1. MYTHS OF GRANT WRITING

2. MYTH Number One: There is no money available in this economy.

3. Truth: Great sums of money
Individuals, institutions, agencies as desperate to give as you are to receive

4. Truth: Individuals Small institutions
Small businesses, schools, hospitals
Small governments

5. Truth: Philanthropic giving up 2% - some flat, few ↓
Federal funding up
State funding
Competition greater!

6. Myth Number Two: The money that is available goes
to big, prestigious institutions and
agencies; not to individuals, small
institutions, and small agencies.

7. 2010 = over 500 fellowships to individuals
Mabee Foundation
2002 = $200 million to small organizations and schools
NSF
2010 = over 500 fellowships to individuals

8. Truth:
Local corporations and agencies favor proposals from local residents
Purposely seek out individuals and small institutions
Success (not size) begets success—focus on strengths

9. Truth: It is a focus of almost all agencies to serve the underserved
Women in science and math
Minority groups (especially American Indians, African Americans, Hispanics, Persons with disabilities)
Small colleges
Rural schools and communities
Isolated colleges
First generation college students
Low income

10. Truth:
Faith-based groups are respected for successes, strength of contributions and quality of participation
U.S. - 2,200+ foundations granting to faith organizations and agencies

11. Myth Number Three: Successful grant writing
requires connections, and I
don’t have any.

12. Truth: Friends in funding agency
Proposal reader for major funding agency
Follow guidelines and meet expectations
Rating form

13. Truth: Friends in the legislature Friends at the Regents
Collaborations and partnerships

14. Myth Number Four:
I don’t have time
to write grants.

15. Truth: Everyone has same number of hours. Time for things you value
Make appointments for writing
Write even if the deadline is too close—next cycle you will be ready, gain from reviews.

16. Truth: Write about your passion and profound interests
Take all the time you need – willingly miss the deadline – and you will be ready next time

17. Myth Number Five:
Getting funded just requires preparing a grant proposal and luck does the rest.

18. Truth: Quality is the most important
Your job is to convince the readers that your project will do a better job of meeting the funder’s goals than all the competitors
Follow the guidelines

19. Myth Number Six:
Meeting the deadline
is everything.

20. Truth: Write about your passion and profound interests
Take all the time you need – quality is mandatory. Willingly miss the deadline – and you will be ready next time

21. Myth Number Seven:
Collaboration will spread out the workload and reduce the time required to succeed.

22. Truth: Collaboration takes more time.
Collaboration forces the writer to lose control.
Writing is distinctly individualistic, but collaborating takes time to share, plan, review, negotiate…..
Add more time to a collaborative project!

23. Myth Number Eight:
The grants are awarded to those applicants who have the greatest needs.

24. Truth:
Grants are awarded to the best use of the money to meet the funder’s goals.
Grants are awarded for strengths and skills.
Some agencies ignore need totally and focus only on quality.

25. Truth: Grants are awarded to known providers.
Grants are awarded to successful applicants.
Corporations fund in their shadow.
Grants are awarded to friends and colleagues of colleagues.

26. Truth:
OneNet is the best connective technology of all 50 states. It will help disseminate results and enhance projects.

27. Myth Number Nine: Community Colleges are not research institutions,
so they will not be funded.

28. Truth:
Projects, training, education reform, student services, community service
Collaborations with research institutions
Undergraduate research
Research improves teaching better than anything else

29. Myth Number Ten:
Getting funded is
where it’s at!

30. Truth: Writing is valuable in and of itself Develops knowledge
Research improves teaching better than anything else
Writing should be externally rewarded

31. RECAP OF MAJOR IDEAS Money is always available
Goal – produce proposals that convince
Use connections—make connections—convince—rating form
Plenty of time is available
Passion + deadline + well written proposal

32. RECAP OF MAJOR IDEAS Quality and strengths—convince
Collaboration takes more time
Best use of funder’s money
Research + programs, training, education reform, community service
Research and writing improves teaching better than anything!

33. Attitude is everything!
Internal locus of control
Belief in yourself
Grant writing is about POWER—we write grants because they empower us to do things we otherwise could not do.
Myths created by non-writers.

34. Attitude is everything!
Cast away the myths that defeat many.