NCHN Annual MeetingSan Diego, California
Grant Writing Techniques and Strategies
Eileen HolloranHealth and Human Services
Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Rural Health Policy
April 16, 2008
The Maze ofThe Maze of InformationInformation
Time Line - Time Line -
• Identify Need/Wish List• Develop Project Goals and Objectives• Research Funding Opportunities• Complete the Prerequisites• Strategies to Address Problem• Complete Application • Review and Revise • Submit
State ProblemState Problem
• Identify Need/Wish List– Define what you want to accomplish
• Look at issue from all aspects
– What are the desired outcomes– How will you get there
• Collect Pertinent Data– Include local factual data, if available, and
relate it to State and national data
Identify GoalsIdentify Goals
• Develop Project Goals and Objectives– Goals
• Ultimate outcome of project• Concrete, implicit target• One or two major goals • Measurable
– Objectives• Steps follow logically
Where to Go for AssistanceWhere to Go for Assistance• Research Funding Opportunities
– Grants.gov– Foundations– State/local grants– Local charitable organizations/employers
• Don’t limit your possibilities• Make sure you meet all the eligibility
requirements• Request a copy of a previously awarded
project through this funding mechanism
PrerequisitesPrerequisites
• Determine Eligibility – Can we apply
• Registration
– Letters of intent
• Who Needs to be Involved– If necessary decide the type of
organizations that should be involved– Identify possible organizational impact
Prerequisites Prerequisites (continued)
• Create a Team to Work on the Project– Name the lead person
• Someone that has the authority and respect to get things done
– Determine the roles and level of participation of all partners, if needed • Top level participation • Ability to make decisions
– Get formal commitment from partners
Prerequisites Prerequisites (continued)
• Read and Re-Read Program Requirements
– Have at least one other staff member read all the program information (guidance, forms, etc.)• You should agree on how to proceed
– Make certain you understand exactly what, how, when, etc. is required for the application
– Call the program contact person with any questions
Prerequisites Prerequisites (continued)
• Involve the Community to be Served– Town Meetings, focus groups, health fairs, health
surveys– Include all that will be impacted through the
project– Enlist participation of the town fathers
• Get Community Buy-In– Community must be included in the planning,
development and implementation of the project
Paint the Right PicturePaint the Right Picture
Write the Application Write the Application • Get Your Ducks in a Row• Develop the work plan (activities)
– Must be based on problem/need– Identify what steps need to be taken to
accomplish your goals– Logical, do-able – Complete all the required information– If there is a section of the requested
information that does not apply to your project just say so
Project DevelopmentProject Development
• Besides Goals and Work Plan Include Discussion of:– Impact
–Partners and community– Evaluation
• Identify evaluator if possible • Develop plan up front• Qualitative and quantitative
– Sustainability
Project DevelopmentProject Development
• Impact– Value to community and partners
• How will the project impact your stated needs
• What will the community receive if you reach your goals
• What will be better• Will there be Return on Investment (ROI)
– Financial– Increased service– Solution of problem
Project DevelopmentProject Development
• Inclusive Evaluation– Two Pronged
• Improvement to on-going project activities– Are the strategies working and are our objectives
being met
• Overall outcome of project– Did we get where we wanted to and how– Identify evaluator if possible– Internal/External
– Develop Evaluation Plan with the Project • Include your evaluation plan in application
Project DevelopmentProject Development
• Sustainability– Are there activities that need to
continue – If so is there cost involved
• Partner – financial commitment• Reimbursement • Community support and buy-in
– Local government– Employers
• State support• Additional grants
Project DevelopmentProject Development
• Before You Submit– Make sure what you want is clearly
identified• Have you made the case for your project • Are your strategies to meet your objectives
measurable and manageable • Would you fund this project if you were the
grantor
– Re-check the Instructions
Project DevelopmentProject Development
• Before You Submit (continued)
– Have someone proofread the document for content, grammar and spelling
– Submit all the information/documentation that is requested
– Make sure all the pieces are in the correct order
– Did I say re-read it
Important TipsImportant Tips
• Submit on Time– Late applications are returned
• Read And Follow Instructions– Follow formatting instructions
• Fonts, page limits, margins
– Assemble the application as instructed – Include all forms – properly completed
Important TipsImportant Tips• Don’t Guess –
– Get your questions answered
• Be Succinct – More words do not equal better
narrative
• Don’t Be Repetitive• Read and Re-Read
– Then have someone else read it
• Don’t Leave Anything Out
Important TipsImportant Tips
• And Some More – Put your organization’s name on every
sheet– Number every page– Make sure the grantor can find you
• Correct contact information– Include organizational subdivision – Identify an alternate– Include contact information for someone besides a
grant writer if one is used
• Keep on Trying
www.grants.gov
• Ya’ Just Gotta Love It!
www.grants.govwww.grants.gov
• All Federal Grant Opportunities• Search by Announcement Number,
CFDA or key word• All applications include an
Attachment which explains the process
www.Grants.Govwww.Grants.Gov
•Register – Just once
•Must have Duns and Bradstreet Number (D&N) and Central Contract Registry Number (CCR)
http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/dunsccr.htm
www.Grants.Govwww.Grants.Gov
• Download the application materials before you have the D&N and CCR numbers– Pure Edge Viewer/Adobe
Grants Customer Support Center– E-Mail: [email protected]
Telephone: 1-800-518-GRANTS (1-800-518-4726).Hours of operation are Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET (Eastern Time).
www.Grants.Govwww.Grants.Gov
• Do all the work on your desktop– All sections should be completed on your
desktop – Attachments should be in text format – WordPerfect, Excel – most are narrative, – Print out a complete copy of your submission to
make sure everything is there before you submit– Verification
• Two e-mails –– 1st received – 2nd verification with tracking number
www.Grants.Govwww.Grants.Gov
– Grants.gov program will notify you if a form is missing or if information on a form is incomplete
– You will NOT be notified if you leave out an attachment or part of one
– ALWAYS call the help desk with problems• 1-800-518-4726
– Waivers - DGPWaivers @hrsa.gov • Other agencies, foundations?
Valuable Web LinksValuable Web Links
• Office of Rural Health Policy– www.ruralhealth.hrsa.gov
• Rural Assistance Center– www.raconline.org
• Rural Recruitment and Retention Network– www.3rnet.org
• All Federal Funding Opportunities– www.grants.gov
Contact InformationContact Information
Eileen HolloranFederal Office of Rural Health Policy
5600 Fishers Lane, 9A42Rockville, MD 20857