Transcript Myths of Grant Writing

MYTHS
OF GRANT WRITING
MYTH Number One:
There is no money
available.
Truth:
 Great sums of money
 Individuals,
institutions, agencies
as desperate to give
as you are to receive
Truth:
Individuals
Small institutions
Small businesses,
schools, hospitals
Small governments
Truth:
 Philanthropic giving up
8%
 Federal funding up
26% over 7 years
 State funding doubled
 Competition greater!
Myth Number Two:
The money that is available goes
to big, prestigious institutions and
agencies; not to individuals, small
institutions, and small agencies.
Mabee Foundation
 2002 = $6 million/$10 million
to small organizations and
schools
NSF
2002 = over 500
fellowships to individuals
Truth:
 Local corporations and
agencies favor proposals from
local residents
 Purposely seek out individuals
and small institutions
 Success (not size) begets
success—focus on strengths
Truth:
 It is a focus of almost all agencies to
serve the underserved
 Underserved =
– Women in science and math
– Minority groups (especially American
Indians, African Americans, Hispanics)
– Small colleges
– Rural schools and communities
– Isolated colleges
– First generation college students
– Poor
Truth:
 Faith-based groups are
respected for successes,
strength of contributions and
quality of participation
Myth Number Three:
Successful grant writing
requires connections, and I
don’t have any.
Truth:
Friends in funding agency
Proposal reader for major
funding agency
Follow guidelines and meet
expectations
Rating form
Truth:
Friends in the legislature
Friends at the Regents
Collaborations and
partnerships
Myth Number Four:
I don’t have time
to write grants.
Truth:
 Everyone has same number of hours.
 You have time for the things you value.
 Make appointments for writing.
 Write even if the deadline is too
close—next cycle you will be ready,
gain from reviews.
Truth:
 Write about your passion and
profound interests
 Take all the time you need –
willingly miss the deadline –
and you will be read next time
Myth Number Five:
Getting funded just requires
preparing a grant proposal
and luck does the rest.
Truth:
 Quality is the most important
 Your job is to convince the readers
that your project will do a better job
of meeting the funder’s goals than
all the competitors
 Follow the guidelines
Myth Number Six:
Meeting the deadline
is everything.
Truth:
 Write about your passion and
profound interests
 Take all the time you need –
quality is mandatory. Willingly
miss the deadline – and you
will be ready next time
Myth Number Seven:
Collaboration will spread
out the workload and
reduce the time required
to succeed.
Truth:
 Collaboration takes more time.
 Collaboration forces the writer to lose
control.
 Writing is distinctly individualistic, but
collaborating takes time to share, plan,
review, negotiate…..
Add more time to a collaborative project!
Myth Number Eight:
The grants are awarded to
those applicants who
have the greatest needs.
Truth:
 Grants are awarded to the best
use of the money to meet the
funder’s goals.
 Grants are awarded for strengths
and skills.
 Some agencies ignore need
totally and focus only on quality.
Truth:
 Grants are awarded to known
providers.
 Grants are awarded to
successful applicants.
 Corporations fund in their
shadow.
 Grants are awarded to friends
and colleagues of colleagues.
Truth:
 OneNet is the best connective
technology of all 50 states. It
will help disseminate results
and enhance projects.
Myth Number Nine:
Community Colleges are
not research institutions,
so they will not be funded.
Truth:
 Projects, training, education
reform, student services,
community service
 Collaborations with research
institutions
 Undergraduate research
 Research improves teaching
better than anything else
Myth Number Ten:
Getting funded is
where it’s at!
Truth:
 Writing is valuable in and of itself
 Develops knowledge
 Research improves teaching
better than anything else
 Writing should be externally
rewarded
RECAP OF MAJOR IDEAS
 Money is always available
 Goal – produce proposals that convince
 Use connections—make connections—
convince—rating form
 Plenty of time is available
 Passion + deadline + well written proposal
RECAP OF MAJOR IDEAS
 Quality and strengths—convince
 Collaboration takes more time
 Best use of funder’s money
 Research + programs, training,
education reform, community service
 Research and writing improves teaching
better than anything!
Attitude is everything!
 Internal locus of control
 Belief in yourself
 Grant writing is about POWER—we
write grants because they empower us
to do things we otherwise could not do.
 Myths created by non-writers.
Attitude is everything!
Cast away the myths that defeat many.