ProAction's Secret to Successful Corporate Grant Applications

Corporate grants are an important resource for cash-strapped EMS agencies and teaching institutions. One institution that has mastered the art of writing successful grant applications is ProAction Emergency Services Institute of El Paso, Texas. Founded in 1995 to provide migrant children with free immunizations, ProAction has evolved to include first aid, CPR, and EMT training as part of its overall services.

Although this 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization does have to charge fees for some of its courses, ProAction does what it can to provide 100% financing options to students wherever possible. Being a 501(c)(3) organization, ProAction is allowed to accept donations to offset its program costs. And judging by the institute's recent success in attracting such donations, it clearly knows how to write a grant application!

In November 2024 ProAction Emergency Services Institute recently received a 2024 Workforce Development grant worth $45,000 from Texas Mutual Insurance Company.

“This generous $45,000 grant will directly support ProAction’s mission to train the next generation of emergency medical responders, equipping students with essential skills in the rapidly expanding field of emergency medical services (EMS),” said a ProAction news release.

“This grant from Texas Mutual is a tremendous boost for our training programs,” said Henry Brutus, executive director of ProAction. “It will allow us to reach even more individuals who are passionate about EMS and ready to serve their community. We are grateful for Texas Mutual’s commitment to workforce development and look forward to seeing the impact this funding will have on our students and on public safety.”

One month earlier, ProAction Emergency Services Institute received a $15,000 grant from Bank of America, again in support of its EMT training program.

“ProAction Emergency Services Institute has a track record of producing highly capable first responders,” said Kristi Marcum, president of Bank of America El Paso, in a ProAction news release. “This grant aligns with our commitment to responsible growth by investing in programs that address the workforce needs of El Paso and the healthcare demands of the region.”

The secret to writing successful grant applications is providing the data to validate the funding scenario you're advocating for, Brutus said, “along with being financially stable and having the infrastructure in place to execute your projects.” But what really makes a difference is the storytelling associated with the grant application—providing the human context and narrative that justifies your request for the money, and lets the granting body see the tangible benefits of approving your request.

“I looked at our EMS workforce here in the community of El Paso, and I saw that there were mostly male EMTs here; probably less than 5% of the EMS workforce here was female,” Brutus said. “So, I asked the question: Why aren't there more women in this field? I heard answers such as well, historically, it's just been firefighters in this field, and maybe it had to do with carrying big bags and a stretcher and all that. But today we don't have to keep doing things the same way, because technology does most of the work for us. There's no good reason not to have more women working as EMTs in El Paso.”

With these and other arguments under his belt, Brutus started making his case for hiring more female EMTs in El Paso, with ProAction providing the training.

“We started talking to corporate organizations in our community and said, ‘hey, we'd like to make this available to young women in our community. Will you help us? Because we think pricing may be a barrier.’ But let's not stop there: We also want to make this available to young men from the rural community who may think having a career in healthcare is cost-prohibitive for them.”

As it turned out, this was a story that resonated with ProAction’s corporate sponsors like Texas Mutual Insurance Company and Bank of America. ”Most of them jumped at the idea and said, ‘we're with you, write a grant proposal, and submit it,’” Brutus said. Many of these proposals were then approved, and ProAction received the money it needed to train EMTs.

The institute’s grant application narrative was helped by the fact that there is an EMT shortage in the El Paso area. As a result, Brutus didn't have to work hard to convince corporate sponsors of the value of training more EMTs locally—especially because locally-trained people are more likely to stick around and provide service in El Paso during the course of their working lives.

In providing this advice, Henry Brutus is not pretending that ProAction is rolling in money. It's not: That's why being able to write successful grant applications is so important for this institute.

Still, the success he has had following the rules that he has outlined is noteworthy. To persuade granting agencies to approve your application, you need to provide data to back up your case, plus a compelling story that wins their hearts and minds to motivate them to give you the money you need.