Transcript Slide 1

STRATEGIES
FOR
BETTER
GRANTWRITING
Dara M. Lum, J.D.
Lauren J. Bierbaum, Ph.D.
Characteristics of a Successful
Grant Proposal
• Respond to funder’s interest and program
priorities
• Provide a clear and convincing rationale
• Offer a defined and compelling plan of action
• Present a credible statement of anticipated
results
• Demonstrate expertise
• Make a reasonable request for resources to do
the job
Getting the Grant: A Guide to Securing Additional Funds
For After School Education and Safety Programs, The Finance Project, August 2007
Elements of a Successful Grant
Proposal
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cover letter
Abstract or program summary
Introduction
Problem or need statement
Plan of action
Program budget and budget narrative
Organizational qualifications (or resumes)
Leadership and staffing information
Performance measurement or evaluation plan
Sustainability plan
Conclusion
Addenda
** Remember these are general elements of a grant proposal.
Always follow the funder’s specific format!
Cover letter
• A concise overview of the amount of
funding requested and purpose of the
grant
• Printed on organization’s letterhead
• Signed by executive director
Getting the Grant: A Guide to Securing Additional Funds
For After School Education and Safety Programs, The Finance Project, August 2007
SAMPLE COVER LETTER
Dear Funder:
NOLA Afterschool respectfully submits its proposal to the Z Foundation Youth
Program for $25,000 to support its leadership program for young people ages 1518.
NOLA Afterschool is an innovative program working individually with youth in high
school to develop employment, literacy and leadership skills. We offer a variety of
programs that serve community members of every age and background. This
particular proposal seeks funding for one of our most important programs: our Youth
ACHIEVE program. This program is the cornerstone of our organization and our
strategy to foster self confidence and success among low-income children and
teenagers.
We look forward to exploring future partnership possibilities with you. Thank you for
considering our request. Please call ______, our Development Director, if you need
additional information.
Sincerely,
Executive Director
Abstract or Program Summary
• Explain to the funder the purpose of your
grant request
• Demonstrate your organizational capacity
• Establish how your project fits with the
funder’s mission and goals
• Indicate the amount requested
• Usually no more than one page, and often
shorter
Getting the Grant: A Guide to Securing Additional Funds
For After School Education and Safety Programs, The Finance Project, August 2007
SAMPLE PROGRAM SUMMARY
With over five years experience serving low-income high school-age
youth, NOLA Afterschool seeks to expand its Youth ACHIEVE leadership
program. Over the next year, the leadership program will involve 50
seniors from T High School to develop and implement a service
learning project in the MidCity neighborhood. A service learning
project is an opportunity for youth and adult mentors to solve real life
problems that directly affect the neighborhoods, schools and
communities they live and learn in. Example of service-learning
projects include growing an urban garden, cleaning and revitalizing a
park, or creating a reading program for younger children. Youth who
participate in the service-learning project will gain self-esteem, feel
more responsible for their community, and be more enthusiastic about
learning. The program will be evaluated through pre- and post-youth
surveys, attendance in the program and at school, and graduation
rates. The total cost of the project is $35,000.
Introduction
• Brief statement that presents background
information (history, mission/vision, and goals)
and a clear rationale for your proposed project.
• Demonstrate your expertise and understanding
• Demonstrate your familiarity with research and
the best practices in the field
• Establish your credibility!
• Leads directly into statement of need
Getting the Grant: A Guide to Securing Additional Funds
For After School Education and Safety Programs, The Finance Project, August 2007
Statement of Need
• What is the problem, what are its causes, and
what are some potential approaches or solutions
to the problem?
• Who in your community is affected by the
problem that your program will address?
• What other programs or initiatives are aimed at
this program and why is your program needed?
• What are your project’s goals and desired
outcomes?
Getting the Grant: A Guide to Securing Additional Funds
For After School Education and Safety Programs, The Finance Project, August 2007
SAMPLE PORTION OF A STATEMENT OF NEED
There is a strong need for a teen Youth Program in New Orleans. Currently, there is little
infrastructure in New Orleans to support safe places for youth ages 13 – 18 to be during the
out-of-school hours. New Orleans’ young people have experienced tremendous upheaval and
transition during the two years since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. As the city rebuilds, youth
afterschool programs are critical to address the current lack of opportunities for older youth.
Currently, only a handful of providers in New Orleans work directly with this age group,
offering youth an inadequate amount of structured activities outside of school. The Youth
Program is a new opportunity to engage youth across the city.
Many youth living in New Orleans must thrive in a challenging environment. Orleans Parish,
that comprises New Orleans, is one of the poorest regions in Louisiana. Prior to Katrina and
the subsequent displacement of thousands of children and youth, 37% of children under 18
were living in families with incomes less than the federal poverty threshold.
The educational landscape has significantly changed post-Katrina. Currently, there are
32,887 public school students enrolled in Orleans Parish, with 83% eligible for free and
reduced lunch. Ninety-five percent of public school students are minority, primarily AfricanAmerican. Many students attending school have inadequate books and supplies,
unaddressed mental health needs, special education needs and attend schools in buildings
damaged and in disrepair. Unfortunately, there are currently no statistics to accurately predict
the number of out-of-school children and youth currently living in the city.
In addition to a critical lack of youth programs and services, there are also barriers to youth
employment and access to public transportation. Almost three years after Katrina, only 19%
of buses are operating and less than 50% of the original routes are covered by public
transportation. Many youth lack the necessary knowledge and skills, particularly reading,
math, and computer skills, to obtain viable employment.
Where to find local data?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Greater New Orleans Community Data Center and The New Orleans Index
Summary of Findings http://www.gnocdc.org/
LA Department of Education Data and Reports
http://www.doe.state.la.us/LDE/pair/1419.html
Agenda for Children http://www.agendaforchildren.org/home.htm
The Times Picayune
US DOJ Bureau of Justice Statistics http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
And don’t forget…
The Afterschool Partnership
www.gnoafterschool.org
2008 Fall Afterschool Provider Survey
Monthly e-newsletters with national research
Contact Dara with a specific research question
New research web page (in progress) - what do you need?
Local information
•
Statistics provide information on who is living in our community and what
challenges our communities are facing:
–
-
321,466 total population in Orleans Parish (Times Picayune, July 2008)
32,877 students enrolled in public schools (NOLA Index, 2008)
83% eligible for free and reduced lunch (NOLA Index, 2008)
In 2005, 46.7% homicide victims in New Orleans were under the age of 24 (US
DOJ BJS)
In 2000, Louisiana’s teen pregnancy rate was 62 teenage births per 1,000 girls
between ages 15 and 19 (2000 US Census)
Target population of children not be served:
• 25% of children and youth are on their own after school according to
national data…
• Survey the schools, neighborhoods, and
communities you serve…
Post-Katrina data unknowns
•
•
•
Okay to state the unknowns of post-Katrina data.
For example, we will not know how many children 0-18 years old are living
in Orleans Parish until the 2010 Census data is collected.
Using 2000 U.S. Census Data is unreliable. But can we estimate same
percentages?
– 321,466 (July 2008)
2000 U.S. Census data population percentages by age
– Under 5 years 8.4%
– 6-11 years
9.2%
– 12-17 years 9.1%
Total is 26.7%. But we know that the demographics changed, and this
estimate is not statistically reliable.
•
We do know # of enrolled school-age children.
•
2008 Survey: general landscape of
afterschool in New Orleans
• A few key data points we hope to find out
from the 2008 survey:
– Current number of afterschool and youth
programs in Greater New Orleans
– Locations (sites) of afterschool and youth
programs
– Number of youth being served (and thus an
estimate of the number of youth who may
need to be served)
Create a Plan of Action
• Align funder’s priorities with program
design, implementation, outcomes and
evaluations
Getting the Grant: A Guide to Securing Additional Funds
For After School Education and Safety Programs, The Finance Project, August 2007
Program Priorities - focus of the
grant
Funder’s interest or priority
How interest/priority
addressed:
Youth development
Program provides supports and
services to you based on
principles of youth development
Juvenile justice
Program offers youth a safe
and enriching environment in
which to develop new skills and
avoid risky behaviors
Education
Program promotes and
strengthens academic skills and
performance
Getting the Grant: A Guide to Securing Additional Funds
For After School Education and Safety Programs, The Finance Project, August 2007
National research: youth development
•
•
An analysis of 73 afterschool studies concluded that afterschool programs using
evidence-based approaches were consistently successful in producing multiple
benefits for youth, including improvements in children's personal, social and
academic skills, as well as their self-esteem. (The Collaborative for Academic, Social,
and Emotional Learning, 2007)
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University conclude that two-thirds of the achievement
gap between lower- and higher-income youth can be explained by unequal access to
summer learning opportunities. The summer learning gap begins in elementary
school, accumulates over the years and, once students get to high school, results in
unequal placements in college preparatory tracks and increases the chance that
children from low socio-economic families will drop out. (American Sociological
Review, Vol. 72, April 2007)
National research: juvenile justice
•
•
•
•
•
More than 14 million school age children (25 percent) are on their own after school,
including 40,000 kindergarteners. Only 6.5 million K-12 children (11 percent)
participate in afterschool activities. (Afterschool Alliance, 2004)
The hours between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m are the peak hours for juvenile crime,
victimization, and experimentation with drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and sex. (Fight
Crime: Invest in Kids, 2002)
Children in LA’s BEST afterschool program attend school more often and report
higher aspirations for finishing school and going to college. LA’s BEST participants
are 20 percent less likely to drop out and are 30 percent less likely to participate in
criminal activities. Researchers estimate that every dollar invested in the LA’s BEST
program saves the city $2.50 in crime-related costs. (UCLA National Center for
Research on Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing, June 2000, December 2005
and September 2007)
Nine in 10 Americans want all children and teens to have some type of organized
activity or safe place to go after school. (Afterschool Alliance & Lake, Snell, Perry &
Assoc. 2004)
Teens who do not participate in afterschool programs are nearly 3 times more likely to
skip classes than teens who do participate. They are also 3 times more likely to use
marijuana or other drugs, and are more likely to drink, smoke or engage in sexual
activity. (YMCA of the USA, March 2001)
National research: education and
academic success
•
•
•
•
Students in programs supported by The After-School Corporation improved their math scores and
regular school day attendance compared to non-participants. High school participants passed
more Regents exams and earned more high school credits than non-participants. (Policy Studies
Associates, July 2004)
Participants in Citizen Schools’ afterschool programs are much more likely to go on to high-quality
high schools compared to non-participants (65 percent vs. 26 percent). Those who attend often
are also more likely to be promoted to tenth grade on time (92 percent vs. 81 percent). Earning
promotion to tenth grade on time is a key predictor of high school graduation. (Policy Studies
Associates, December 2006)
Annual performance report data from 21st CCLC grantees across the country demonstrate that
students attending 21st CCLC programs improve their reading (43%) and math grades (42%).
Students who attend 21st CCLC programs more regularly are more likely to improve their grades
and their performance on state assessments. (Learning Point Associates, November 2007)
The Promising Afterschool Programs Study, a study of about 3,000 low-income, ethnically-diverse
elementary and middle school students, found that those who regularly attended high-quality
programs over two years demonstrated gains of up to 20 percentiles and 12 percentiles in
standardized math test scores respectively, compared to their peers who were routinely
unsupervised during the afterschool hours. (Policy Studies Associates, Inc., 2007)
** Be cautious when stating outcomes related to standardized tests…
National research: 21st Century skills
•
•
•
There remains a profound gap between the knowledge and skills most
students learn in school and the knowledge and skills demanded for the
21st Century. Students need to learn academic content through real-world
examples, applications and experiences both inside and outside of school.
(Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2003)
The use of technology in afterschool programs can facilitate skill building
that may lead to higher academic achievement, while being engaged in
projects that seem very different from their school day activities. (California
Community Technology Policy Group, 2002)
Other research suggests that applications focused on multimedia projects,
which are often highly attractive to teens, can lead to success in high-order
thinking, problem solving, and synthesizing different points of view.
(American Youth Policy Forum, 2005)
National research: expanded learning
time
•
•
•
•
Expanded learning time is a school reform strategy that lengthens the
traditional school day or year by providing tutorial, enrichment and youth
development oriented afterschool programs. (The Collaborative for Building
After-school Systems, 2008)
Public school initiatives in other urban areas across the nation effectively
build afterschool systems as a critical component to learning because
research has repeatedly shown that students who participate in after-school
programs improve their grades and school attendance, and are more likely
to graduate. (Afterschool Alliance, 2008; Harvard Family Research
Program, 2004)
Keeping schools open longer to meet the needs of students makes sense,
but schools alone cannot provide young people with the comprehensive
learning opportunities necessary to support their success. (Afterschool
Alliance, 2007)
Changing the outcomes for New Orleans students requires a redesign of
the learning day to provide each child with multiple ways of learning
throughout their community. (C.S. Mott Foundation, 2007)
National research: afterschool
strengthens communities
•
•
Strategic partnerships with schools, community centers, other communityand faith-based organizations leverages limited resources to serve more
children and youth
In the report What We Know Works (2003), the Pew Partnership for Civic
Change compiled current research on the most effective strategies to
promote and ensure healthy families and children, thriving neighborhoods,
living-wage jobs and viable economies. Afterschool programs are number
three on the partnership's Top Ten List For Community Success:
–
•
"Create quality and affordable after-school care. … Children who participate in
quality after-school programs are much less likely to use drugs and alcohol, to
have sex, or to be involved in criminal activity than their peers who go home to
empty houses in neighborhoods that are not safe. Participation in after-school
programs is linked to improved school attendance and academic performance.”
(Afterschool Alliance, 2008)
Community schools are recognized worldwide as an innovative educational
reform that produces powerful results….The primary goal of our community
school strategy is twofold: to provide children with the supports they need to
succeed in school and become happy and productive adults; and to
promote change throughout the educational system. (The Children’s Aid
Society, 2007)
Using the national research to
frame outcomes and goals
• Not a comprehensive list, but some of the
outcomes measured in afterschool:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Commitment and interest in school
Increased attendance
Self-esteem
Social skills
Decision-making
Health, obesity, physical activity
Positive behavior
Positive relationships with adults
Preventing crime
Safe places for children and youth
Additional program design
considerations
• How your program supports and engages
parents and caregivers
• The community partners who will assist
and support your program
• Your staff and professional development
• Impact on youth over time
• Using evaluations to create data for grantwriting…
What is program evaluation?
“Program Evaluation” is a process for gathering feedback about what
your program offers, how you do the things you do, and for whom; as well
as what kind of impacts your program has on your clients, their families,
and our communities.
2 Types of Evaluation Processes:
Measures of Effort help you to understand what your program does, to
develop a sense of it looks to outsiders, and to capture the things you do
beyond your main efforts.
(sometimes called Process Evaluation)
Measures of Effect help you document and track changes in your
participants’ knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors.
(sometimes called Outcome Evaluation)
Program Evaluation sounds daunting, but….
You’re probably already doing a number of things that would be considered “program
evaluation” by funders.
• Case management – records of clients visits, notes on topics
discussed, issues worked on
• Records of behavioral or safety violations
• Attendance information
• Communications – newsletters, calls to parents or classroom
teachers, feedback generated
• Partnerships – with schools, nonprofits, social service agencies
Program Evaluation sounds daunting, but….
You’re probably already doing a number of things that would be considered “program
evaluation” by funders.
• Staff trainings and certifications – AYD, CPR/First Aid
• Technical Assistance – provided to you, or that you have
provided to other organizations, trainings, strategy sessions
• Current grant management – Money attracts money!
Preparations for site visits that create longer-lasting changes,
non-proprietary reporting
• Community service projects
Program Evaluation sounds daunting, but….
You’re probably already doing a number of things that would be considered “program
evaluation” by funders.
• School-generated data – report cards, attendance,
detentions and suspensions, etc.
• Test scores
• Internal surveys, focus groups, interviews you use to
help improve programming or understand needs
• Behavioral observations
• Anything your kids produce – showcases, art work,
homework, plays, stories, journals
Don’t be afraid of evaluation!
Collecting data will help you make your program stronger,
and it will help funders better understand your strengths!
But, don’t make promises you can’t keep!
Your program goals and mission should drive your evaluation, NOT the other
way around!
Use evaluation to capture what you DO, not what you DON’T.
Use evaluation to provide feedback that YOU can use to strengthen your program.
Use evaluation to track short-term and long-term successes of your program, your
youth, and our communities at large.
Program Goals to Outcomes
• Academic and other learning goals
– Improved literacy and communication skills, math skills
– Increased knowledge in science, social studies, visual and
performing arts
– Increased awareness of real-life uses of academic skills
• Social and emotional goals
– Improved social skills, leadership and responsibility, reduced atrisk behavior, and emotional well-being
• Health and Safety goals
– Improved nutrition, health practices, physical development and
personal safety
• Community engagement goal
– Improved community awareness and engagement
Moving Towards Success: Framework for After-school Programs
C.S. Mott Foundation, May 2005
Example Goal: Improved Literacy
•
Program elements include: qualified staff, diverse activities to foster skill
development, books and materials that teach and stimulate interest, opportunities to
use and practice skills, and exposure to literacy rich environments (library visits, etc)
•
Short term outcomes
– Read and write more
– Enjoy reading, talking about what they have read, and telling stories.
– Increase use of computers to communicate and learn more information
– Parents understand what children learning in school
Long term outcomes
– Improved academic performance in subjects use reading comprehension and
writing
– Increased language arts skills including speaking, listening, reading
comprehension and writing
– Use of strategies such as rereading, questioning, and predicting to understand
– Use of reading, writing, listening and speaking in all aspects of daily life
•
What are realistic ways to measure short term and long term outcomes?
Moving Towards Success: Framework for After-school Programs
C.S. Mott Foundation, May 2005
Common grant-writing mistakes
to avoid
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Failing to provide a convincing rationale
Being overly ambitious
Leaving ideas undefined
Providing too much or not enough detail
Failing to demonstrate community support
Not following directions
Using jargon and acronyms
Bibliography
Mott Foundation, Moving Toward Success: Framework for Afterschool
Programs
http://www.publicengagement.com/Framework/images/framework_61505.p
df
Harvard Family Research Project, Out-of-School Time Evaluation
Snapshot http://www.hfrp.org/out-of-school-time/publicationsresources/measurement-tools-for-evaluating-out-of-school-time-programsan-evaluation-resource
The Finance Project, Getting the Grant: A Guide to Securing Additional
Funds for After School Education and Safety Programs
http://www.financeproject.org/index.cfm?page=25
The Finance Project, Sustainability Planning Workbook
http://www.financeproject.org/special/engage/workbook.cfm
National Institute on Out-of-School Time, Making the Case: 2008 Fact Sheet
http://www.niost.org/pdf/Final2008FactSheet.pdf
Afterschool Alliance, Issue Briefs
http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/researchIssueBriefs.cfm