1. “Life is like a box of chocolate…”
Grant Writing (today)

2. What do you know about grants?
exercise
What do you know about grants?

3. Adventures in Grant Writing

4. What’s your experience?
Introductions…
Frustrations
Hopes
What’s your experience?
Successes
Burning Questions…

5. What to expect…
- Non-profit & Government Grants - Elements of a Proposal - Locating Grants - Budget Breakdown - Telling the story - Assessing the Proposal

6. Gov’t Grants and Contracts
Funding sources most likely will have mandates to follow:
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Department of Education (DOE)

7. The non-profit agency
Usually established in response to a community need or issue.
(Hunger, health, poverty)
Created by a group of citizens who submit an application to the IRS for designation of 501(c)3 status.

8. Components of a good letter of intent:
Ask for the gift: The letter should begin with a reference to your prior contact with the funder, if any. State why you are writing and how much funding is required from the particular foundation.
Describe the need: In a very abbreviated manner, tell the funder why there is a need for this project, piece of equipment, etc.
Explain what you will do: Just as you would in a fuller proposal, provide enough detail to pique the funder's interest. Describe precisely what will take place as a result of the grant.
Provide agency data: Help the funder know a bit more about your organization by including your mission statement, brief description of programs offered, number of people served, and staff, volunteer, and board data, if appropriate.
- The Foundation Center

9. Components of a good letter of intent: (con’t)
Include appropriate budget data: Even a letter request may have a budget that is a half-page long. Decide if this information should be incorporated into the letter or in a separate attachment. Whichever course you choose, be sure to indicate the total cost of the project. Discuss future funding only if the absence of this information will raise questions.
Close: As with the longer proposal, a letter proposal needs a strong concluding statement. Offer to provide more details or meet with the funder.
*Attach any additional information required: The funder may need much of the same information to back up a small request as a large one: a board list, a copy of your IRS determination letter, financial documentation, and brief resumes of key staff.
- The Foundation Center

10. The Components of a Proposal:

11. Agency Capacity and Sustainability
Does the agency have the ability to provide sufficient service to achieve the impact expected within the resources provided?
How do you plan to support this project in the future?

12. Project cycle Stage 1: Complete reliance on others for funding
Stage 2: You receive grant money, fees for services rendered
Stage 3: The project is (somewhat) self-sufficient

13. Understanding Barriers in Program Design
Barriers to Service: May exist as a result of a client’s orientation to services wherein he/she may lack the knowledge, desire, or skills necessary to seek treatment or prevent a problem.
Accessed in 5 domains
Availability
Accessibility
Acceptability
Appropriateness
Adequacy

14. Government Grants Grants.gov
An effort to streamline access to and submission of grants to the federal government.
Portal stores information for over 1,000 grant programs and approx. $500 billion in annual awards.
21 federal grant making categories
Gov’t grant proposals average a __% success rate.

15. 50% of funded proposals are re-submissions that were denied
Highly Competitive Process
Don’t take it personal
Learn from your mistakes

16. How do I Search For Grants?

17. Did you know..
More than half of grants are rejected on the first reading because:
- Directions were not followed
late submission
wrong binding procedure
font too small, spacing
requested # of copies not provided
Not clearly identifying the problem
Lack of clarity on expenditure of funds
No recognition of Sustainability (BoD, fundraising, prospects?)
- Ummm, that’s not our focus!

18. Budget Breakdown…

19. Be sure to:
Set your own due date (at least a week ahead of funders requirement)
Have a 3rd party read the proposal over for content before submitting
Ask someone to proofread – you’re asking someone for money, you want to show that you’re professional and polished

20. After the Submission…
Let’s Discuss…

21. How Can My Proposal Stand out?

22. Creativity (fluff)

23. Clear Defined Project (No Decoding)
Sometimes the abstract is the only page read by the reviewer!

24. Research (Supportive Data and Facts)

25. Surveys Local Newspapers Journal Articles
Can be used to develop a sense of the community’s perception of the problem and of local resources.
Evidence-based practices: provide data on the outcomes associated with various intervention strategies.

26. Use of “Quotes”
“I credit meeting many of my career goals this year to my mentor.  As a result of my mentor’s invaluable coaching, I have been able to map out my job experience and determine my areas of concern, update my job application form and develop my interviewing skills.”

27. The story…

28. Formulating Ideas 1. Understand the need 6. Determine tasks
2. Brainstorm
3. Select Solutions
4. Describe expected results
5. Think about barriers
6. Determine tasks
7. Estimate resources needed
8. Make necessary adjustments
9. Identify measurement of outcomes

29. Assessing the Proposal
Activity
Assessing the Proposal

30. Keep in Mind… No Cookie Cutter Proposals Form Partnerships whenever possible The Person Most Knowledgeable of the Program should write or Edit the Proposal (Remember - the story…) Shot gunning

31. Be sure to…
Set your own due date (at least a week ahead of funders requirement) Have a 3rd party read the proposal over for content before submitting Ask someone to proofread – you’re asking someone for money, you want to show that you’re professional and polished

32. Process Evaluation
Primary goal is to gather feedback to determine if changes are warranted.
It’s imperative that you are constantly monitoring your program as you may find out that your initial plan may not fit with the community, cultural, or organizational context.

33. Questions?

34. Contact me: Zanetta S. Ford, MBA fordzs@jmu.edu

35. “… you never know what you’re going to get ” – ForRest GumP’s Mom
Thank you and Good Luck!
“… you never know what you’re going to get ”
– ForRest GumP’s Mom