4. grantseeking basic elements of a grant
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This document provides guidance on the basic elements of a grant proposal, including an introduction, mission and background, statement of need, project description, request for funding and budget, and conclusion. It emphasizes that the introduction should briefly describe the organization, purpose of the proposal, and funding amount requested. The mission and background section explains the organization's goals and how it arrived at its current state. The statement of need justifies the project by explaining the need, using research, statistics, and testimonies. The project description outlines the proposed project, its uniqueness, timeline, goals, objectives, outcomes, and evaluation plan. The funding request specifies how funds will be used and fits into the overall budget. The conclusion summarizes benefits and next
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4. grantseeking basic elements of a grant
- 1. Grant Seeking Module 4 – Basic Elements of a Proposal Developed by Rebecca White, Ph.D. Organization Development and Evaluation LSU AgCenter – Cooperative Extension
- 2. Getting Ready for This Online Training Pause the training Locate in the ODE Unit SharePoint Site Online Training folder materials Print out materials for Module 4 – Basic Elements of a Grant 4.1. Organizational Background and Mission Examples 4.2. Project Goals Worksheet 4.3. Project Objectives Worksheet
- 3. Grant Seeking Module 1 – Getting Started Module 2 – Creating a Program Logic Model Module 3 – Identifying Potential Funders Module 4 – Basic Elements of a Grant Module 5 – Developing a Grant Budget Module 6 – LSU AgCenter Grant Protocol
- 4. Grant Seeking Training Series Goal and Objectives GOAL – Participants to attain the knowledge, skill and confidence to develop a grant proposal OBJECTIVES – Participants gain knowledge of: Strategies to start developing a grant proposal Basic components of a grant proposal Ways to find potential grant funders LSU AgCenter Grant Protocol
- 5. Organizational Impact Desired Agents receive funding and implement projects that foster clientele’s growth, development and improved quality of life.
- 7. Basic Elements of a Grant Proposal Introduction Mission & Background Statement of Need Project Description Funding Request & Budget Conclusion
- 8. Introduction Briefly Describe LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service Purpose of proposal Requested amount Be short and succinct
- 9. Introduction Example The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service is the public service arm of the LSU Agricultural Center and has been serving people for a century. Our mission is to help the people of Louisiana improve their lives through an educational process that uses research-based knowledge focused on issues and needs. Our goal is to promote positive behavioral changes in people through informal education programs. The Little Bookshelf Program is designed to help parents read routinely to their child from birth. Parents of newborns receive 12 children’s books, a small bookshelf and positive parenting information. The purpose of this proposal is to request $20,000 to provide program resources for 400 low-income parents of newborns in the greater Baton Rouge area.
- 10. Mission & Background LCES mission LCES goals Explain how Extension got to where it is now
- 11. Mission and Background Example The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service serves the people of Louisiana by helping them improve their lives through community-based, informal education programs. All Extension programs are based on research and focused on relevant issues and needs. We provide educational program to families, 4-H youth, homeowners, farmers and agriculture-related businesses.
- 12. Mission and Background Example The LSU Agricultural Center is one of 10 institutions within the Louisiana State University System. Its primary functions are to serve the people of Louisiana through education and research through the operation of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service and the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station. The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service is the public service arm of the LSU Agricultural Center and extends the knowledge derived from research to the people of the state. Its mission is to help the people of Louisiana improve their lives through an educational process that uses research- based information focused on issues and needs. Positive behavioral change in people is promoted through informal education programs offered in communities throughout Louisiana.
- 13. Need Statement Explanation of need Research about need Use statistics Use testimonies
- 18. Project Description 1. Explain your idea to address the need 2. Describe idea uniqueness 3. Highlight why funder is a good fit for project 4. Include a project timeline 5. Cover what you hope to accomplish (goals, objectives, outcomes, impacts) 6. Describe how you will evaluate
- 19. Program Description – Developing Goals and Objectives USUALLY, GOALS ARE: Broad General intentions Intangible Abstract Generally difficult to measure USUALLY, OBJECTIVES ARE: Narrow Precise Tangible Concrete Measurable Goals are overarching principles that guide decision making. Objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely steps that can be taken to meet the goal.
- 20. Developing Program Goals Effective program goal statements have three key components. They include a phrase about doing something (using an active verb), describe among whom or with what, and indicate where. The template for an program goal is: To (do something/using active verb) + (among whom) + (where). Example: To increase service learning participation of 4-H youth in XYZ Parish.
- 22. Use Active Verbs when writing SMART Objectives • Change • Complete • Demonstrate • Increase • Identify • List • Name • Recognize • Specify • Adopt • Apply • Complete • Demonstrate • Establish • Initiate • Produce • Show • Use For Short Term Outcomes For Medium Term Outcomes
- 23. Examples of SMART Objectives A template you can use to develop a program objective is: (When change will occur) + (Who/what will be impacted) + (How much change occurs) + (What will change) Example: Goal: To establish a Master Gardener Program for residents in XYZ Parish. Objective: In 2014-15, of forty (40) or more local gardeners participating in XYZ Parish Master Gardener Training Program, 85% will increase their level of knowledge in home horticulture at least 10%.
- 24. Request for Funding and Budget State your funding request Be specific, explain how funds will be used Describe projected project budget Explain where their funds fit in the budget BE SPECIFIC AND DETAILED Request should be reasonable
- 25. Conclusion Concise summary Highlight benefits of partnership Include thank you for opportunity Mention you will follow-up soon
- 26. Refine Your Proposal Review grant requirements, check for adherence Carefully re-read entire proposal looking for errors, inconsistencies and awkward phrasing Spell and grammar check Have another person read and suggest edits
- 27. In summary Basic Elements of a Proposal Introduction Mission & Background Statement of Need Project Description Request for Funding & Budget Conclusion
- 28. GrantSeeking -Module4–BasicElementsofaGrant Brought to you by: Rebecca White, Ph.D. Organization Development and Evaluation LSU AgCenter
Editor's Notes
- Hello, I am Becky White and I am in the Organization Development and Evaluation unit serving as a resource specialist for grant development. My role is to assist those interested in developing and seeking grants. This series of web-based trainings is designed to help a beginner in grant seeking to get started. This is Module 4 – Basic Elements of a Proposal.
- To get ready for this training, you will need to PAUSE the training, return to the ODE Unit SharePoint Site in the Online Training folder and print out the resources found on the ODE SharePoint site listed for Module 4 – Basic Elements of a Grant – Organizational Background and Mission Examples, Project Goals Worksheet and Project Objectives Worksheet. Now you are ready to resume the online training.
- This grant writing training series is designed to provide you with basic information about writing for grants to enhance your Extension programs. To date there are six modules. Current modules include: Module 1 – getting started Module 2 – creating a program logic model Module 3 – identifying potential funders Module 4 – basic elements of a grant Module 5 – developing a grant budget Module 6 – LSU AgCenter grant protocol This module 4 Basic Elements of a Grant should take about 20 minutes to complete.
- The Grant Seeking Training series’ GOAL is for participants to attain the knowledge, skill and confidence to develop a grant proposal. The training series OBJECTIVES include participants gaining knowledge of: Strategies to start developing a grant proposal Basic components of a grant proposal Ways to find potential grant funders LSU AgCenter Grant Protocol
- The long term impact expected as a result of sharing this information is that - Extension agents write grants, receive grant funding and implement projects that foster their clientele’s growth, development and quality of life.
- As mentioned previously, you can do this! Like most of our work it is about breaking down the work challenge into accomplishable pieces that you can handle. Learning about basic elements of typical grant proposals can help you develop pieces of a standard proposal for an Extension program. Let’s get started.
- The basic elements of a grant proposal include: An introduction to the project concept and grant request An explanation of Extension’s mission & background A statement of need that serves to justify the necessity for your project A detailed project description A request for financial support & detailed budget And a proposal conclusion Let’s focus on each of the basic elements separately.
- Typically, grant proposal’s require some sort of brief introduction or an abstract or executive summary. For Extension proposals, an introduction might: Briefly describe the LSU AgCenter and LCES. If it is a 4-H effort, you will need to describe the 4-H program generally and also include details about your local program. Briefly describe the purpose of the proposal Include the requested amount for the project Remember to be short and succinct
- An example of an introduction to a grant from the LSU AgCenter Extension Service might be: The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service is the public service arm of the LSU Agricultural Center and has been serving people for a century. Our mission is to help the people of Louisiana improve their lives through an educational process that uses research-based knowledge focused on issues and needs. Our goal is to promote positive behavioral changes in people through informal education programs. The Little Bookshelf Program is designed to help parents read routinely to their child from birth. Parents of newborns receive 12 children’s books, a small bookshelf and positive parenting information. The purpose of this proposal is to request $20,000 to provide program resources for 400 low-income parents of newborns in the greater Baton Rouge area. This introduction is six sentences long. The first three briefly describe the Extension Service in Louisiana. The last three sentences provide a brief summary of the program and the requested amount of the grant.
- The next basic element of a grant proposal is a section about your organization’s mission and background. In this case it would be Cooperative Extension Service. Describe our mission - “To improve the lives of Louisianans through an informal educational process that uses research-based knowledge focused on their issues and needs.” Then write about LCES goals that most pertain to this project you are proposing. Briefly share how the Extension Service got to where it is now.
- Here is a very generic mission and background example appropriate for Extension. The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service serves the people of Louisiana by helping them improve their lives through community-based, informal education programs. All Extension programs are based on research and focused on relevant issues and needs. We provide educational program to families, 4-H youth, homeowners, farmers and agriculture-related businesses.
- Here is another example from the five found on your handout for this module – Mission and Background Section Examples. The LSU Agricultural Center is one of 10 institutions within the Louisiana State University System. Its primary functions are to serve the people of Louisiana through education and research through the operation of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service and the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station. The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service is the public service arm of the LSU AgCenter and extends the knowledge derived from research to the people of the state. Its mission is to help the people of Louisiana improve their lives through an educational process that uses research-based information focused on issues and needs. Positive behavioral change in people is promoted through informal education programs offered in communities throughout Louisiana. Feel free to use these, revise and/or adapt the examples provided to assist you in completing your proposal.
- Another element of a basic grant proposal is a need statement or a justification of the need. This helps you really “sell” the idea that this is a critical need. This is where you justify the expenditure of the funder’s money for this effort. Write an explanation about the need for the project. This may require that you do a bit of research. You could use your parish situation information, check with Kids Count website or the US Census Quick Facts for statistics that might be relevant. Check with Extension specialists for appropriate research statistics . Weave the statistics into your narrative about the need. You can also use testimonies. Get a quote or testimony about the need from a person who knows: a representative, senator, juvenile judge, sheriff, district attorney, principal, school superintendent, school board member or 4-H club leader. Ask them a purposeful question and write down their quote or testimony. The next four slides are examples of reliable, trustworthy data sites that might help you with your needs statement section.
- The US Census State and County QuickFacts site allows you to seek data at the state, county (parish) or city level. You can find demographic, social, economic, employment and educational types of information and more.
- If your project pertains to children, explore the Louisiana Kids’ Dashboard. This site is a compilation of information shared by several state departments that serve children in Louisiana.
- The Annie E. Casey Foundation is the supporter for the notable Kids Count Data Center and has information on child wellbeing by state and county.
- If your project is focused on health issues, you might check out this site. The County Health Rankings and Roadmaps provides information on how your county fares in contrast to others on many health issues.
- One of the most important basic elements of a grant proposal is the project description. Explain your idea to address the need you have identified in the previous section. Describe any uniqueness about your project idea. (examples – gardening skills for kindergarteners or special students, books for babies and their parents, youth restoring the coast by planting marsh grass, youth developing a photo exhibit for parish museum, leadership short course for teens) Highlight why the funder you selected is a good fit for this project. Include how your project values & their programming focus is similar or the same. Include a project timeline that highlights when you will accomplish what. Include what you hope to accomplish. Include specific project goals & objectives as well as what you expect the final outcomes and impacts to be. Describe how you will evaluate the project. Funders want to know if their support of your project actually made a difference. For most Extension educational programs we evaluate to determine if our goals and objectives or expected outcomes have been achieved. We assess what the participants gain or how they change or what is different during and after the project activities are implemented.
- Effective program goal statements have three key components. They include a phrase about doing something (using an active verb), describe among whom or with what, and indicate where. The template for an program goal is: To (do something/using active verb) + (among whom) + (where). Here is an example - To increase service learning participation of 4-H youth in XYZ Parish. Another example is - To establish a Master Gardener Program for residents in XYZ Parish. And here is another example – To organize neighborhood walking groups for residents in XYZ Parish. Take a moment to review the project goals worksheet that you printed out at the beginning of this webinar. It can help you develop your own program goals.
- To write a SMART objective you should think: Specific Measureable Attainable Relevant and Timely Is it specific? – What exactly will you accomplish? Is it measurable? – How will you know when you have reached this objective? Is it achievable? – Is achieving this objective realistic with effort and commitment? Is it relevant? – Why is this objective significant to the program? Is it timely? – When will you achieve this objective?
- Another tip in writing SMART objectives is to always use active verbs. There are many active verbs to choose from but not all mesh well with our Extension outreach methods. Here you see a few active verbs that I think are appropriate for our unique Extension outreach methods and also consider our logic model framework for program planning. Generally in our extension program planning and evaluation designs we evaluate the effectiveness of our programs by measuring changes in participant learning and participant actions.
- A template you can use to develop a program objective is: (When change will occur) + (Who/what will be impacted) + (How much change occurs) + (What will change) Example: Goal: To establish a Master Gardener Program for residents in XYZ Parish. Objective: In 2014-15, of forty (40) or more local gardeners participating in XYZ Parish Master Gardener Training Program, 85% will increase their level of knowledge in home horticulture at least 10%. Take a moment to review the worksheet for developing project objectives that you printed out at the beginning of this training. You can use it to help you as you develop your Extension programs and grant proposals.
- Another critical element of any grant proposal is the request for funding and the budget. Write a sentence stating your request for funding amount. Be specific and explain how funds are to be used. Describe in detail your projected project budget. In many instances you should include the total costs of the project, including what it would cost in terms of your time and effort and the value of any volunteer time and efforts . Explain where their funds fit in the total budget. If you are not asking for salary support be sure to distinguish that to the funder. BE SPECIFIC AND DETAILED – Typical budget categories include Salaries and Wages, Fringe Benefits, Travel, Supplies, Operating Services, Professional Services, Other Charges, Equipment. There are forms to help you develop a budget at the LSU AgCenter sponsored programs unit site under Sample forms and documents. In addition to a simple budget using the sample excel form, you may need a budget justification. This provides a more detailed explanation regarding items from each budget category. Remember your request should be reasonable and in keeping with the funder’s past record for average funding.
- And the final basic element of a grant proposal is a conclusion. Provide a concise summary of your project and request for funding. Highlight the benefits of the proposed partnership. Include a thank you for the opportunity to apply for this funding and mention that you will follow-up soon.
- When you have completed these six components of your proposal you should consider it as a first draft. The next step is to refine it. Follow these steps in refining your proposal. Review your grant application requirements again and check to see that you have adhered to them. (font, line spacing, margins, page length, word length, etc.). If there is a scoring rubric for the grant program be sure to review that and check your proposal to see if it fully addresses each scoring rubric item. Re-read it several times, taking breaks between readings looking for awkward sentences, errors, anything that is unclear. Use that wonderful spelling and grammar check that Microsoft word makes available. Have another person read it and note anything that is unclear, errors, and gaps.
- In summary, the six basic elements of a typical grant are Introduction Mission and background of LSU AgCenter - LCES Statement of need Project description Request for funding and budget Conclusion. I encourage you to begin your own grant proposal. Go on and get your feet wet. Take a section at a time. Step by step you will have a great foundation for a project grant proposal.
- Thank you for viewing this presentation. I hope you will set a personal goal to get started in writing a grant. Your Extension program can be enhanced through grants. The next module in this series will cover developing a grant proposal budget.