation tool.

The event was planned as a pilot project for benchmarking purposes, and the format was very unconventional for the federal government. It was not a blind program outreach pitch from the feds to the public but rather an orchestrated opportunity to provide federal feedback to future potential applicants without obligation. Federal agency representatives provided their observations in the group setting, which gave all the participating NGOs a rich experience and the opportunity to learn from each other’s efforts. This activity was the first of its kind to be held in Puerto Rico.

As a result of this event, seven GrantStation (grantstation.com) platform licenses were given to participating NGOs. The licenses provide technical assistance and capacity building to navigate federal and non-federal grant search tools and alignment, eligibility, the application process, and post-award management workshops.