Transcript Elements of a Grant Proposal

If the funder specifies a required
format or any other guidelines…
FOLLOW THEM!!!
Otherwise, your proposal is likely to be rejected
before it is even read.
• Title/Cover Page
• Methods
• Abstract
• Staff/Administration
• Background Information
• Available Resources
• Problem Statement
• Needed Resources
• Goals and Objectives
• Evaluation
• Clientele
• Outreach/Dissemination
*Often, elements will be combined in sections of
proposal. Do not assume that funder will want all
elements or will not require more. REVIEW THE RFP!!
The title is your reviewer’s first impression of
your proposal.
A title should be:
•
•
•
•
Clear
Concise
Have the most important words first
Be void of unnecessary words
The most important words should be first.
• What is the overall purpose of your study?
• What is the interest of your potential funder?
Example:
Red-headed Grant Officers’ Preference for Shirt Color
OR
Shirt Color Preference of Red-headed Grant Officers
Is your funder a fashion-industry
organization or a geneticist?
• Extraneous words should be eliminated.
• Strive for a clear, concise title.
Example:
A Systematic Analysis of the Factors Determining Shirt
Color Preference Among Red-headed Grant Officers
OR
Shirt Color Preference of Red-headed Grant Officers
All of the following are true about a project title, except:
a. The title is included on the title page.
b. The title should be very descriptive. The more words, the
better.
c. The most important words should be first.
d. The title should reflect the overall purpose of the
project and appeal to the interests of the funder.
Click here to continue
• Executive Summary
• Should be able to stand
alone
• The abstract is often used to route proposals to
appropriate reviewer.
• Reviewers often have dozens of applications and
may use the abstract to eliminate proposals.
Writing Tips
• Appeal to both experts and novices.
• The abstract should be written after the
rest of the proposal is completed.
• Provide a basic overview of the project
without extensive details.
Elements of an abstract
• Hypothesis, if applicable
• Overall Goal
• Long-term objectives
• Basic design/methods/activities
• Why is proposal unique and/or significant?
• How is the proposal of relevance to the potential
funder?
Don’t provide the reviewer any reason to suspect:
• Lack of originality in approach
• Poor rationale
• Uncertain outcomes
• Lack of experience
• Lack of significance
• Lack of focus
• A project too broad to be effectively completed
An abstract should include as much information as possible
in case the reviewer doesn’t read the rest of the proposal.
True
False
Click here to continue
Click here to continue
All of the following are false, except:
a. An investigator’s experience is not
important to a funder.
b. Funders are only interested in the project,
not how it applies to them.
c. Funders prefer broad, all-encompassing
projects.
d. The abstract should be the first part of
the proposal written.
Click here to continue
Answer three questions:
• What information is already known?
• What information is not known?
• Why is it important to find out?
Critical review of literature or previous activity
How does your proposal:
• Expand upon previous work?
• Eliminate previous mistakes or errors?
• Improve collaboration between initiatives?
• Approach the problem in a unique way?
* Remember: Your reviewer may have been involved in one of
the projects you cite. Don’t be overly critical!
Showing the funder that previous projects related to an
issue wasted funding will improve a proposals chance of
being funded.
True
False
Click here to continue
Click here to continue
The problem is the basis for your project.
• What problem does your project address?
• How do you know the problem is important?
• What other stakeholders believe the problem is important?
• How will addressing the problem benefit the potential funder?
• Why are you best suited to address the problem?
• How will your project lead to long-term solutions?
I do not need to explain why my project is important. The
funder should know I wouldn’t have submitted a proposal
unless it addressed their guidelines.
True
False
Click to continue
Click here to continue
Goals:
Objectives:
• Broad
• Narrow
• General
• Precise
• Intangible
• Tangible
• Abstract
• Concrete
• Cannot be validated
• Can be validated
A complete proposal will include both.
• Make sure your goals and objectives overlap with those of
the potential funder.
• Objectives form the basis for tying activities to evaluation.
• Objectives should be measurable.
• Objectives should allow clarity in achievement of results.
Objectives cannot be validated.
True
False
Click here to continue
Click here to continue
Define Stakeholders
• Have you already involved clientele in proposal
development?
• Does clientele support your project?
• Do other agencies involved with your clientele
support your project?
• Why is serving your clientele in the best interest
of the funder?
* Obtain and include Letters of Commitment/Support
It is important to obtain the support of your
clientele prior to submitting a proposal.
True
False
Click here to continue
Click here to continue
Describe how you will achieve your objectives and, ultimately,
your goals.
• Present methods:
• Clearly
• Orderly
• Sequentially
Methods should illustrate:
• Innovative or unique approach to the problem
• Collaboration to build consensus
• Value to others after the project is completed
• Data collection, analysis, and interpretation
• How difficulties or limitations will be overcome
• A realistic timetable for completion
All of the following apply to the
methods section of a proposal, except:
a. Methods should be outlined in a sequential
format.
b. If there are collaborators, their
contributions should be included.
c. Do not include limitations. My project has
none.
d. Value of the project following completion
should be noted.
Click here to continue
Key Personnel
• Roles in project
• Name, title, experience, and qualifications
• Commitment to project
Show funder that you have a collaborative, team approach
to your project.
What can you bring to the table?
• Collaborators
• Volunteers
• Donations
• Consultants
• Equipment, materials, and supplies
• Letters of Support and Commitment
What will funder be providing?
• Salaries
• Tasks to be completed
• Facilities
• Equipment, materials, and supplies
• Travel
• Workshops and conferences
*Verify that needed resources match funder’s restrictions
All of the following are true, except:
a. Funders appreciate a collaborative,
team approach to a project.
b. Funders prefer to provide all support
for a project. They are not interested
in contributions from other sources.
c. Before requesting funding, you should
always ensure that each item is eligible
under the funder’s guidelines.
d. Letters of support or commitment
should be included in a proposal.
Click here to continue
How will you determine whether or not you have
achieved your goals?
• Formative Evaluation: Ongoing during course of
project; emphasis on activities.
• Summative Evaluation: After project is completed;
emphasis on objectives.
• How will you evaluate (surveys, focus groups, interviews,
pre/post tests)?
• Include direct reference to stated objectives.
• What happens following the project? Show that goals are
sustainable.
*Lack of an effective evaluation plan is a major factor in
rejecting funding proposals.
Formative and summative evaluation
techniques are both important to your
proposal.
True
False
Click here to continue
Click here to continue
Funders want to know that their money will have an impact.
• How will you distribute information derived from your
project?
• Who will benefit from the information distributed?
• What impact do you expect the information to have on
clientele?
• What do you expect clientele to do with the information?
• How will you recognize the funder?
Funders do not expect to be recognized for their
contribution to your project.
True
False
Click here to continue
Click here to continue
• Offer a realistic, unique approach to a solvable problem.
• Have a well-designed program.
• Follow all instructions listed in the RFP!
• Ensure that you included a mechanism for recognizing the
donor or program.
• Do your research. Make sure your proposal is compatible
with the funder’s interests.
• Provide a well-written, organized proposal.
• Illustrate the results and benefits that your proposal will
provide, both for the clientele and the funder.
• Provide a vision for long-term sustainability.
The funder’s guidelines for a proposal are merely
suggestions. I am the expert, and I know how my
proposal should be written.
I agree
I disagree
If the funder specifies a required
format or any other guidelines…
FOLLOW THEM!!!
Otherwise, your proposal is likely to be rejected
before it is even read.
Maybe you ought to start over. Or, if you know
where you went wrong, click to proceed.
Now, that’s a whole other
presentation!!!
Sources:
• “The Art of Grantsmanship”, by Jacob Kraicer
• “Guide for Writing a Funding Proposal”, Learner Associates