Grant Writing in 2014 and Beyond Trends and Best Practices
Trends at the Federal level Complex grant applications Short fuses, tight deadlines Stiff competition for declining funds
A complex proposal has…. Multiple agencies, projects Interwoven project narratives Separate scopes of work and timelines Multiple reporting formats Substantial commitment from various institutions Related, but distinct, components
Key Challenges of Complex Proposals Team engagement Aligning programs with mission maintain timelines obtain data from partners pushback from other programs budget creep personalities and capabilities management
Best Practices for Complex RFPs and FFOs Understand the RFP Explain RFP in a way that all involved understand the requirements Use a proposal development timeline Establish a team
Grant Readiness Resumes of personnel Organization descriptions Organization past performance summaries Region descriptions DUNS #s, FEINs, etc.