Grant Writing

EAL 6610

A Procedural Approach

Federal grant programs Most complex; Very competitive; Lengthy proposals Typically offer larger awards; fund for multiple years; recently

reduced “strings” Announced in the Federal Register www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html

Step Two: Where’s Da’ Money?

Sources for Grant Programs

Sources for Grant Programs

State Government Grant Funds Smaller awards One year awards Easier to write Difficult to locate the programs

No central information source for programs Obtain a copy of the state government telephone directory and

contact departments directly.

Sources for Grant Programs

City and County Government Grants Local government receive money through block grants i.e

Community Development Block Grant Program; and from local taxes.

Grants are based upon identified needs from public hearings Money distributed through economic and planning divisions of

the local government. Small awards given annually Maybe an opportunity to partner with a local governmental

agency.

Sources for Grant Programs

Foundation funding There are more than 60,000 national; regional; and local

foundations. Foundations are generally interested in the well-being of the

communities where they are located Interested in new and innovative programs that share

information with other agencies Application process can be very short Search engines i.e. yahoo; google; excite

Sources for Grant Programs

Corporate Grants Average award is about $50,000 Their focus is promoting their products; increasing profits;

assisting employees and their families; tax write-offs; and creating public awareness

Typically have Corporate giving programs and regional or national foundations

Chances your corporate neighbor has a foundation. Start with the local manager and work your way up the chain.

General Guidelines for Finding Grants

Directories Newsletters The Internet Professional Associations Collaboration

Understanding the RFP

Grant application guidelines are usually issued in a document called the Request for Proposals

RFP reveals the intention of funding source by describing the populations and problems they want to impact through their assistance.

Some are very clear and easy to read others are very complicated and may be written by someone who has never applied for a grant!

Always try to obtain the grant application as early as possible.

Avoiding Common RFP Errors

The most common errors in grants are due to not following the RFP!

Keep the original grant application Decide if you should apply for the grant

Eligibility Time Frame Effort Required Appropriateness Return on Investment Likelihood of Success

Avoiding RFP Errors

Determine what the funding source wants Many proposals fail because the goals of the program do not

coincide with the goals and intentions of the funding source. Think of the RFP as an advertisement explaining what the

funding source would like to buy.

Format the proposal as described in the RFP Pages Arrangement and formatting of sections Formatting specifics (fonts; size; word limitations) Appendices

Avoiding RFP Errors Submit questions to the funding source

Make only one call-ask all questions Ask for previously funded proposals-many times they will send

them if you ask.

Attend the applicants workshop Inattention to Details Review RFP one more time as you put finishing

touches on proposal. Prepare for document submission

Date due Address Number of copies Final product (bind or no binding)

Assume readers know nothing about your community Assume readers are unfamiliar with your problems

Reader may not understand the relationship between the appalling demographics; root causes; and resulting problems

May not be aware of national or state averages Use statistics Set the stage; explain why the statistic is significant Compare the state to the nation or a county to the state to gain

perspective.

Step Three: Defining the Problem

Goal: To Make the Reviewers Cry

Defining the Problem Solicit input from different sectors

Examine community problems from different perspectives

Think negatively as you describe community problems Goal to compel the reviewer to want to help your community

by funding your program Problem statement is not the place to mention anything

positive. That comes later in the program section. Sometimes you will encounter a favorable statistic. There are

times you might want to include it because it is misleading. Ex. “Surprisingly, the unemployment rate has recently improved to the state

average, but this is misleading—this trend does not reflect local jobs. These ‘statistics’ are the young mothers who climb onto buses before dawn every morning for the right to minimum wage jobs at a coastal resort, not returning until 7 or 8 each night.”

Needs Assessment Many different ways to determine the needs Your job is to convince the reader that your needs are

greater than everyone else’s, but are also the most compelling.

You should include 4 or 5 different methods for credible; independent documentation of community needs.

There are 10 ways demonstrate community needs

Assessing Community Needs Research available statistics

US Census Bureau www.census.gov State and County Quick Facts http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd Kids Count national data compilations provided by the Annie E.

Casey Foundation www.aecf.org/kidscount/census

Conduct Surveys Hold community meetings Solicit Input from the target population Review existing studies Interview Key Informants Interview professionals who work with the population

Assessing Community Needs

Seek input from your professional colleagues and associations

Review the literature (Internet and journals) Create an newspaper clippings file

Developing Convincing Problems Statements

This is an important section A straightforward approach is best A clear and concise statement of the problem

The problem is … The problem is caused by … Long-term and without intervention will result in …

Let’s stop and practice this right now.

Developing Convincing Problem Statements

Describe and personalize your community needs Write them as if you are one of the community

“Our students ...” not “The typical student of …”

Compel the reviewer to help your target population Use strong; emotional language such as “misery index”

“poorest of the poor” Objective to get the reviewer to help our population not

someone else’s.

Statistics Prove the need exists Use graphs and charts for important statistics

The most important statistics should be set in a graph

Developing Convincing Problem Statements

Highlight significant statistics Use bold text to draw attention to important statistics and

information that you do not want the reader to miss.

Effectively use white space (charts and graphs; bulleted lists; bold text)

Make numbers catch attention by writing them out not spelling them. Use whole numbers; round them up or down Express them in a way that will provide a lasting impression

64% of the population is affected by the problem then say Nearly 2/3 of our families … or 2 out of every 3 …

Developing Convincing Problem Statements

Close the needs section with a ray of hope Having made them cry you want to end on a brighter

note. Reason: Most reviewers read a section and then rate it. Want them to be moved by the problem but not be so

depressed that they negatively score the proposal because the targeted population is beyond help.

Close out the needs section with a ray of hope Could include a summary Offer closure to the problem Suggest that there are solutions available

Note: Do not disclose any program activities at this point. That will come in the next section.