Finding Money and Friends for Your Program Dr. David Gibson Equity ASU

Global Challenge Award Mission: Give Students the Tools and Confidence to Solve Global Problems Together A cost-effective online learning program that develops 21st Century skills –Make new global friends –Create global warming & energy solutions –Win rewards and recognition

What’s more important… for sustainability MONEY or FRIENDS ?

Money is Important… Money –Overhead People Space Tools –Outreach/Recruiting –Public Image/Brand –Create New Programs –Research/Evaluation

Friends are Important… Friends –Customers –Their Networks –Community Friends –Patrons –Collaborators –Staff

Things to Remember Re: Grants Make friends first, find money together When collaborators do what they love, with or without money, money follows Most money is given to people for impacts on people, not programs Most money is also given for purposes that advance the giver’s mission, not yours

Good Collaborators Have a strength YOU want & respect You have a strength THEY want & respect Together, your strengths make both organizations work better Your mutual work has a shared philosophy You each maintain distance and boundaries

A grant is not an IDEA It’s a PLAN

Grantwriting is thus a PROCESS Think of it like preparing for the Olympics –year around PRACTICE and READINESS –punctuated by COMPETITIVE EVENTS Winning is not the only point, certainly not for any single event Volunteer to be a grant reader if you get the chance

Other Points (Besides the $) Grow professional NETWORKS Shape your ideas into concrete PLANS Develop your STRATEGIC SENSE Create READINESS and FLEXIBILITY Explore new POSSIBILITIES

Grantwriting PROCESS Plan in detail Develop the budget from the detailed plan Read the guidelines again with narrative in mind Be persistent - revise and resubmit A good idea with good institutional fit Assemble a writing team Match the idea to potential sources Read the guidelines Contact the program officer

Public Sources Federal –Political as well as public policy agenda –Public guidelines and review processes –Larger awards that favor collaborations –Longer time frames for review and award State –Focus on implementation and practice –Often good for projects w/students and schools –RFPs that outsource work –Smaller budgets, shorter review and award periods

Private Sources Private Foundations –Give to advance a particular cause or mission –Program officer engagement is critical –Often fund geographically Corporations –Give for enlightened self-interest quality of life employment pool improve image –May have “set programs” only –Often fund geographically

Types of Grants and Formats Research Curriculum Demonstration Training Equipment Fellowships Federal Laboratory Research Concept Paper –2-4 pages: highlights Pre-proposal –5 pages: invited to submit full proposal Full Proposal –10-40 pages –Forms, attachments, specific format

Application Elements Evaluation Dissemination References Cited Budget & Narrative Vitae Appendices Forms, Certifications and Assurances Cover Page Table of Contents Abstract Problem or Needs Statement Goals and Objectives Methodology Quality of Key Personnel

Dr. David Gibson Equity ASU