1. Ways to Increase Receiving a Grant
Grant Writing Basics
Ways to Increase Receiving a Grant
Susan Ketchum, Debbie Nadrchal
Steve Meier

2. Some Basics Persistency and Consistency is the Key
Grant writing is work
Takes time
Bigger the grant, the more time it takes
Takes energy
Takes dedication
Persistency and Consistency is the Key
Work the same time every day

3. To be Successful, Forget Your Ego
Desire constructive criticism
Get feedback
Have people proofread
Have people audit your budget
Have people look at your narrative
LISTEN TO THE FEEDBACK
WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE SAYING
You may not like it
You may need to make decisions or changes

4. Staffing USUALLY TEAMS ARE BEST Need a Principle Investigator
Have others do particular sections
Budget / Budget Narrative
Background Narrative
Methodology
Try to identify people with experience in each section

5. Give up the Ego with Teams
Goal is to get the grant
Teams are team effort
Give everyone credit even if they only did a small part.
People know who did what
PI’s must make people feel good for their contribution

6. Discussion of Difficult Issues
Is an issue with teams
Write the Pro’s and Con’s on the board if possible
Usually one is predominant
If necessary, take a vote with a secret ballot.

7. Individual Writers May be necessary if you are the expert
Have more work
Need to do everything
Advantages, you call the shots
You take the credit, you take the loss
Still need others to give you feedback

8. Development of an Idea Usually the hardest part
Is the most critical part
Know what you want to write for
Gather solid background information
Prioritize the grants you are writing for
May depend on dates, or size of the grant

9. Helping With Development
Put the idea and design on a white board
Make changes
You always make changes
Present the idea to others
Take feedback

10. NOTHING EXISTS UNTIL IT IS ON PAPER
Point to Note
NOTHING EXISTS UNTIL IT IS ON PAPER

11. Understand the Grant Requirements
READ THE GRANT
WHAT IS THE DUE DATE
Mission of the Organization
Page or section length
Writers need to understand the requirements for what a grant can be used for

12. Example : Elks Grants

13. Example 1: Promise Grants
Grant monies are only available for Lodge-hosted youth events.
You do not need to meet the GER's per-capita goal to apply.
Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
Apply on line after July 1

14. Addresses One or More Caring Adults:
Ongoing relationships with caring adults offer youth support, care and guidance.
Safe Places:
Safe places with structured activities during non-school hours to provide safe environments
A Healthy Start:
Adequate nutrition, exercise, and health care.

15. Example II: Beacon Grants

16. With Beacon Grants, we're looking for five things.
New: Ideally, Lodges will use their Beacon Grant for the same successful, ongoing project each year. If your Lodge received a Beacon Grant previously, it should use this year's Beacon Grant to continue that project.
Ongoing: Something the Lodge is committed to—for example, monthly dinners at a soup kitchen, or an annual Veterans Stand Down activity. Beacon Grants can't be split between two projects.

17. Elks-led: Elks must be involved, and the project should be something identifiable as an Elks project.
Charitable: Grants must be focused on helping those in need, and addressing local issues. The project cannot benefit only the Lodge or Lodge members.
Project: Beacon Grants cannot be used as donations of funds and supplies. Elks should be actively serving the community. If people see Elks doing good things, they'll be inspired to join!

18. Freedom Grants
Freedom Grants must focus on one of these five areas of increased need.
Employment
Homelessness and Housing
Military Families
Health
Educational Support

19. Points Look at the FOCUS AREAS REVIEW THE POWERPOINT PROVIDED

20. Millennium Grants

21. Other Points Need to Follow Directions Font Number of words
Format of the Grant
IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW DIRECTIONS, USUALLY YOU ARE NOT CONSIDERED

22. Grant Writing Specifics

23. Major Parts of a Grant The Purpose Background for the project
Methodology you will use
How will you evaluate if you are successful
How you will publicize the project
Budget

24. Purpose Why do you want the money Youth golf Community turkey dinner
Veterans dinner
This project is designed to _______

25. Project Background Need to provide some context.
Why is this project important over all of the other projects being reviewed.
Needs to be clear and concrete
Use data if you have it
Use references if necessary. Do not use Wikipedia as a reference

26. Methodology Here is what you plan to do.
Outline what you plan to do first, then add the narrative
Use the white board or paper initially design

27. Goals vs. Objectives Project Goals describe the big Picture
Project Objectives
Precise,
Measurable,
Time-phased results that support the attainment of each goal.
Goals should have one or more objectives.
Both must be specific and detailed.

28. Sample Layout:
GOAL 1:
Objective 1: Outcomes: When Accomplished: How Measured
Objective 2: Outcomes: When Accomplished: How Measured
Objective 3: Outcomes: When Accomplished: How Measured

29. GANT Charts Identifies who does what Identifies tasks to complete
Identifies a timeline for completion
Holds everyone accountable
Helps keep the project on schedule

30. GANT Chart Example Date Who Joe Mark Cathy Susan L. Sec What Id. Topic
Writes
Grant
Develops Budget
Reviews Grant
Makes
Changes
Sub. Grant
When
Today
Friday
Monday
Tuesday
Wed

31. Evaluation Section Is a critical piece It ties everything together
How do you know if your project is successful?
May be number of participants
May be a survey
Number of newspaper articles
Needs Elks statistics

32. Publicity Need to discuss how you plan to publicize your event.
Newspapers
Radio Interviews
Fliers
Social Media

33. ***Budget***
Needs to follow what you are doing in the methodology and the publicity
Look at the costs in what you plan to do
DOES IT MATCH YOUR BUDGET????
If not, the project will be rejected
BE REALISTIC but build in a bit of extra

34. How Grants are Evaluated
Reviewers need to be able to understand
The necessity of the project
What you plan to do
How you plan to do it
When you plan to do it
Do the numbers add up
Does the budget narrative match the budget and other aspects of the grant

35. Final Things
PROOFREED YOUR DOCUMENT
SPELING ERORS
pUNCTUATION erors
HAVE OTHERS REVIEW THE DOCUMENT
EXPECT CONSTRUCTIVE CRITYCISM
Expect Comments from others with no involvement or experience

36. Submission For Elks Usually is through Lodge Secretaries
Put in a MS Word document and to the Secretary AS AN ATTACHMENT
Allows the Secretary to cut and paste easily
FOLLOW UP BEFORE THE DUE DATE
WAS IT SENT

37. Non-Elks Proposals Follow the guidelines provided Some are electronic
Some are paper
Some want it in MS Word, others as PDFs
Follow-up. Did they receive the material
Often you will receive a confirmation notice

38. More on Submission
Submit at least one day early
Steve’s Horror Story

39. Places for Help Grant administrative staff
USE THEM IF YOU ARE HAVING ISSUES
They want to help you
Lodge secretaries or Grants Coordinators
Other members who have experience
Outside writers

40. Outside Writers Usually are not done for Elks Grants
Is common for large grants
Can be expensive Expect to spend money
Susan
Steve 5-10K+ Depends on the grant amt. and time involved
Can be done on consignment (Writer gets nothing unless the grant is successful)

41. Some Non-Elks Grants
Foundation.walmart.com/apply-for-grants/local-giving
Grantgopher.com
Idaho Nonprofit Center
5257 W. Fairview Avenue, Suite 260,
Boise, ID 83706
Contact: (208)

42. Other Granting Groups Foundations Community businesses
Community leaders
City organizations
Government Organizations

43. Go Back to the Basics Does your project fall in their guidelines?
Does your project fall within their giving amt.?
Does your project have an opportunity for success?
What do they get out of it?

44. ENF Help Available!
Find tips and resources to help you put together a great project at
Secretaries and can find the grant applications in the ENF Hotline box of CLMS as soon as they are available.
ENF Grants Coordinators have access to the applications through the ENF website. For more information about this position and other up-to-date CIP information, visit the CIP News page,

45.  ENFPrograms@elks.org
CONTACT the ENF!
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46. Comments