Transcript Piece of mind design template

Grant Writing:
Show Me the Money
Introductions
Who’s here? and
why?
Grant Writers?
Pros?
Let’s Get Started....
 A discussion……
Today’s educational arena and
the landscape in which be
find ourselves
 Your challenge….
 A Warning (This is A LOT of
work!)
Today’s Goals
Help participants to –
 Navigate the basics
 Locate a few applicable grants
 Understand the basics of grant
applications
 Successfully write a grant application
 Manage grant proposals
 Develop evaluation and sustainability
components of a RFA (RFP)
Basic Terminology
 R.F.A. = Request for Application
 R.F.C. = Request for Contract
 R.F.P. = Request for Proposal
 Grantor = Approves an
application
 Applicant – then – Grantee or
Sub- grantee
Basic Terminology (Continued)
 Glossaries –
o Grants.gov
o University of Minnesota
o University of Southern Mississippi
o Alabama Afterschool Community
Network
Locating the funder
 Internet
 Publications
 Professional affiliations
 Associates
 Collaborations and cooperation
 Friends
Networking!!!
Categories of funders
 Government (Federal, State
and Local)
 Foundations (National and
Local)
 Corporations
Foundations vs. State and Federal funding
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Foundations –
Usually provide less money
But usually fund more quickly and flexibly
Sometimes allow for a wider range of
purposes or projects
State and Federal funding –
Competitive
Specific timelines
Usually fund a very targeted project or
population
Before applying for Federal Grants
 Applicants must apply for a DUNS
Number (Dun & Bradstreet) – an
eligibility requirement for federal
grants. The federal government
will use these numbers to track
grant funds.
 Call, toll-free, 1-866-705-7511 or
go to http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/
 There is no charge.
Websites for finding Government Grants
 www.grants.gov/ - Federal
 www.firstgov.gov/ - All levels of
government
 www.cfda.gov/ - Great
informational site for federal grants
 www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html
- The Federal Register
Foundations and Corporate Funding Sites
 Grant Station –
http://www.grantstation.com
 The Foundation Center –
http://www.Foundationcenter.org
Helpful Websites for Grant Seekers
 www.fundsnetservices.com
 www.teachervision.fen.com
 www.grantstation.com
 www.scholastic.com
 www.Grantsalert.com
 www.Foundationcenter.org
 http://k12grants.org/grant_opps.htm
 www.cfda.gov – Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance
Opportunities of Interest (General)
 USDOE
 Investing in Innovation Fund (i3) –
 Progressive Yearly Deadlines (First 2 Stages
for this year have passed unfortunately)
 Ranges –
― Scale-up grants: Up to $20,000,000
― Validation grants: Up to $12,000,000
― Development grants: Up to $3,000,000
http://www2.ed.gov/programs/innovation/index.h
tml
Opportunities of Interest (General)
 USDOE
oForecasting of funding
opportunities
Forecasted Funding
 Federal Registry
oRegistry
Opportunities of Interest (STEM)
 National Science Foundation
 STEM Grants
 STEMfinity
 USDOE - STEM – Overview
 The Trust Challenge - Digital Media
and Learning Competition
Opportunities of Interest (Foundations)
 PhilanthropyNewsDigest (Publication of
The Foundation Center)
 The Walmart Foundation – Focus is
now directed toward hunger relief and
healthy eating habits.
 Lowe's Toolbox for Education
o Award Amount - $5000
o Fall Cycle – Opens August 1, 2014
Opportunities of Interest (Foundations)
 Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama
o Ongoing – Revolving Deadlines
o $100 - $100,000+
 American Honda Foundation
o February 1, May 1, August 1, and
November 1, 2013
o $20,000 - $75,000
Opportunities of Interest (Foundations)
 Dollar General
o Childhood, Adult, and Family Literacy
o Application opens in January each year
(missed the deadline for this year,
unfortunately)
o Typical range is within $5,000
 Home Depot Foundation
o Available from February 1 – August 15, 2014
o Widely divergent ranges
Sites to assist with Grant Writing
These sites provide guidance to effective grant
writing:
http://fdncenter.org/learn
http://www.npguides.org/guide/index.html
http://grantsinfo.unc.edu/proposal-writing
Grant writing is like a craft – not an art
 A craft can be learned
 This is a craft which requires a great deal of
effort and time
 Grant writing doesn’t require a creative writer,
but a technical writer
 Nor does it require a creative project planner
– however, the writer must be knowledgeable
in the subject area
It is like following a recipe!
Overview of helpful hints and tips –
Some of these will be addressed in greater
detail as we progress
Allow adequate time
Consult with all involved stakeholders and
conduct the necessary research
Understand the purpose of the grant and its
requirements
Establish only one writer with numerous
assistants as needed
Explicitly follow the instructions
Overview of helpful hints and tips –
(Continued)
Be brief, concise, and consistent
Ensure the proposal answers each question in
the RFP (RFA)
Establish the goals and activities very clearly
in the proposal
Ensure costs are reasonable as related to the
activities, design, and number to be served
Make the final deadline earlier than required
For experience and insight, volunteer to be a
grant reader
Remember…the appearance of a proposal
matters
Keys to successfully obtaining a grant
 Thoroughly research current
approaches
 Find an interested grantor
 Create an innovative project
 Reduce or prevent a significant
problem
 Submit a responsive proposal that
meets the specific application
deadline
Ten Reasons Grant Proposals are Turned Down:
1. Too many errors in the proposal (This
organization doesn’t pay attention to
details.)
2. Request arrived late, or did not include all
the required information
3. The need was not made apparent
4. Proposal establishes no clear link between
the ideas, the stated needs, and the
organizational goals: Why are you doing
this?
5. The ideas expressed and the needs are
great, but the project goals are undefined
(no focus)
Ten Reasons Grant Proposals are Turned Down:
6. The goals are defined, but they are so
broad it cannot be done
7. Who will support the project when the
grant is finished? (We don’t want to adopt
you.)
8. Too much money requested (We cannot
afford to adopt you.)
9. Grantor doesn’t understand the budget
rationale (Budget does not support the
purpose of the request.)
10. Funder does not support or extend itself
in the direction of the proposal
Important Suggestion:
 Because applicants frequently have little (if even
enough time) to respond to a Request for Proposal
(RFP, RFA) –
 Applicants should have a year-round system for
collecting materials:
– Best Practices, Interested Funders, etc.
This system – or Collective Bag – should include
some of the following:
 The law
 Data related Needs Assessment
 Reports and studies
 Agreements and approvals
 Organizational charts
 Resumes, Salaries and Benefits schedule
 Description or depiction of service area
How to get the Reader (Reviewer) to love the
proposed project
 Follow the Request For Proposal
(RFP) format exactly
 Write simply and directly
 No long sentences, big words,
insider jargon, acronyms,
abbreviations, etc.
 Design the proposal for neatness,
ease on the eye and readability
 Be brief
The Proposal
by
Component
Most Grant Applications will have multiple
Components
 Narrative Overview
 Need (Needs Assessment)
 Objective (s)
 Description and Methods
 Organizational Capacity
 Sustainability
 Evaluation
 Budget
(There will be variations on a theme!)
Narrative
 A Narrative (Overview)
o May contain numerous parts, but
usually it is some type of overview
 An Introduction or a letter of
introduction
 Keep these in mind……
Questions most funders want answered
 What problem is the applicant
alleviating and why should the funder
care? (Problem statement/Need)
 What is the applicant selling?
(Measurable Objectives)
 Why did the applicant choose this
approach? (Design/Methodology)
 Who will operate the project and
how?
Questions most funders want answered
(Continued)
 When can the funder expect
delivery? (Time Line)
 What is the cost of the applicant’s
product or service? (Budget)
 How will the applicant maintain
quality control? (Evaluation)
 How will the applicant keep the
project going when the funding is
over? (Sustainability)
The need, challenge or problem must drive
the proposal
 The applicant must use only the
data that either is relevant to the
need or sub-need(s) – or establish
a relevant context for the problem
 Hint: Do not mention a universal
problem – only local or specific to
the geographic area
Needs Assessment
 Conduct all necessary research
 What is currently occurring in the community to meet
the need?
 How will the proposed project fit in?
 Who is the target population?
 Assemble a focus group
 Involve all pertinent stakeholders
 Gather statistical data
 Administer surveys
 Review the information
 Demonstrate knowledge of the issue and establish a
connection between the need and the proposed
project’s objectives
The Needs Assessment Serves As the
Foundation for the Entire Proposal
 State your need
Our students need
computers.
 Ask Why?
Restate the Need…
Our students need
computers because
they need to learn
_______________.
 Ask Why?
Restate the Need…
Our students need to
be able to ________.
 Ask Why?
Restate the Need…
Our students need to be
_________________.
Continue this process until the fundamental need is reached
(Keep delving to get to the heart of the matter)
Goals
 State the Overall And Long Range
Purpose
 Establish the ultimate desired results of
the project
 Ensure the proposal is necessary,
relevant, and compelling
 Use broad-based statements
 Make sure the goal is not hard or
impossible to measure
Objectives
 Must be measurable
 Tell who will do what and when
 Time-specific results are expected
 Should be based on realistic expectations
 Generally more narrowly defined than goals
 Usually begin with “to” and followed by a
verb
 Involve specific activities or steps used to
achieve goals
 Do not tell how and why
Objectives
(continued)
A measurable objective can be
formulated by answering the
following questions:
Who?
Will do What?
To or for how many?
Of whom?/Of what?
By when?
To what extent?/To what purpose?
Developing the Project Design
 Programming will be the most visible piece of the
project
 Describe in detail the activities that will take place in
order to achieve desired results
 Activities should reflect the goal(s) of your program
 Those making programming decisions should carefully
examine the needs of the participants to be served
 Describe WHY the activities have been chosen and
ensure the methods are realistic
 Remember, activities can/should change as needs
change
Methods and Activities Design
 This component is the Plan of
Action, and should include activities,
staff responsibilities, and timelines.
 It may also include a calendar, a
flowchart, organizational chart and
curriculum vitae.
 Applicant must demonstrate here
that the project has been planned to
complete detail
Program Activities/Methods/Plan Of
Operation
 Describes how objectives will be accomplished
 Describes program activities
 Describes sequence and flow
 Tells when each activity will begin and end
 Describes staffing and responsibilities
 Describes facilities and equipment
 Indicates participating agencies and their role
 Describes advisory committees
 Tells how participants will be selected
Highly Recommended Table (Example)
Goals
Objectives
Florence County
adults will enroll
in an Adult Basic
Education (ABE)
Program.
After 100 hours of
instruction or less:
1a) 50% of learners
starting in Beginning
ABE will move on to
Beginning Basic;
1b) 60% of learners
starting Beginning
Basic will move on to
Low Intermediate
Basic; and,
1c) 47% of learners
starting Low
Intermediate Basic
will move on to High
Intermediate Basic.
Activities
Measures
Teachers will use
individualized and
differentiated
instruction (one-on-one,
small group, large
group, computer
assisted, peer tutoring)
to help learners: build
phonemic awareness,
develop decoding
skills, improve reading
comprehension; and,
improve math and
writing skills.
Teachers will use
supplemental activities
(e.g., books on tape,
periodicals) to provide
variety and alternatives
for motivating students
to remain engaged in
learning.
Guest speakers from
the community.
1. Test of Adult
Basic Education
(TABE) Math,
Reading, and
Language Arts.
2. Teacher
records of
student
achievement.
3. Computer
checklists.
Organizational Capacity
(Capacity to Implement)
 History and Governing Structure
 Primary Activities and Services
 Major Accomplishments, Awards,
and Recognitions
 Key Personnel and Partners
 How key stakeholders will play a
role in program success
Sustainability
 Prospects for continuing services
after sunset of original grant
 Council of key partners and
stakeholders
 Develop community partners and
multi-faceted support
 Using in-kind resources
Partnerships
 Assess organizational resources
 Estimate what is your organizations capacity for space, staff,
equipment, materials, transportation, and funds
 Evaluate your organization to know your strengths and
weaknesses
 Generate a core base of partners
 Share accomplishments of success
Possible Partner Organizations
Senior Citizen Centers
Museums, zoos, parks
Youth Organizations
Civic, professional, volunteer groups
Local Businesses
Recreation Centers
Law Enforcement Agencies
Colleges/Universities
Principles for Successful Partnerships
 Select indicators and performance measures
to monitor efforts productivity
 Involve students and families in the
development of program and activities
 Include key stakeholders from the beginning
 Define partners’ roles and responsibilities
 Communicate with partners
 Be flexible
 Draw on the strengths of partners
 Make the project visible to the public
 Maintain momentum and strive for
sustainability
Assessment and Evaluation
 When writing the evaluation section, think about
answering the following questions:
 How will you know if the program accomplishes
what was expected?
 What information indicates whether the methods
you used had an effect on the problem?
 Is an impact made on the identified need?
 How will you obtain feedback from the target
group and others?
 What methods will you use for data collection?
 What instruments will you use for data collection?
Assessment and Evaluation
 Formative – review of progress at regular
intervals (often quarterly) for the purpose for
making mid-project corrections and
achieving continuous improvement.
 Summative – review at the end of the project
to determine whether each objective has
been met
 The Evaluation Plan should explain how
progress and outcomes will be measured
 ALWAYS commit to a continuous
improvement plan
Budget
 Budgets are cost projections, a window into
how projects will be implemented and
managed. These factors help assess budgets:
 Can the job be accomplished with this budget?
 Are costs reasonable for the market – or too
high or low?
 Is the budget consistent with proposed
activities?
 Is there sufficient budget detail and
explanation?
 Sometimes mandatory budget forms are
provided that must be submitted with the
proposal.
Budget Categories
Budgets typically include some of the following
allocations:
Personnel
Benefits
Travel
Equipment
Supplies
Indirect cost
(Administrative/overhead/mortgage/rent/utilities
)
Contractual (Services, Consulting, etc.)
A good budget will….
 Stand alone during the review
process
 Support the program
 Present a credible picture
 Include a detailed narrative
describing each expenditure
 Will be formatted attractively and
accurately
Budgetary Thoughts
 Well-planned budgets reflect carefully thought out
projects.
 Typically has three parts:
 Personnel (salaries, fringe benefits, contracts)
 Non-personnel (space, rent of equipment, supplies)
 Indirect cost (overhead)
Should be directly correlated to stated goals,
objectives and methods. Timeline connections are
often found here, as well.
If salaries or compensation is to be allocated to the
funding –
 Salary justifications should be included
 Job Descriptions and expectations are a good idea
A match shows commitment on your part.
Final Reminders…..
 Research
before beginning!
 Read the grant guidelines!
 Construct a welldocumented and concise
needs statement!
 Clarity is important!
 Proofreading is imperative!
Final Reminders…..
 Collaboration is vital!
 Realistic budgets are a must!
 Don't forget the evaluation
component!
 Address project sustainability!
 Appearance of the proposal
matters!
You can do this!!!
Paul A. Morin
Auburn University
Truman Pierce Institute
College of Education
404.694.0436
[email protected]
[email protected]
www.alabamaacn.org