Transcript NSOE Student Training

Planning and Writing Successful
Proposals in K-12 Education
Elizabeth Allen, MSLS
Source: Dr. Glenn H. Crumb
“Grants: Puzzled About Finding Them?”
Western Kentucky University
Topics for today







Identifying funding sources
Researching potential funders
Planning your proposal
Proposal elements
Budgeting
Review process
Preparing for the next time
Funding Information Portal



Funding opportunity databases and
funding alerts (some are free and
others are subscription-only)
Guides and tutorials for proposal
writing
Grants awarded databases (free)
http://grantsinfo.unc.edu
http://grantsinfo.unc.edu/guides/nonprofit
Free Funding Information Sources

North Carolina Resources


NC OpenBook
http://www.ncopenbook.gov
Foundation-Specific Resources

Foundation Center Foundation Finder
http://foundationcenter.org/findfunders/foundfinder/

Education Funding Watch
http://foundationcenter.org/efw/
Free Funding Information Sources

Subject-Specific Resources

Tech Soup > Learning Center > Funding
http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/funding/

Funding for Nonprofits (created by Michigan State U)



Asia Society: Partnership for Global Learning



Education: http://staff.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/2educat.htm
Tech: http://staff.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/2comptec.htm
Monthly newsletter: http://asiasociety.org/pgl
Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/asiasocietypgl
World View’s Global Updates
http://www.unc.edu/world/Global_Updates.shtml
Subscription Funding
Information Sources

COS Funding Opportunities and
InfoEd SPIN funding databases



Multi-disciplinary and multi-source – funding for
programs, equipment, research, training
Available on-campus at many universities
Foundation Directory



Covers all disciplines, but only foundation sources
Web and CD-ROM versions
Available at many large/medium public libraries libraries
http://grantsinfo.unc.edu/databases
Research Potential Funders





Look for potential funders with a good fit
Check for local and regional funders
Contact agency program staff to assess fit
with their priorities or any new initiatives
Find out their review criteria and process
Read previous successful proposals
Sample Grant Proposals
http://www.k12grants.org/samples/
Know Your Competition



Who and what has the sponsor funded in
the past?
Check sponsor websites or annual reports
Check awards made databases


Private Sponsor Information can be found on
their sites or in the Foundation Ctr 990 Finder
Most federal agencies have their own online
databases of awards made
http://grantsinfo.unc.edu/awards-made
Fundamentals of Proposal
Preparation





Talk with the program officer
Become familiar with the grantsmanship
process
Read the guidelines
Write, revise, revise, revise
Get feedback from others
Plan Before You Write







Identify the need or problem
Define your project
Think the plan through to the end
Assess project fit with personal and
organizational goals and purpose
Assess your expertise, resources and
strengths to approach the project
Outside resources/collaborators?
Involve collaborators in planning
Typical Proposal Elements





Summary or abstract
Problem statement/needs assessment
Proposed solution/goals and objectives
Project description/methodology
Organization description/qualifications/
resources




Including those of partners or collaborators
Timeline
Evaluation
Budget and budget justification
Summary or Abstract






Summarize all important information from
proposal
Crucial first impression
Write it last
Write in layman’s terms
Anticipate concerns and address briefly
Convey enthusiasm
Problem Statement or
Needs Assessment





Identify problem or need
Indicate importance or significance
Cite examples and statistics
Relate to sponsor’s mission or goal
Don’t take for granted that the reader will
know what’s on your mind
Solution/Goals & Objectives






Proposed solution to problem or need or
desired overall goal
Address need or problem statement
Brief, focused, to-the-point
Objectives are specific, measurable steps to
reach overall goal
No more than three to five objectives
Each should flow logically to the next
Example: http://www.learnerassociates.net/proposal/exam5.htm
Project Description/ Methodology





Describe activities to be undertaken and why
Flows naturally from problem and proposed
solution
Describe activities, staff needed, and other
resources
Provide evidence of planning (see time &
task chart examples)
Reasonable scope
Qualifications and
Organization Description





Demonstrate to the reviewer that you are
capable of doing what you propose
Describe your qualifications & expertise
Describe organization, its purpose, goals &
programs, & project administration
Other available resources, including
collaborators or other key personnel, &
technical resources
Offer supporting evidence or endorsements
Collaboration/Cooperation





Collaboration is often either required or
viewed as a strengthening element
Broadens available expertise
Allows projects to address larger problems
Can result in more efficient use of resources
Must have clear understanding of roles
A Good Collaboration




Contains all necessary expertise for
every component of the project
Must actually BE a team, not a group that
met in the hall one day
Has a clear understanding of roles
Works together constructively
Timeline





Describe sequence of activities or major
steps of your project
Lets reviewers know you have done
significant planning
Some sponsors require written statement
Others may expect it in methodology
Or, use time and task chart (visual)
Evaluation





How will you know if the project is
successful?
Define evaluation criteria
Identify a plan
Types of evaluation
- Process
- Product
Show how evaluation will be used
Outreach/Dissemination Plan



What are you doing to share the results
with others?
Increasingly required by sponsors
Sponsors looking for contribution to
knowledge in the field, broader impact,
community inclusion especially underrepresented groups
Writing Style






Be clear, concise and direct
Write in a positive manner
Use the active voice, rather than passive
Avoid jargon – someone outside your field
should be able to understand
Use headings, bullets, formatting and white
space to increase readability
Proofread for grammar, spelling and
typographical errors
Budgeting






Itemize and account for costs
Budget should flow from your project plan
Justify budget items
Don’t overestimate resource needs
Don’t underestimate resource needs either
Know what sponsor will/won’t pay for
Sample Line Item Project Budget
PERSONNEL
Senior Personnel
Graduate Students
Undergraduate Students
Fringe Benefits
Subtotal Personnel
PARTICIPANT COSTS
40 Participants
$5,000
$10,000
$900
$1,199
$17,099
$8,000
EQUIPMENT (Exceeding $5,000)
Flat Panel Display
$30,000
OTHER DIRECT COSTS
Supplies
Publication Costs
Course Development Stipends
$750
$500
$10,000
TOTAL DIRECT COSTS
INDIRECT COSTS @ 45.5% MTDC
AMOUNT OF THIS REQUEST
$66,349
$19,629
$85,978
Sample Project Phase Budget
PHASE ONE: COURSE DEVELOPMENT
Personnel plus fringes
Course Development Stipends
Interactive Classroom
Total Direct Costs
Indirect Costs
Total Costs of Phase One
$11,130
$10,000
$30,000
$51,130
$11,410
$62,540
PHASE TWO: CONFERENCE
Personnel plus fringes
Conference Materials
Participant Stipends
Total Direct Costs
Indirect Costs
$5,969
$1,250
$8,000
$15,219
$8,219
Total Costs of Phase Two
$23,438
AMOUNT OF THIS REQUEST
$85,978
Budget Justification
1. The PI will devote one month of effort to the coordination of the course
development module. She will be assisted by one graduate student who will
oversee day to day administration and who will coordinate the training
workshop. Three undergraduate students will prepare the conference
materials, and receive $7.50 an hour for a total of 120 hours of work. The
University's negotiated fringe benefit rates for non-federal agencies is 19% for
faculty and 7.7% for undergraduate students during the summer. There are
no fringe benefits for the graduate students.
2. We anticipate inviting 40 teachers to attend the conference. Using federal per
diem rates, their travel, room and board for three days will be $200.00 each.
3. The flat panel wall display will be the key feature of the new interactive
classroom. This cost includes all the software and installation fees.
4. The conference materials will include notebooks and handouts on the courses
that were developed in the first module, as well the publication costs of course
syllabi. The project will hold a campus-wide competition for approximately
five $2,000 course development grants.
5. The University's negotiated indirect cost rate for on campus projects is 45.5%.
This means you:




Read carefully and follow scrupulously the
guidelines provided by the sponsor
This includes points to be addressed
Also includes: spacing, margins, font size,
number of copies, page limitations
If no guidelines, double-space, use
generous margins and 12-point type
The Review Process
Process varies by sponsor
 Remember - reviewers may not have
expertise in your field, may not share your
interest and enthusiasm for the project,
may be overworked and underpaid
 Key point: Make your proposal easy for
the reviewer to read

Reviewers look for:




A “do-able” project (resources, approach)
A project worth doing
Systematic, logical development of ideas
An easily-read, accessible proposal
Common Reasons for Rejection

Mechanical


Methodological


unsuitable methodology
Personnel


guidelines not followed exactly
unqualified to do work
Cost-Benefit



not agency priority for this year
unrealistic budget
costs out of proportion to potential benefits
Preparing for the next time




If not funded, don’t give up!
Ask sponsor for reviewer’s written
comments, if available
Ask if it would be worth submitting another
proposal in the future
When revising, be responsive to reviewer
comments
Summary






Project planning is key
Project should fit overall goals or plan
Choose potential funders with a good fit
Write with reviewers in mind
Budget should fit your project plan
Don’t despair if your proposal is unfunded