The Mechanics of Grant Writing Goals and Objectives Gather Your Facts and Determine Your Needs Grant Research Writing the Grant Writing a Project Budget Common Attachments Submission Final Reporting

Goals and Objectives The goals and objectives of the grant writing program are to:  Increase dreams  Increase program services revenue Long Range Plan calls for 5% growth per year in both these areas

BEFORE WE BEGIN Gather Facts Setting Goals for Following Year Dreams granted last year? Money spent on dreams last year? No. of Board Members No. of Volunteers Fundraisers planned for next year Unique Challenges Accomplishments Is there a chapter budget? Dreams Commitment of additional funding for dreams Additional Board Members Additional Volunteers

Resources for Research Free versions of both 250 libraries across the US providing full services of Foundation Directory Online Grant Research

Finding the Grant Does the funder contribute funds in your community? Does the funder provide grants for program development and/or general operating need? Does the funder use a significant amount of its annual funding to make grants to children/youth services; children with disabilities? Do the guidelines and objectives of the funder align with the goals, objectives set for the chapter in step one? What is the funder’s total funding for last year?

Determining the “Ask” What is the funders total funding for last year? What is the typical funding for children’s groups? Does the ask align with the size of your chapter? Is there a specified limitation on first-time requests?

Writing the Grant Common Questions DF History DF Mission What makes your program/organization distinctive What is the Program/Project – “Chapter Growth Project” What are the challenges/needs of the program What are the goals and objectives of your specific project

Writing the Grant Common Questions (Cont’d) What is the implementation plan for your project? What is the evaluation plan for your project? What other funders are pending or are committed to this project? What is the project budget? How does your organization plan to promote the grant? There are multiple examples of answers to these questions on the Factory Page of the national website – “Sample Grants”

Project Budget Simple Project Budget More Complex Project Budget Can be Used:  with smaller funders  when asked for an organizational budget  sometimes when you are only requesting funding for one dream. Use A Should be Used:  when asking for larger amounts of money  when funder asks for “other sources of support” for project Use B

Project Budget B Example: You’re asking for funding a portion of a project for 10 dreams Average Cost of a dream, including in-kind is $5,900 X10 = $59,000. Average out-of-pocket cost is $4,000 X 10 = $40,000 Total Project cost is $59,000 (Dreams) 4,000 (Dues) $63,000 40% of dreams are GKTW dreams = 4 dreams Average GKTW in-kind contribution is $4,750 GKTW contribution $4,750 X 4 = $19,000 Chapter Fundraising 24,000 Funder A 10,000 Funder B 10,000 $63,000

Common Attachments IRS Letter of Determination Chapter 990 Financial Audit Chapter Board List National Board List Chapter Budget Project Budget Annual Report (often optional) Promotional DVD (optional)

BEFORE YOU SUBMIT If your chapter has not had experience with successful grant writing, please submit your grant to Michele Finn at national headquarters for review before it is submitted!

Submission Pay close attention to the instructions for submission of the grant.  Deadlines  Attachments  How to submit – electronic, mail, bound, unbound, etc.  Signatures required  Is a notary required?

Success! It’s not over yet Most grants require final reporting of any funds received. Funders want to know how their money was spent and that the recipient followed the stipulations of the grant. Make sure you are aware of all final reporting requirements before your chapter spends any of the money.

Final Reports State whether your chapter made it’s goals and objectives stipulated in the written grant. If you didn’t – why not? Pictures, dream stories and accounting of monies expended on dreams, including copies of receipts.