NCCET Webinar - Successful and Essential Grant Writing Strategies

Successful Grant Writing Strategies
Presenters: Dr. Lisa Edwards
Dean, Enterprise & Economic Development
Dr. Erin Hoiland
Grants Manager
NCCET Annual Conference

Who is in the audience?
Workforce?
Corporate?
Continuing Education?
Grant Writers?
All of the above?

Disclaimer
The ideas and strategies provided in this presentation have worked for the presenters. They may not be directly applicable to your college. Or, they may need to be tweaked and adapted to your institutional culture.

Foundation Facts
75% of all proposals never get read
50% of all funding requests to foundations are inappropriate
80% of grants awarded by staffed foundations go to organizations that have had prior contact
Source: The Grantsmanship Center

Foundation Facts
Foundations gave $45.6 billion in 2008
Source: The Foundation Center
The Chronicle for Philanthropy posts more than $200 million in grants every two weeks
Source: The Chronicle for Philanthropy

Federal Grant Facts
Grants.gov reported 100,000 submissions in 2008 and 300,000 submissions as of 9/18/2009
In 2008, 26 federal grant making agencies awarded almost $30 billion in grants
Source: Grants.gov

Step 1: Pre-Planning
Collect historical information about organization
Identify top 3-5 priorities
Determine alignment of priorities with mission, vision and core strategic initiatives
Secure decision-maker commitment to support priorities

Step 1: Pre-Planning Continued
4) Gather quantitative data to document need and demand
5) Assess institutional capacity for grants
6) Identify staff who can help with writing, and program planning

Step 2: Identify Potential Funding
Private Sector: The Foundation Center
Private Sector: Chronicle for Philanthropy
Federal Grants: www.grants.gov
The Federal Register
Other?

Step 3: Prioritize Funding Sources
Grant Source
Funding Available
Number of awards given
When RFP will be released
Timeline for Application
Critical Partners
Contact Grant Manager/ Program Director

Step 4: Create a Grant Calendar
Identify the date for the RFP to be posted
Date for the bidders conference or webinar
Date for notice of intent
Date for uploading or mailing submission
Due date for grant
Notification date for awardees

Step 5: Research
Collect relevant reports
Identify associations, groups and other non-profits as partners
Identify government agencies to support concept

Step 6: Writing the Grant
Convene key partners and staff to read the RFP
Confirm eligibility to be fiscal agent and grant lead
Focus on anything that gives awardees extra points/ special consideration
Identify focus of project- KEEP IT SIMPLE

Step 6: Writing the Grant Continued
Review the size and scope of previously funded projects
Confirm institutional commitment to concept
Contact previous awardees to get copies of their grant applications
Plan 6 staff hours for each page of the application

Designate one person to be lead writer and others to be contributors so language is consistent
Keep language simple- avoid education jargon
Repeat key concepts throughout the proposal

Use Arial Narrow to get more words per page
Use 1.5 spacing if allowed instead of 2.0
Use colorful graphs and tables to illustrate information
Use headers and footers to put project title /page #

Step 7: Executive Summary and Case Statement
First sentence identifies applicant, key partners and what you will do
Second sentence explains who and how many will be served
Third sentence explains why you are doing it
Fourth sentence gives data to justify need:
“Every 26 seconds a high school student drops out in the United States”

Step 7: Budget
Allocate dollars for those will do the work
Dedicate funds for support staff and fiscal staff
Allocate money to grant partners
Allow for COLA’s for multiple year grants
Make sure narrative numbers match budget table

Step 8: Letters of Support
Plan to write 3-5 different letter templates
Allow two weeks for letters to be written
Letters should clearly state what they have committed to do and equivalent dollar value
For federal grants, notify elected officials to not only write a letter, but to place phone calls to project directors

Step 9: Review
Have at least three colleagues read the proposal
Have two staff “cold read” the proposal for basic grammatical structure and readability
Triple check all numbers to make sure they add up

Step 10: Assembly
Decide what needs to go in the body of the proposal and what can go in the Appendix
Use color graphs and a color cover page if possible
Print at least 20 extra copies of the proposal.
letters.

Step 10: Assembly
Send a copy of the proposal with a thank you letter to each partner and participating staff member
Send a copy of the proposal to those who sent you copies of their proposal
Create a binder or file of the proposal and original letters.

Q & A Period

Thank you!
For More Information Contact:
Dr. Lisa Edwards
ledwards@tacomacc.edu / 253.566.5019
Dr. Erin Hoiland
ehoiland@tacomacc.edu/ 253-566-5005

NCCET Webinar - Successful and Essential Grant Writing Strategies

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