1. Grants Janna Caponera, Grant Accounting & Reporting Manager
Eileen Prentice, Grant Resource Administrator

2. MAKING THE CASE FOR FUNDING
Grant Writing
MAKING THE CASE FOR FUNDING

3. Overall Process Identify and quantify needs (determine the problem)
Find grant funding opportunities
Determine desired outcomes / objectives
Establish evaluation plans
Develop project methods
Create budget
Begin writing

4. Identify Needs & Causes
Identify the problem
Background
Affected population / target group
Community impact
Provide data
Size and scope of problem
Effects on target population
Local vs. regional / statewide

5. Locate Funding Foundations Government
Primarily give to 501(c)(3) organizations
Open / recurring application deadlines
Broad areas of interest
Decisions made by trustees, may be subjective
Advance funding
Government
Broad range of recipients (non-profit, faith based, universities, etc.)
Short notice, quick deadlines
Funding targeted at specific programs
Reviewed and score by panel
Reimbursement

6. Locate Funding - Resources
Foundations
The Foundation Center (
Grantsmanship Center (
990-PF tax returns (
Web searches – local companies, similar projects
Government
Federal (
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (
Texas eGrants (txapps.texas.gov/tolapp/egrants/search.htm)
State agency websites
Regional Council of Governments

7. Review Funding Opportunities
Obtain Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Application (RFA)
Review important details
Purpose / alignment with needs
Eligible recipients
Funding period
Minimum and maximum award levels
Submission timelines and requirements
Special requirements
Research other funded proposals, if available

8. Determine Desired Outcomes
What would it look like if vision is fully implemented?
What effect will it have on your target population?
How do you determine and measure success?
Goal
Objective(s)
Output(s) Outcome(s)

9. Desired Outcomes - Example
Goal: Improve public safety in Collin County through the addition of a K9 unit
Objective 1: Improve K9 response for drug-related crimes
Output
Outcome
Measure
Provide K9 patrol for at least 10 shifts (of 21 shifts) per week – measured through shift schedules
Meet 75% internal requests for K9
# times requested
# times responded
Increase availability of K9 unit by 35%
# “sniffs” for Special Operations
# vehicle searches
# building searches
# open air searches
# off duty call-outs
Decrease response time by 5% (≤ 24min)
Minutes to respond
Objective 2: Decrease drug and drug-related crimes
Output
Outcome
Measure
Provide K9 patrol for at least 10 shifts (of 21 shifts) per week – measured through shift schedules
Increase amount of drug seizures by 20%
# trafficking operations disrupted/dismantled
Quantity drugs seized
Street value ($) seized
Decrease drug flow by 10%
# cases/investigations
# warrants executed
# arrests made
Case clearance rate (%)
Decrease property crime by 3%
# theft / burglary cases

10. Establish Data & Evaluation Plans
Data management
Data collection and maintenance
Processes and tools needed to generate data
Persons responsible for data management and reporting
Performance evaluation
Data monitoring and analysis
Benchmarks to evaluate project effectiveness
Factors to determine modifications / changes to approach
Document overall success

11. Develop Project Methods
Project design and implementation
Evidence-based practices
Roles and responsibilities
Capabilities and capacities
Partnerships and collaborations
Sustainability

12. Create Budget Reasonable, allowable, and necessary
Cost details and narrative
Direct costs
Match
Supplement, not supplant

13. The real work begins when the grant is awarded
Begin Composition
Follow formatting and submission instructions
Focus on writing style
Continuous narrative
Clear, concise word choice
Active voice and sentence structure
Proofread multiple times
Know your deadlines and submit early
Request feedback after awards are made
The real work begins when the grant is awarded

14. ESTABLISHING ACCOUNTING PRACTICES & SYSTEMS
Managing the Grant
ESTABLISHING ACCOUNTING PRACTICES & SYSTEMS

15. Each Award Should be Accounted for Separately
To protect against co-mingling, each grant award should be accounted for as a separate cost center.
Federal regulations prohibit the commingling of Federal grant funds with funds from other federal awards or other sources. Grant recipients must maintain separate accounting over grant funds to ensure the funds are used for authorized purposes only.
Allows for funds to be accounted for and spent for the intended purpose of each separate award.
Federal funds specifically budgeted and/or received for one project may not be used to support another.
OMB Circular A-110, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other Non-Profit Organizations, September 30, 1999.

16. Some Basic, but Critical, Rules to apply
Expend funds as laid out in each approved grant budget. (Changes need to be approved through amendment process)
Never expend funds that are for purposes other than the approved grant narrative.
Amend the budget or narrative before expending funds that would otherwise be unallowable.
Ensure that each expenditure is supported with adequate documentation. (Examples are purchase order, invoice, check copy, canceled check copy)
Use a system of segregation of duties to manage grants.
Programmatic functions and finance functions should be split. The finance function should be split further between accounts payable and financial reporting functions.
Maintain files with all backup documentation such as receipts, invoices, monthly financial statements, and other important documentation. All files should be easily accessible.
Monitor and reconcile grant expenditures monthly to ensure accurate spending and coding to the general ledger. Address any issues early on before the end of the grant period.

17. Review the Grant Proposal
Why review the grant proposal? In the time from application to award, as many as nine months can lapse. The scope and budget need to be reviewed so that everyone can follow the scope of the grant.

18. Review the Award
Upon receipt of a grant award, read the award thoroughly.
Call a meeting of all involved in the grant award so that everyone is understanding of their roles and the grant requirements.
Going through timelines, setting tasks, and planning are all a major part of grant success.
Review deadlines and ensure all roles understand what is expected.
The review and planning on the front end will help to avoid problems if the grant takes a different course or develops problems.

19. Rules and Regulations
Once you receive a grant, know all rules and regulations regarding each grant. Also, ensure a thorough knowledge of all of the OMB circulars that apply to your organization.
All that are involved in each grant need to know and understand all of the rules and regulations, financial and programmatic.

20. Schedule Reports
Almost all grants require financial and program progress reports to be submitted according to a schedule.
Set reminders so that all reports are submitted according to the deadlines for each.
Setting a schedule up front is critical to the success of the grant.

21. Close Out
If all of the above has been followed, close out should be an easy task.
Ensure all accounts are reconciled to the grant budget.
Ensure all grant reporting has been completed.
Keep all grant records on hand for the required number of years for each grant.