Introduction to Grant Writing

What do funders look for? Validation of your nonprofit status Did you follow instructions? Is there common ground between your mission and theirs? Do you fall within their guidelines? Will your organization help them reach their goals? A business like approach A solid, stable organization that they can partner with & be successful An organization that can become sustainable

Grant Proposal Formats, Approaches Letters (Introductory and LOI) usually 2-3 pages Proposals (5-25 pages) – Foundation’s format, form – Common Proposal Format – Online applications

Letter of Inquiry (LOI) Used more & more by foundations Typically 2-3 pages in length Sometimes includes a budget Presents all the key concepts & information in a condensed way – What is the issue, what is your solution? – Describe your organization – Financial requirements to succeed (the budget) Clearly state that this is an LOI Work to engage the funder with the first sentence or two

Elements of a Proposal Cover letter Executive summary Statement of need (the why) Project description (the what, the how) Budget (financial description +notes) Organization information (history, staff, board, mission, services) Conclusion Appendices

Cover Letter A cover letter (1 page) Conveys specific information to the reader (contact information, requested amount) Reflects the professionalism of the requestor organization and the grant writer Informs the reader as to what is the nature of the following document - the title of your proposal… – Should not be “cute”: fundraising is a serious endeavor – Should reflect what your project is about in a clear, concise way – When in doubt, leave the title off

Executive Summary Problem - provide a brief statement of the problem that you are trying to solve [1-2 paragraphs] Solution – provide a short description of your proposed solution to the problem (what, how, how many, where & when) [1-2 paragraphs] Funding requirements [1 paragraph] Why your organization – brief description of your organization and its expertise [1 paragraph] A tip – write this last!

Statement of Need Sometimes called the Problem Statement Goal is to get the funder to understand the problem Present facts & figures that support the need for your project (how do you know it is a problem??) Tell a compelling story but don’t exaggerate – Use quotes, anecdotes, examples Be concise, but persuasive Emphasize the community vs. your organization as beneficiary of this proposed solution Leave the funder with a sense that a solution IS possible Don’t forget to tell them how much!

Project Description What are your plans, your goals – Scope(population, geographic area, duration) – Methodology (what will happen) – Timeline (concise statement of what will happen by when) – People (who will staff it, what are their qualifications) – Collaborations (Tip - extra points for partnering!) How will you measure, evaluate your success? How will you keep it going? What is your long-term plan for sustaining the organization?

Organizational Information Mission statement History & highlights Services (what, where, who) Expertise, impact of your org on the community – where would the community be without your organization Tip – put this info at the end of the proposal highlighting the NEED 1st, your org 2nd

Purpose of the Budget Provide a budget with revenue/income and expenses Provide sufficient financial information so the donor can determine – If your organization is financially stable – How well you have managed funding within your organization – How big a piece of the overall budget is your project – That the program budget is realistic and arrived at through a structured process – How much will it take to keep this project going

Budget Audited overall organizational budget – the income & expenses (usually provided as an attached document) Project budget –income & expenses for the program you are requesting funding for Tip – if you are requesting funding for just a portion of a project make sure you provide the total budget for the project so they can see their piece of the puzzle Budget Narrative – a description of items in the budget, good place to explain any unusual things or things you want to highlight. Tip – check with the funder to make sure how much detail they want before you begin pulling the budget info together. Tip – if you are clueless with budgets get HELP

Budget Narrative Provide details of how grant will be used Describe where you expect to raise all the funds necessary for this organization or program/project Provide details of items (expenses) in the budget Address any financial information requiring explanation

Conclusion 1-2 paragraphs Wrap it up, review what you have told them Point to future possibilities & activities Strong statement re: their involvement Your assistance at this critical time would mean our continued ability to … Your support is an investment in this community’s future

Typical Appendices Letter certifying your 501(c)3 status Profiles, bios of key staff members List of Board members Financial information Letters of support Tip – only if the foundation wants them included Additional promotional materials, brochures etc. Tip – only if the foundation wants them included

Common Proposal Formats Saves time, makes you more efficient Use as a template to gather information for any grant Use as an application format in lieu of their own format Go to Download/Save CPF to your computer – All forms or selected forms – Read instructions and review list of foundations – Verify acceptance of CPF by foundation Complete form and send via mail or to foundation

Bits & Pieces Cultivate the funder long before you ask for $$ Check to make sure you included everything that THIS funder asked for and nothing else – did you follow their instructions completely? Spell check, grammar check Have multiple people review & provide feedback How many copies does the funder want? How does the funder want the proposal to arrive? Call in two weeks and see if the funder has questions. Is it clear that you are asking for $$ and how much – have you asked in the beginning and again at the end? Tip – you have a better chance of a yes if you get the proposal in early.

What Next? How long will I wait to hear? What can I do in the mean time? If you haven’t already - create a way to track grant expenditures Start working on other proposals

Avoid the pitfalls… Planning – don’t forget the rest of your organization Research – Don’t limit yourself to the obvious – Don’t let your boss convince you to reuse – Don’t forget other avenues (Gov’t, Foundations, Associations, Individuals) Mismatches – Make sure the $$$ amounts jive – Check & recheck the fit with multiple sources Databases, grants paid, websites, RFPs, current news, Head-knockers that may cost you the grant – Math that doesn’t add up in your budget – Spelling & grammar errors – !!!!, reusing the text but forgetting to edit out the last foundation’s name – Simply not following instructions – Being late with your proposal

If you get a No… Send a personal and organizational thank you note Talk to the funder about the program concept, methodology not about the $$ (get them interested for the next round) Think about how to redo your proposal to make it more effective Tip – read Grant Proposal MakeOver by Cheryl Clarke