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GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP
SEPTEMBER 29, 2015
TODAY’S AGENDA
Grant Writing Overview
Getting Started
Determining Eligibility
Solicitation Rules
Forming your Response Team
Developing a Response Plan
Mapping out a Schedule
Writing the Response
Common Sections
Quality Writing & Citations
Good v/s Not-So-Good Statements
Sustainability Plans
Budget
Appendices
Quality Assurance
Submitting a Successful Grant
Peer Review Process
Overview
Who are Peer Reviewers
Quality of Proposals Reviewed
Peer Reviewers Recommendations
Grant Resources
Closing Remarks
GRANT WRITING OVERVIEW
•Getting Started
•Solicitation Rules
•Determining Eligibility
•Forming your Response Team
•Developing a Response Plan
•Mapping out a Schedule
GETTING STARTED
•Where to find grants
•Purpose of grants
•Funding terms
DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY
• Eligibility is unique to each solicitation
• Read this section first
• If unsure, contact the funding agency
DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY
Example: This solicitation is open to all public governmental
agencies, profit and nonprofit institutions, universities,
community groups and faith-based organizations. Proposals
should be of national relevance, significantly advance the field of
community policing, and demonstrate an understanding of community
policing as it pertains to the application topic. Applications that
represent partnerships between law enforcement agencies and
university and nonprofit institutions are encouraged. Initiatives
that primarily or solely benefit one or a limited number of law
enforcement agencies or other entities will not be considered for
funding. All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated
funds and any modifications or additional requirements that may be
imposed by law.
DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY
Example: Eligible Applicants: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS,
other than institutions of higher education.
Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of
higher education. For profit organizations other than small businesses.
Additional Information on Eligibility: Eligible applicants are national, regional,
state, or local public and private entities, including for- profit (commercial) and
nonprofit organizations (including tribal nonprofit or for-profit organizations),
faith-based and community organizations, institutions of higher education
(including tribal institutions of higher education), federally recognized Indian
tribal governments as determined by the Secretary of the Interior, and units of
local government that support initiatives to improve the functioning of the criminal
justice system. For-profit organizations must agree to forgo any profit or
management fee.
SOLICITATION RULES
•Rules are not suggestions
•Unique to each specific funding organization
•Highlight the rules – literally
PART I: FORMING YOUR RESPONSE
TEAM
•Single Point of Contact
•Team Members/Contributors
•Schedule Regular Meetings
•Need more than 1 person
•Delegate
DEVELOPING A RESPONSE PLAN
The Response Plan is a Written Plan:
•Team member names
•Roles & responsibilities
•Timeline with key dates and deadlines
•Write out a communications strategy
•Every team member get’s a copy of the
plan
•Review the plan with the team members
at our very first meeting
MAPPING OUT A SCHEDULE
•Deadlines are non-negotiable
•Things you can do today to expedite your
proposal response
•Standard timeframe 30-90 days
REVIEW OF TIPS
1. Sign up for e-notifications on funding opportunities
from foundations, corporations, state, and federal
government.
2. Read the eligibility requirements first.
3. Highlight the key phrases in the eligibility section to
make sure you are eligible to apply.
4. Immediately seek clarification about eligibility if the
messaging is confusing.
REVIEW OF TIPS
•Solicitation rules are NOT suggestions.
•Create a written response plan with key dates
and deadlines.
•More than 1 person should be involved with
preparing your proposal if you want to win.
•Submit your proposal at least 1 day early.
BREAK TIME & QUESTIONS
Questions? Send them to us via the
webinar tool and we’ll address some before
we begin the second half
WRITING THE RESPONSE
•Common Solicitation Sections
•Quality Writing & Citations
•Sustainability Plans
•Budgets
•Appendices
•Importance of Quality Assurance
•Submitting a Successful Grant
COMMON SECTIONS
•Abstract
•Need or Problem Statement
•A story supported by data (with citations!)
•Goals & Objectives
•Goals are broad & general statements
•Objectives are specific steps you will take to
accomplish each goal (SMART).
•Program Design
•Evaluation (ROI- Return on Investment)
•Sustainability Plan
•Budget
•Appendices
QUALITY WRITING & CITATIONS
•Every sentence should have meaning
•Avoid wordy sentences
•Avoid jargon and acronyms
•Quality Assurance is critical
•Citations are very important
GOOD VS NOT-SO-GOOD
Not-So-Good
“Our city experienced a 10%
increase in vehicle thefts in the last
year.”
Good
“Our city experienced a 10%
increase in vehicle thefts in the last
year.” (source, year)
“Research shows the need to
invest in license plate reader
technology.” (source, year)
“Research shows the need to
invest in license plate reader
technology.”
“In the next 5 years there will be a 20%
growth in our community.”
(source, year)
“In the next 5 years there will be a
20% growth in our community.”
SUSTAINABILITY PLANS
•The BIG QUESTION: How will the
program continue after funding is
expended?
•Corporate sponsorships?
•Fee for service?
•Fundraising/donations?
•Other?
•Sustainability Plans are based on
ASSUMPTIONS
BUDGET
•Direct Costs
•Personnel
•Supplies
•Equipment
•Travel
•Communication Costs
•Printing
•Contracted Services
•Miscellaneous
•Indirect Costs
•Usually a percentage of the Direct Costs
•Vulnerable Budget Areas
•Utilities
•Office Space
•Salary Increases
•Food
•Insurance
•Transportation
APPENDICES
Tip: The appendices should be well organized & formatted. Assign a team member to take charge.
•Formatting matters
•Organization is important
•Common documents
•Organization’s history, mission, vision,
values
•Resumes
•Job descriptions
•Information about consultants or
contractors
•Letters of support
•Description of relevant past studies or
projects
•Evaluation instruments
QUALITY ASSURANCE
•Assign (at least) two people to oversee quality
assurance
•A lay person
•An expert
•Responsibilities for Quality Assurance Reviewers
•Ensuring 100% compliance with the
solicitation’s rules
•Making sure data is supported with citations
•Checking for grammatical and spelling errors
•Making sure there is consistency between
the budget and narrative
•Reading and providing a critical review of a
proposal before its submitted
SUBMITTING A SUCCESSFUL GRANT
•Compliant with the solicitation
rules
•Well prepared
•Easy-to-read
•Professionally packaged
•Free of errors
•Submitted on-time (ideally 1 day
early)
REVIEW OF TIPS
•Everything you submit is ultimately judged.
•Use the SMART Method when writing your objectives.
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, & Time-
Bound.
•Avoid acronyms and technical jargon.
•Use data/information from at least 4-5 DIFFERENT
sources.
•Create a Sustainability Plan Template now and tailor it to
each specific solicitation.
REVIEW OF TIPS
•Apply quality assurance to your budget! Make sure
your costs are consistent throughout your proposal.
•The appendices should be well organized &
formatted. Assign a team member to take charge.
•Assign (at least) two people to oversee quality
assurance.
•If not against the rules of the solicitation, use graphs,
charts, color, dividers, images, etc.
PEER REVIEW PROCESS
•Overview
•Who are Peer Reviewers
•Quality of Solicitations Reviewed
•Peer Reviewers
Recommendations
OVERVIEW
•Screening Process
•Who are Peer Reviewers
•Quality of Solicitations Reviewed
•Peer Reviewers Recommendations
WHO ARE PEER REVIEWERS
Who?
•Consultants
•Subject Matter Experts (not necessarily
experts in your field)
•Practitioners
•Researchers
How many?
•Usually 3-4 peer reviewers per committee
•Number of peer reviewers depends on number of proposals competing
QUALITY OF PROPOSALS REVIEWED
•Proposals vary from poorly to
perfectly packaged
•Very competitive environment - even
the best written proposals do not win
PEER REVIEWERS RECOMMENDATIONS
•We read
•We score
•We convene
•We discuss
•We come to a consensus (which may lead
us to change our original score – positive
or negative)
REVIEW OF OUR TIPS
•Peer Reviewers are professionals and expect to
see proposals that are compliant with the solicitation
rules.
•Peer Reviewers create their own scoring
methodology and apply it to all proposals.
•Peer Reviewers may not be experts in your
particular field. Make sure you avoid technical
jargon.
•Sign up to be a Peer Reviewer! It will help build
your grant writing skills.
SOME GRANT RESOURCES
www.grants.gov
http://foundationcenter.org/
Local Cities, Local Businesses, State Governments
Private Foundations (e.g. Target, Walmart, Goodyear)
CLOSING REMARKS
Heather R. [email protected]