Finding & Securing Funding: Sustaining Your Success OACHE Winter Retreat Dr. Pollyanne S. Frantz Development Consultant Appalachian Higher Education Network Appalachian Regional Commission

Today’s agenda:  Funding opportunity databases  Awards information  Electronic publications  Hands-on searching practice  Letters of inquiry overview  Hands-on LOI writing practice  Information sharing: what we plan to do

Funding opportunity databases Broadest in scope (includes federal/state/private funders): ◦ Community of Science (subscription) ◦ Sponsored Programs Information Network (subscription) ◦ GrantsNet (free) ◦ FundSource (free) Federal funding only: ◦ Grants.gov ◦ Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Private funders (foundations) only: ◦ Foundation Directory Online (subscription) ◦ Foundation Center’s Foundation Finder (free) ◦ Foundation Center’s 990PF (free) Other valuable resources: ◦ Appalachian Regional Commission (free) ◦ GuideStar (free & subscription)

Looking at awards made Agency databases: NSF, NIH, DoED Agency web sites: NEH, NEA Research.gov Individual foundation web sites Foundation Center ◦ Foundation Finder & 990 Finder (FREE)

Selected Electronic Publications Agency-specific: ◦ MyNSF (National Science Foundation) ◦ EDInfo. (U.S. Dept. of Education) ◦ NIH TOC (National Institutes of Health) ◦ NEH Connect! (National Endowment for the Humanities) RFP Bulletin (Foundation Center) Grants.gov notification subscription (federal) Rural Assistance Center Health Update (mix) GrantsNet Funding News (RSS format)

Searching Strategies Define your project & create a list of related keywords & terms Think broadly on initial searches Refine & limit searches based on initial results Use different keywords & phrases in search results to launch additional searches Don’t rely on just one database

Learning more about the funder People Areas of interest Giving trends (awards history) Giving amounts Method of approach

Interpreting Guidelines Part 1 Read (and re-read) guidelines: ◦ Are you eligible? ◦ What will be funded? ◦ What is the agency really looking to fund? ◦ What is the format? ◦ What information is required? ◦ Are these the most current guidelines? ◦ When is the deadline? ◦ How many awards will be made?

Interpreting Guidelines Part 2 Pay close attention to: ◦ Words ◦ Concepts ◦ Phrasing ◦ Themes ◦ Review criteria Further sleuthing includes: ◦ Perusing agency’s web site for additional information ◦ Searching awards databases ◦ Talking to program officers ◦ Talking to funded and unfunded PIs

The “look into your head & heart for answers” questions: Do we want to do this? Can we do it? Can we compete?

The Letter of Inquiry The first step toward cultivating a relationship with a funder.

What it should be Brief & written with clarity A description of you & why you are seeking funding Evident that you have researched the funder and its priorities In compliance with formatting requirements specified by funder

What it should look like Printed on finest quality stationery Board members’ names listed on left Proper formatting & length Appropriate use of ◦ Headings ◦ Bullets ◦ Page numbers ◦ White space

The 10 elements of content Title Project overview Statement of problem

The 10 elements of content Project aims & objectives Target population Experience & qualifications Evaluation plan

The 10 elements of content Support from other sources & sustainability plan Budget Letter author’s contact information

How it should read Opening paragraph Project overview Statement of problem Project aims and objectives Target population Experience & qualifications Evaluation plan Support from other sources Sustainability plan Budget Closing paragraph with contact information

The timeline: what happens next? Don’t pester funder for response – allow time for review Status update:  Approved  Rejected  More information requested: Regardless of outcome, write thank you letter