Successful Successful Grant Writing Grant Writing

& & ManagementManagement

Gina SchliemanCharter School Program & Grant Manager, CDE

Founder, GPS Strategies Group

Project PlanningProject PlanningRFP Submission Plan Grant Management Plan

• Read RFP• Read informational

documents• Identify tasks necessary

to complete proposal.• Develop proposal

objectives & content• Develop proposal budget• Draft it up• Ask for feedback, make

revisions• Submit by deadline

• Read RFP• Read informational

documents• Identify grant

deliverableso Workshops/eventso Due dateso Targets & expected outcomes

• Identify relevant rules & regulations

• Create a Workplan• Manage deadlines

SustainabilitySustainability• What is the ultimate

objective?• How will you get there,

even if funding is cut or runs out?

• Smart grant projects think long term.

• Focus on using grant funds to build capacityo Establish processes & procedureso Cover one-off costso Develop relationships and productso Develop capabilities & expertiseo Supplement, not supplanto Reach identified objectives

Drafting Your ProposalDrafting Your Proposal• Words Matter

• Make sure you answer the question• Consider the points• Stick to the format• Use a checklist to ensure all elements are

included• Ensure coherence & continuity

Summary Evidence

Innovative Document

Sustain Awareness

Steps / Actions Partnerships

Grant FinancesGrant Finances• Drafting a Budget

o Think through full costso Be aware of grant restrictionso Include peripheralso Reasonable & appropriate

• Budget Detailo Provide quantities (# of FTE, number of units, etc.)o Be specific wherever possibleo Double-check budgeted amounts

• Establish Procedureso Maintain separate accounting and management of grant dollarso Establish bookkeeping and spending authorization protocolso Keep documentation supporting all expenditureso Demonstrate timely drawdown of fundso Submit progress reports and revised budgets in a timely manner

Grant Management Grant Management BasicsBasics

• Who is responsible? o Identify ONE point person as Grant Contacto coordinate information to and from grant office

• Maintain clear recordso Emailo Electronic fileso Paper fileso Established Naming Protocol

• Establish Procedureso Event & activity checklistso Timelineso Contact listso Budgeting and finance protocols

• BE ORGANIZED!!!!!!• Maintain documentation so that someone could easily

pick up if you are not available.

Grant Management Grant Management WorkplanWorkplan

Identifying basicso What are your key objectives?o What are your key deliverables?o What resources do you have?o Who is responsible? o Who can help with organization & delivery?

What should inform your workplan?o RFP & Program Informationo Your grant applicationo Your Award Letter o Program documentation/guidanceo Calendar / timelineo Other committments

Grant Management Grant Management WorkplanWorkplan

• Dashboard or Workplan to track progress• Identify tasks• Assign priorities• Create sub-tasks to break larger tasks into chunks• Assign sub-task responsibility (who owns delivery?)• Identify partners (who needs to be consulted?)• Identify sub-task start date, due date, and progress

monitoring checkpoints• Identify Risks (risks of falling behind, risks of non-

deliverables)• Prioritize response to risk

Sample Workplan Sample Workplan TemplateTemplate

Project No.

Project Task Start Date (0 = ongoing)

Progress Check Final Due Date (0 = ongoing)

Lead Support Initial Notes @ how to accomplish the task Date Progress Notes

1 CCSP Management Spend Down Tracking - May 2013 5/1/2013 MR GS MR to provide updates on spend down, EP to send

communications to schools

1 CCSP Management Federal Data Submission 6/17/2013 6/30/2013 GS GM

1 CCSP Management Attend National Charter School Conference

5/15/2013 6/1/2013 7/1/2013 GM, GS

1 CCSP Management Start-up RFP Review 6/17/2013 7/1/2013 GS GM, MR 1 CCSP Management TA Performance Surveys 6/15/2013 8/1/2013 EP GS GS & EP Draft survey format. EP to deliver surveys

following activities.

2 Communications Maintain Charter School ListServ 0 0 0 GS KR GS to start, consider transfer to KR

2 Communications SOC Updates 5/1/2013 GS KR GS Drafts

2 Communications SOC Updates 5/15/2013 GS KR GS Drafts

2 Communications Review and update content to startacoloradocharter.org website

8/1/2013 GS KR, GM, League

3 CCSP TA-All Event Timeline 5/20/2013 6/15/2013 GS KR, GM, EP GS draft event timeline, EP place on SOC and CDE event calendars

3 CCSP TA - Board Modules Board Module Access 4/1/2013 6/1/2013 GS 4 Charter Growth - Leadership

Development StrategyLeadership Development Programs

0 GM PS For rural areas especially. In collaboration with Peter Sherman and Turnaround team

4 Charter Growth - Outreach to Foundations

Identify funding strategies GS SW, KR SW-identify current and previous funding strategies

4 Charter Growth - Outreach to Foundations

Identify potential partners GS SW, KR SW- Identify and initial research

5 Research & Reports Annual State Charter Report ??? 1/31/2014 GS GM, KR Jan 2014 report using 2012-13 data. (J:\Studies\State Eval).

6 Database Management Info for Data Reports ongoing ongoing 0 KR EP, GS Input information necessary for maintaining Data Reports.

7 Unit Management Track employee timesheets ongoing ongoing 0 EP GM collect employee timesheets and pass to GM for approval

7 Unit Management Individual Weekly Meetings ongoing ongoing 0 GM

7 Unit Management SOC Weekly Meetings ongoing ongoing 0 GM GS, KR, EP 8 CSSI Review CSSI Evaluator Recruitment -

application 7/15/2013 GM AD Application due 8/6, call for resumes at least 2-3

weeks beforehand that includes August PD date

8 CSSI Review - Standards 9 re-write Re-write Standard 9 (Governance)

7/1/2013 8/1/2013 AD GM, GS

Grant Writing Grant Writing ResourcesResources

• GuideStar – Grant Writing 101o http://

www.guidestar.org/rxa/news/articles/2006/grant-writing-101-resources-for-grant-writers.aspx

• Daily Writing Tips’ grant writing tips pageo http://www.dailywritingtips.com/grant-writing-tips/

• Education World’s tips for successful grant writingo http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev039.shtml

• Non-profit Guides’ grant-writing toolso http://www.npguides.org/

• The Grant Helpers Blogo http://www.thegranthelpers.com/blog/?Tag=grant%20writing%20examples

• Step By Step FundRaising – 20 Free Grant Writing Resourceso http

://www.stepbystepfundraising.com/20-free-grant-writing-resources-non-profits/

Grant Management Grant Management ResourcesResources

• Grants Managers Networko www.gmnetwork.orgo GM Guide – source of grants management information, based on

collective knowledge of the Grants Management Network (http://www.gmnetwork.org/gm-guide)

• Gantt Project o free project management softwareo www.softwareprojects.org/reviews-gantt-project.htm

• Corporation for National & Community Service – o Grant Management resources -

https://www.nationalserviceresources.org/program-financial-and-grant-management/grant-management

• Grants.govo Managing Grants Resourceso http://www.grants.gov/help/relatedlinks.jsp

Q & AQ & A