Grants Step By Step

February 19, 2010 Grant Proposals Step by Step Alice L. Ferris, MBA, CFRE GoalBusters LLC www.goalbusters.net

February 19, 2010 What do you know about grant writing?

February 19, 2010 Agenda Defining your project Identifying your funder Proposal writing Pet Peeves

February 19, 2010 Defining Your Project

February 19, 2010 What are you trying to “sell”?  Why is it important to your organization?  How will it contribute to your mission?  How will people’s lives be affected?

February 19, 2010 What makes a project attractive to a funder?  Restricted  Start up or early stage  Limited term for funder—sustainable beyond 2-3 years  Clear and measurable impact

February 19, 2010 Developing a master proposal  Who  Where  What  When  Why  How

February 19, 2010 Boilerplate materials  Mission, Vision, Values  Board list  Staff list in project area  Audit  Form 990  501(c)3 letter  Corporate Certificate  Organizational or department budget

February 19, 2010 Identifying Your Funder

February 19, 2010 Philosophy Don't waste your time or the funder's time with a frivolous proposal

February 19, 2010 Basic research  Open or Invitation Only  Deadlines  Application process  Funding range (sometimes)  Areas of focus  Programmatic  Geographic  Contact information

February 19, 2010 Sources for information  Foundation Center  Library  Grants.gov  Google  Corporate and Foundation websites  Guidestar.org  Donor lists of similar organizations  NOZA (www.nozasearch.com)

February 19, 2010 Next level research: Personal Contact  To ask if this is of any interest  If you can’t find basic information anywhere else  If it’s a closed foundation but you personally know someone there  If you think your project fits within scope, but you’re not sure  If they don’t say you CAN’T call

February 19, 2010 Applying for a Grant

February 19, 2010 Follow Directions!  Determine funder requirements in research stage  Put things in their order

February 19, 2010 Types  Letter of Intent  Full Proposal  Follow Up Proposal

February 19, 2010 Letter of Intent  Usually one to three pages  Executive Summary of Project  Lets funder make initial evaluation or in the case of more informal funders, can be the only proposal

February 19, 2010 Full Proposal  Structure varies from funder to funder  Usually very detailed and involves lots of rules  Sometimes this can be the initial and only contact with a funder

February 19, 2010 Follow Up Proposal  Usually at funder's request  Sometimes may be as detailed as a full proposal  Huge variation in structure

February 19, 2010 Who needs to be involved  CEO or Executive Director  Program director  Volunteers sometimes  Finance director  YOU

February 19, 2010 Make it engaging!

February 19, 2010 Classic story structure “Introduce your hero, get him up a tree, throw rocks at him, then get him out of the tree.” Robert McKee, Screenwriting Guru Or George M. Cohan, depending on where you check

February 19, 2010 Classic Story Structure  Introduce Protagonist

February 19, 2010 Classic Story Structure  Introduce Protagonist  Inciting Incident

February 19, 2010 Classic Story Structure  Introduce Protagonist  Inciting Incident  Identify Obstacles and Barriers

February 19, 2010 Classic Story Structure  Introduce Protagonist  Inciting Incident  Identify Obstacles and Barriers  Propose a solution and make the funder part of it

February 19, 2010 Evaluation measures  Qualitative  Quantitative  How will this impact the community or end user?  NOT how it will impact your organization, necessarily

February 19, 2010 Editing  Especially important for group written proposals  Get outside input

February 19, 2010 Submit and Follow Up  Don't be late!  Follow directions  Site visits if necessary  Okay to call if they say it's okay to call  Okay to ask for feedback once they make contact

February 19, 2010 Proposal Writing Steps  Follow directions!  Determine the proposal type  Identify the players  Gather your facts and story  Set real evaluation measures  Save time for editing  Submit to the funder

February 19, 2010 Reporting  You're not done yet!  Budget time for grant management

February 19, 2010 Pet Peeves

February 19, 2010 How to turn off a funder  All data, no story  Fluffy needs statement  Not following instructions  All qualitative evaluation measures  Unrealistic budget  Bad grammar, unprofessional presentation  One size fits all proposal  Late proposal  Trying to circumvent the process

February 19, 2010 Questions?

February 19, 2010 Thank You! Alice L. Ferris, MBA, CFRE Partner GoalBusters LLC alice.ferris@goalbusters.net www.goalbusters.net www.twitter.com/goalbusters

Grants Step By Step

by GoalBusters LLC on Mar 08, 2010

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