Improving Your Odds at Getting Funded

Improving Your Odds at Getting FundedDeveloping a Proposal Building Team
Presenters: Deborah Minor-Harvey& James Pfluecke, IRN Technical Assistance Providers

Step 1: Where Do I Begin?
Research Federal Funding Sources
Illinois ResourceNet (www.illinoisresource.net)
Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
Grants.gov
Federal Register/NOFA (Notice of Fund Availability)

Step 2: Answer Key Questions
Does your organization have clearly defined mission, goals and purpose statements?
Is your mission and strategic plan aligned with the problem to be addressed in the RFP (Request for Proposal)?
Who is driving the grant-seeking process?
Who will manage the proposal development process?

Step 3: Assess Your Organization’s Capacity
Board Governance
Strategic Planning
Management Systems
Financial Management Systems
Fund Development Plan
Human Resources (Leadership, Management & Program & Administrative Staff

Step 4: Make Necessary Adjustments
If Necessary Take A Pass Until Adjustments Are Made….

Step 5: Study (really study) the RFP
Funding Opportunity Description
Eligible Applicants
Objectives
Evaluation Measures
Key Questions to Be Answered & Assigned Points
Grant Amount & Duration
Target Group To Be Served
Cost Sharing or Matching
Application & Submission

Step 6: Assemble Your Proposal Development Team (Heavy Lifters)
Proposal Development Manager
Program Staff
Community Partners/Collaborators
Grant Writer

Step 7: Identify Proposal Development Supporters
Funding Agency
Professional Organizations Related to RFP Objectives
Educational Institutions
Board Members
Clients
Local Agencies
Community Organizations
Technical Assistance Providers

Step 8: Develop Project Time Line

Step 9: Develop Proposal Development Work Plan
Assign Action Steps to Team Members According to Skill Set & Time Availability
Have Proposal Development Manager Facilitate Work Plan Implementation
Adjust Plan As Needed
Maintain Clear Lines of Communication

Step 10: Assess Community Needs
Reports from Program Staff
Intake Forms
Surveys of Target Population
Community-Based Focus Groups
Statistical Data (area organizations, educational institutions, local government agencies, planning departments)

Step 10 continued:
Take inventory of existing programs & services provided for the target population
Identify service gaps
Document research results

Step 11: Conduct Strategy Development Sessions
Brainstorm strategies that address the problem
List all possibilities
Identify opportunities for collaboration
Reach consensus on strategy
Develop program logic model
Create draft budget

Step 12: Gather or Create “Off the Shelf” Documents
Two-page synopsis describing vision & mission
Problem assessment supporting data
Goals, objectives & strategies
Evaluation approaches & results
Budget templates
Board information
Relevant forms

Step 13: Assemble Proposal Documents
Empirical Data
Program Logic Model
Strategy Work Plan
Budget
Appendices
Support Letters (if applicable)

Step 14:
Follow Instructions Follow InstructionsFollow InstructionsFollow InstructionsFollow InstructionsFollow Instructions

Step 15: Develop Proposal Submittal Checklist

Step 16: Submit Proposal
Do Not Wait Until the Last Minute

Step 17: Proposal is Submitted
Celebration Time!

Improving Your Odds at Getting Funded

by Illinois ResourceNet on Nov 08, 2010

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Improving Your Odds at Getting Funded — Webinar Transcript