grant writing 102
DESCRIPTION
This session is all about efficient grant writing and how to make the most of the proposals you write. First, we’ll look at the broad concepts of grant writing – what to do and what not to do in terms of background, writing style, timing, etc. Then we’ll take an in-depth look at each of the proposal’s sections with an eye toward creating content that puts your agency in the best light.TRANSCRIPT
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Grant Writing 102
Hillel Bromberg
May 30, 2012
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Advising nonprofits in:
• Strategy
• Planning
• Organizational Development
www.synthesispartnership.com
(617) 969-1881
INTEGRATED PLANNING
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Affordable collaborative data
management in the cloud.
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Today’s Speaker
Hillel Bromberg Director of Grants Development and Administration,
Families United in Educational Leadership
Hosting:
Sam Frank, Synthesis PartnershipAssisting with chat questions: April Hunt, Nonprofit Webinars
or
How to impress the pants off the funders
Hillel Bromberg
Grant Writing 102
Broad Concepts
The proposal comes last
Appropriate funders vs. scattershot
Do your homework
Broad Concepts
Approach
Sales pitch
Focus on the meeting the funder’s
needs, not your agency’s
Broad Concepts
Teamwork
Grant writing is a group effort
Leave time to review, not just write
Use outside reviewers at the final stages
Broad Concepts
DON’T SLIP THE DEADLINE!!
Broad Concepts
Leverage your rejections
Rejections are not the end of the
process
Request reviewers’ comments
Read the winning application(s)
Revise and reapply
Broad Concepts
Writing Style
Not academic, journalistic, etc.
Short sentences
Subheads
Energetic, concise, direct writing
Avoid jargon
PROOFREAD! Have zero tolerance for errors in spelling, formatting, etc.
Parts of the proposal
Letter of Intent Your purpose is not to describe the workings of
the program, but to get the reader to invite a proposal.
Concise
Compelling
Clear
Get the reader excited
Parts of the proposal
Part I – About the organization (message)
Build trust by describing:
Your mission
Whom you serve
Track record of achievement
List your programs
Size of budget
Location
Who runs the organization
Parts of the proposal
Part I – About the organization (content)
History
Goals & objectives (short & long term)
Programs & services
Organizational structure (board, staff,
volunteers)
Parts of the proposal
Part II – About the program/project
Description of the program/project
Don’t assume what the funder knows
Describe your target audience (quantity,
demographics, geography, etc.)
What project planning have you already done?
Use the “mind’s eye” test
Parts of the proposalPart II – About the program/project
Description of need (what is the issue you plan to address? What is your approach? What
research supports your idea? How does your strategy differ from others in the field?)
Why is this situation important?
What research did you do?
Tell a story
Parts of the proposalPart II – About the program/project
Specific activities (including information about service delivery and/or timeline)
Your work plan – what are you doing about this problem?
What are your outputs?
How many units of service will you deliver over what time frame?
Who is doing the work and what are their credentials?
When and where will the work happen?
Parts of the proposal
Part II – About the program/project
Objectives and goals for this request (how will
this grant strengthen the organization,
address the issues, make improvements, or
achieve success?)
Prime question: what will change about your
world as a result of your program/project?
Parts of the proposal
Part II – About the program/project
Evaluation (what are the anticipated outcomes
and how will you know if you are successful?)
Key: be sure your evaluation plan is achievable
given your resources.
If the evaluation will cost money, put that cost into
the project budget
Parts of the proposal
Part II – About the program/project
Other
aka, conclusion
Summary of your appeal
Mimic the funder’s words
The Clowes Fund works hard to build an equitable society where
individuals increase their own knowledge and take the initiative
toward their own success. Similarly, FUEL takes a very direct
approach to this problem by engaging low-income families and
giving them the understanding and tools they need to access higher
education. We believe that family ambition and engagement are
essential to individual students’ educational success and we strive
to help underserved families gain the education that will help them
move out of poverty and take their place in the economic and social
mainstream. With support from the Clowes Fund, FUEL will be able
to continue and expand its efforts with low-income and immigrant
families so they can realize their dreams of a higher education
and economic advancement.
Clowes mission: The Clowes Fund, a family foundation, seeks to
enhance the common good by encouraging organizations and
projects that help to build a just and equitable society, create
opportunities for initiative, foster creativity and the growth of
knowledge, and promote appreciation of the natural environment.
The Clowes Fund works hard to build an equitable society where
individuals increase their own knowledge and take the initiative
toward their own success. Similarly, FUEL takes a very direct
approach to this problem by engaging low-income families and
giving them the understanding and tools they need to access higher
education. We believe that family ambition and engagement are
essential to individual students’ educational success and we strive
to help underserved families gain the education that will help them
move out of poverty and take their place in the economic and social
mainstream. With support from the Clowes Fund, FUEL will be able
to continue and expand its efforts with low-income and immigrant
families so they can realize their dreams of a higher education
and economic advancement.
Clowes mission: The Clowes Fund, a family foundation, seeks to
enhance the common good by encouraging organizations and
projects that help to build a just and equitable society, create
opportunities for initiative, foster creativity and the growth of
knowledge, and promote appreciation of the natural environment.
The Clowes Fund works hard to build an equitable society where
individuals increase their own knowledge and take the initiative
toward their own success. Similarly, FUEL takes a very direct
approach to this problem by engaging low-income families and
giving them the understanding and tools they need to access higher
education. We believe that family ambition and engagement are
essential to individual students’ educational success and we strive
to help underserved families gain the education that will help them
move out of poverty and take their place in the economic and social
mainstream. With support from the Clowes Fund, FUEL will be able
to continue and expand its efforts with low-income and immigrant
families so they can realize their dreams of a higher education
and economic advancement.
Parts of the proposal
Budget
Expenses divide into three sections:
personnel expenses
direct project expenses
administrative or overhead expenses
Parts of the proposal
Budget
Income divides into:
Earned income
Contributed income
Cash
In-kind
Show whether each is received, committed, pending, or to be submitted
Ok to fill in the gap with “Other funders (to be submitted)”
Parts of the proposal
Supplementary materials
IRS letter
Board of directors
Most recent fiscal audit
Budget
Next year’s budget (sometimes)
Other: annual report, newsletter, charts, etc.
Pulling it all together
Have someone else review
Add a cover letter
Check guideline to see how many copies they want and how to format them.
Add divider sheets with list of supplementary materials
Make it a neat presentation
Get it in on time!
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