1. ITA Grant Writing Workshop
Rob Tassinari – National RTAP December 8, 2009

2. Introduction National Rural Transit Assistance Program
What we hope to accomplish today
Free technical assistance
Resource Center
Understand principals of grant writing
Understand requirements of TTP grant program
Acquire skills to draft a successful grant proposal

3. THE PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESSFUL
GRANT WRITING

4. Principals of Grant Writing
Gather information
Organize your ideas
Read grant guidelines (Federal Register)
Determine information needs
Gather information
Reread grant guidelines
Identify main points, concept or theme
What are the goals of the funding source?
Develop broad concepts

5. Principals of Grant Writing
Outline your proposal
Don’t get bogged down
What are the main sections of the proposal?
What will you write about in each section?
Check off sections of outline when completed
Move to other part of outline if stuck
Circle back to become clearer
Alleviate feeling overwhelmed 5

6. Principals of Grant Writing
No jargon
Include human interest
Clear and straight forward
Understandable
Use example stories about real events and people
Make it compelling - create buy-in 6

7. Principals of Grant Writing
Don’t exaggerate
Simplify
Describe manageable problems
Propose doable solutions
Stick to main points
Present ideas concisely 7

8. Principals of Grant Writing
Consider the Reviewer
Revise, edit and clarify
Follow the guidelines
Make sure everything is in the right place
Put it aside – let it cool
Then go back and reread
Does it make sense?
Are there gaps?
Get a second reader 8

9. Grant Writing Pitfalls
Lack of focus
Generalizations
Incoherent budgets
Avoid repeating exact phrases from the funder’s guidelines 9

10. TRIBAL TRANSIT PROGRAM

11. Tribal Transit Program
General Information
Program Goals
Eligible Use of Funds
Eligible Recipients
Funding Availability
Enhance access to public transportation
Capital, operating, planning and administration
Federally-recognized tribes or Alaska villages
One year and multi-year subject to availability 11

12. Tribal Transit Program
Gather Information
Applicant name
Dun and Bradstreet Number
Contact information
Name of person authorized to apply
Evidence of legal, technical and financial capacity
Budget
Project description
Project timeline
Service area
Population served
Type of service
Number and type of vehicle(s)
Schedule 12

13. Tribal Transit Program
Application Guidelines
Cover Letter
Application Content
Application Information
Technical, Legal and Financial Capacity
Project Information (Summary) 13

14. Tribal Transit Program
Application Guidelines
Application Evaluation based on:
Project Planning and Coordination
Demonstration of Need
Project Benefits
Financial Commitment and Operating Capacity 14

15. Tribal Transit Program
Application Guidelines
Application Evaluation
Project Planning and Coordination 15

16. Tribal Transit Program
Project Planning Outline – Need for Study
No more than three pages.
Need for and general scope of the proposed study.
Is the tribe committed to planning for transit?
Is the scope of the proposed study for tribal transit? 16

17. Tribal Transit Program
Project Planning Outline
How was the project developed?
What were the outcomes?
Transportation plan
Study
Meetings
Transit system description
Service area
Coordination 17

18. Tribal Transit Program
Application Guidelines
Application Evaluation
Project Planning and Coordination
Demonstration of Need 18

19. Tribal Transit Program
Demonstration of Need Outline
Answering all the Questions
What is the need?
How project addresses need?
Poverty level
Lack of transportation options
Access to Medical/Education/Employment
What are the proposed routes?
What is the proposed schedule?
What is the proposed coordination? 19

20. Tribal Transit Program
Application Guidelines
Application Evaluation
Project Planning and Coordination
Demonstration of Need
Project Benefits 20

21. Tribal Transit Program
Project Benefits Outline
Identify expected benefits
Will there be increased mobility?
Will there be multimodal accessibility?
What are the economic development, jobs impact?
Will there be decreased fossil fuel? 21

22. Tribal Transit Program
Project Benefits Outline (continued)
Identify expected benefits
What are the number of daily trips?
What are the ridership projections?
Will it coordinate with other programs and/or transit?
What types of recording and reporting techniques (Rural National Transit Database)? 22

23. Tribal Transit Program
Application Guidelines
Application Evaluation
Project Planning and Coordination
Demonstration of Need
Project Benefits
Financial Commitment and Operating Capacity 23

24. Tribal Transit Program
Financial Commitment and Operating Capacity Outline
Other funding sources?
What are the staff’s skills and knowledge?
Federal grants
Tribal match
Fares
Other programs, training and experience
Operations procedures
Tribes current employment base 24

25. Tribal Transit Program
Application Guidelines
Cover Letter
Application Content
Application Information
Technical, Legal and Financial Capacity
Project Information (Summary) 25

26. Tribal Transit Program
Application Guidelines
Cover Letter
Application Content
Application Information 26

27. Tribal Transit Program
Application Information
Applicant’s Name
Dun and Bradstreet Number
Contact Information
Description of public transportation service
Name of person(s) authorized to apply
Contact name, title address, telephone number, fax, and website
Existing service, or
Lack of service to be met by new or expanded service 27

28. Tribal Transit Program
Application Guidelines
Cover Letter
Application Content
Application Information
Technical, Legal and Financial Capacity 28

29. Tribal Transit Program
Technical Capacity
Examples of tribe’s management of other federal programs
Tribe resources to implement transit project
Staff experience
Plans for hiring personnel 29

30. Tribal Transit Program
Legal Capacity
Documentation/evidence of federal recognition
How is governing body managed
What services does the tribe qualify for
Authorized representative
Federal and state operating authority 30

31. Tribal Transit Program
Financial Capacity
Adequate financial systems in place
Accounting system/processes/manuals
How does tribe comply with U.S. governmental regulations?
Availability of annual audits (online) 31

32. Tribal Transit Program
Application Guidelines
Cover Letter
Application Content
Application Information
Technical, Legal and Financial Capacity
Project Information (Summary) 32

33. Tribal Transit Program
Project Information
Budget
Project description
Line item budget for request
Federal amount/other funding sources
Three year Fiscal Plan for operations
Number and type of vehicle(s)
Service area
Schedules 33

34. Tribal Transit Program
Project Information (continued)
Project description (continued)
Type of service
Route miles
Major origin and destination (map)
Population served
Direct service or contacted
Vehicle maintenance
Employees to be hired 34

35. Tribal Transit Program
Project Information (continued)
Project timeline
Detail for three years
Contract for purchase of vehicle(s)
Actual or expected delivery date of vehicle(s)
Service start-up dates
Administration begins (hiring, schedules, etc)
Contract for maintenance
Operation begins
Readiness once awarded with grant 35

36. Tribal Transit Program
Application Guidelines
Cover Letter
Application Content
Application Information
Technical, Legal and Financial Capacity
Project Information (Summary) 36

37. Tribal Transit Program
Cover letter
Person authorized to apply on behalf of tribe
What are you requesting?
What is the amount of grant request?
Explanation of need
Coordination and letters of reference
Extent of experience 37

38. Technical Assistance Technical Assistance Resources State RTAP Program
FTA Regional Office
National RTAP
Hotline Number (888)
Website
Chat with a specialist online
R-TRAC
Peer-to-Peer Network
National RTAP is a program of the Federal Transit Administration administered by the Neponset Valley Transportation Management association. 38