- Name
- Organization
Roll Call – Popcorn Style
•
Finding federal and foundation funding opportunities
•
What you’ll want to know about a foundation, and where to find it.
Recapping our Last Session:
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Preparing to apply
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Preparing strong proposals
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Smart stewardship
And tonight we’ll discuss:
AKA: How to avoid most issues on Rejection Slide B
Getting Organized
Oh, yeah. Those issues.
Even these, you can’t always control.
But you really, really can try!
Your proposal did not follow the required format or was missing information or attachments.
The program description was unclear.
Goals, objectives and outcomes were not well defined.
The project concept was not well
received and was deemed it too broad,
too narrow, not very effective, etc.
Before you write anything . . . .
Read, then read it again!
Review the Foundation’s Application Process and/or the RFP package
What do they want?
When do they want it?
How do they want it?
Evaluate the opportunity
Is your organization eligible?
Is the program “worth it?”
Find out what you should submit.
Now
remember, you’ve already
reviewed this opportunity and it’s a perfect fit!
Letters of Inquiry
May provide templates or an online form
Others just want a letter
Mini-Proposals
Common for smaller amounts
Full Proposals
A formal application package or template may be provided
Other Foundations will simply provide an
outline or tell you what to include
Letters of Inquiry
LOI: Think Low-
commitment Opportunity for
Information- sharing
An LOI provides a short overview of your organization and your proposed program/
request.
For formal letters, follow the specific
guidelines they may (or may not) outline for:
Length
Content
Submission method
And, sometimes, it can be simply an email
exchange . . .
Full Proposals
Full proposals usually include:
Cover Sheet (and/or cover letter)
Project Narrative
Attachments and/or Appendices
Again, know what they want first!
Open to anyone or by invitation only?
Rolling deadline or specific date?
Formats vary widely!
Some provide a PDF or .DOC form
Some have online forms
Others will just tell you “These are the sections we
want to see” in your proposal
Online Applications
Nearly every funder’s
systems are different!
Online Forms
Some allow you to create an account and save drafts
Other times, you simply enter your info in a basic form and press submit
TIP: write and craft your application in a word document, then cut and paste into the form
Attachments & Appendices
Log-in systems typically allow you to upload files, though they may require that you use a particular file format (like .pdf)
Others may just prefer that you email everything over
Be prepared to submit attachments electronically – ie:
don’t wait till the day it is due to start scanning in the audited financial statements!
RE: PDF Templates
Some grants, particularly federal grants, utilize multi-layer PDF forms.
Make sure to save frequently, and make sure that you fill out each section
Many foundations now provide cover sheets and other forms via PDF . . . but the forms aren’t always editable
You can use the “Typewriter” tool
OR . . . find someone who has Adobe Acrobat
Professional edition and they can turn the form
into an editable form you type into and save
content in.
Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania Common Grant Application
http://www.gwpa.org
Let’s take a look!
Common Parts of a Narrative
Organizational Overview
Mission
History
Structure, Services & Systems
Statement of Need
Provide facts, figures and real examples
Project Overview
What you’ll do
Where you’ll do it
Who is involved (target audience AND staff)
Case for Support
Show why this project aligns directly with the funding goals or funding mission
Project Partners and Other Funders
But seriously, most applications are very self-explanatory.
What they ask you for!
So, I know what
they want. But
what do I write?
What they ask for.
Just follow the directions!
Use the forms and templates provided
Cover sheets, budgets, maybe even the narrative
Answer the Questions Asked.
It’s easy enough but often overlooked
Provide clear answers – and make them easy to find!
If they provide scoring or sample review sheets, review the scoring criteria noted on those
Headers and Subheaders are your friends
They point out that you ARE answering the questions asked.
Jargon Happens. Terminology changes.
Understand theirs
Explain yours (and limit it as much as you can)
Use the correct and current terms (ie: children with learning disabilities, not learning-disabled children)
Remember, it’s a team effort!
You can’t write a grant in a vacuum unless you are the sole project planner,
manager and implementer.
Talk to your team to establish:
Timeframe
Budget & Budget Priorities
Areas of special focus
Target Audience
Potential Partners & Collaborators
And MORE!
And don’t rush, the proposal or project.
We just found out about this great opportunity!
Toss something together now or wait till the next cycle?
Half-baked reads as half-baked. Occasionally,
that’s OK. But it can be detrimental in the long-run .
Put together a basic timeline for
implementation, just an internal document.
When would funding come in?
When would the program start?
How does that fit with your other programs?
Now, onto writing.
Write Strong.
Take a step back.
You work on or think about this project and issue nearly everyday.
Your reviewer doesn’t.
Be very clear about the connections between your project and the funder’s interests and priorities.
Make sure you’ve clearly explained how the project will be carried out.
Start off strong!
Too often, we hide our summary statements and “gems of wisdom”
at the end of paragraphs or in the conclusion.
These are easily missed by a reviewer who is “skimming” your proposal or is reading the 15th request they have read that day.
Use the power of story.
But only use it when it’s powerful, relevant and appropriate.
Document the Need.
Don’t forget to use data
For most foundation grants, you don’t need thousands of graphs and statistical reports.
But you do need to prove your point, using statistics, measured observations or even just client feedback.
And define your Data Source
Federal and state grants will often provide guidelines (and expectations) for citations
Private foundations usually won’t, but it’s a good idea to tell them where you got the data you are using AND what you mean when you define it (eg:
what does low-income really mean?)
Data explains.
Example A:
The average student in Pennsylvania is being taught very little about international
affairs and global politics.
Data explains.
Example A:
The average student in Pennsylvania is being taught very little about international
affairs and global politics. While 30 out of the 84 school districts in Southwestern Pennsylvania offer AP US Government and Politics, only five of these 84 districts offer
the companion course, AP Comparative Government and Politics, which provides a
global perspective on these concepts.
Data adds strength.
Example B:
Food scarcity is a pressing concern for
the families we serve.
Data adds strength.
Example B:
Food scarcity is a pressing concern for the families we serve. Over 75% of
our clients have noted that in the past 3 months they have skipped meals to ensure children can eat, opted to not pay a bill to purchase food, or relied on relatives or friends
to feed children during visits.
Data defines.
Example C:
The majority of children served by this
program will be from low-income
families.
Data defines.
Example C:
The majority of children served by this program will be from low-income
families, as the program will take place in schools where 75% or more of the
student body is eligible for free or reduced lunch, as determined by the 2012-2013 Pennsylvania Department
of Education School Lunch statistics.
WHERE they want it.
Write what they want.
Know goals from objectives . . .
Usually, the Broad Intentions:
Your big picture purpose
Eliminating in-school violence
Resorting the
biodiversity of an urban waterway
Usually, the outcomes that can be expected
More concrete, more measurable
50% reduction in in- school fights
Measured increase in the number of fish
species residing in the stream
Goals Objectives
Outputs from outcomes . . .
Totals & Tallies:
Number of Programs/
Events
Number of Attendees
Number or Total of Contributions
Overall Impact:
Short-term: Gains in Knowledge & Skills
Intermediate: Change in Behavior
Long-Term: Change in Status
Outputs Outcomes
And measures from measures.
Data captured when your clients take evaluations or surveys that ask:
Did you like the training?
Was the room the right temperature?
Was this fun?
Data captured when your clients take evaluations or surveys that ask:
How many times have you used the information you learned in training
Will this new knowledge change your actions or behavior?
Measures of Satisfaction Measures of Success
And don’t forget - surveys aren’t the only way to “measure!”
Suggested Reading on Writing
Some books that you can turn to with good tips and techniques for framing and refining your proposal.
http://amzn.com/w/2MJROQB9OZ753
On Writing Well by William Zinsser
A great book on general nonfiction writing
The Only Grant-Writing Book You’ll Ever Need
Ellen Karsh and Arlen Sue Fox
I wouldn’t say that it’s the only book you’ll ever need but it’s a decent resource!
How To Say It: Grantwriting by Deborah S. Koch
Writing for a Good Cause by Joseph Barbato &
Danielle Furlich
Both good resources, with some info on general writing for fund development purposes
Don’t forget the other sections!
Cover Sheets
What signatures are needed?
And when can you easily get them?
Cover sheets can vary. Will you need any specific data?
Full organization budget?
Fancy project name?
ID numbers you don’t know?
Will you still need a cover letter?
This varies!
Attachments & Appendices
It is very, very tempting to put these off till then end.
Don’t.
Review the requirements when you start the proposal and make sure you have (or have access to)
everything that is requested.
Don’t wait until the last minute to request letters of support. It will always take three times as long to get them as you think it will.
Pay particular attention to budget guidelines. Allow time for reformatting and recalculating.
Make sure all the attachments are up-to-date, from your Board of Directors list to event schedules
Who needs to sign the application? Have a strategy for when and how they’ll sign it.
Spell-check and proofread everything!
Budgets & Financials
Also tempts you to wait till the last minute.
DON’T!
Plan accordingly – start thinking about budget items during the planning phases
Do they provide a template? Or can you use your internal reports/printouts?
Provide everything asked for
Full organization budgets
Other funding being sought
Be honest – and realistic – about what it will take to
fulfill your stated goals.
Create a set of reference files!
How can I keep track of
everything?
What will you put in yours?
Narrative Content
Mission and Vision
Background/History
Staff bios
Overview of services/
current programs
Success stories
Descriptions of service areas/neighborhoods
Documents
501(c) 3 determination
Board and Staff Lists
Audited Financial Statements
Personnel policies
Common data sources/
points of reference (ie:
Free/Reduced lunch
statistics, population
data, clients served)
BREAK & GROUP EXERCISE!
YES! You were funded!
Now what?
Getting Funded
Take care of the details.
Paperwork Processing
Sign and return any forms
Submit any additional information requested
Send a formal thank you/confirmation
Spread the Word
Internally
Externally
Mark your Calendar!
Report Due Dates
Spending Deadlines
Make new friends . . .
Ongoing engagement can mean a lot . . . it not only
strengthens your
connection to the funder, it will make your job easier in the long run.
Stay connected throughout the year
Extend invitations (site visit, special events, open houses)
Share photos, testimonials, media mentions
Create & maintain a progress file
Keep track of records
Make note of success stories
Track and log media mentions
Keep track of your correspondence
Always follow through.
Foundations rely on grantees to be wise stewards of funds
Do what you said you would do
Strive to reach your goals
Don’t implement a major project change or shift in focus without their consideration
Off track? Talk to the funder.
Most funders are happy to help keep a program on track by making suggestions, connect you with
potential collaborator, etc.
Discuss changes and shifts as they happen – don’t surprise funders with changes at the last minute or when a final report goes in.
QUESTIONS?
COMMENTS?
SUCCESS STORIES?
© Martha Riecks Consulting www.askandevaluate.org [email protected]
