This document provides tips for successful grant writing. It outlines preparing to write a grant by knowing your organization, customers, and audience. This includes understanding your organization's mission, programs, staff, as well as the demographics and needs of those served. It also suggests researching the grant funding source by understanding their goals and past funding. The document provides a checklist of essential grant elements like a summary, problem statement, objectives, methods, evaluation, and budget. It concludes with tips for following up after applying for a grant.

1. Grant Writing Survival Tips

2. Introduction Successful grant writing is the art of presenting your organization -- its mission, needs, and capabilities --to a specific audience in a compelling way.

3. Topics we will cover A Grant Writer’s Checklist Preparing to Write What to do While You’re Waiting

4. Preparing to Write Know Your Organization Know Your Customers Know Your Audience

5. Know Your Organization Mission Statement and Strategic Plan Brief Description of Services/Programs Resumes/Vitae of all Key Staff Board of Directors List Key Collaborators List Other Things to keep on file --and UPDATE!!

6. Know Your Customers Your “primary customers” are the people and types of people you serve; students, parents, teachers, families, people with disabilities, etc. You may have “secondary” or “supporting” customers -- government, insurance, taxpayers, etc. Who are they? What makes them unique?

7. Know Your Customers Demographics -- how many, where, when, how often, etc. Case histories or personal examples (non-confidential) Things to Keep on File -- and UPDATE!!

8. Know Your Audience THINK about who will be reading your proposal. Your audience will affect how you present your case!

9. Know Your Audience What is the mission of the funding source? How has money been awarded in the past? What type(s) of recipients? What type(s) of projects? Average $ award? What did successful grantees do right? Checklist

10. Know Your Audience Are copies of abstracts or full proposals available from the funding source? How is the award decision made by the funding agent? Checklist (cot’d)

11. Where do I Find a Grant Source ? You may have a project in mind -- where can you find out about likely funding sources?

12. Where do I Find a Grant Source? Different types of organizations qualify for different types of grants intended for different purposes.

13. Where do I Find a Grant Source? Federal Register Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Internet/World Wide Web Federal Grant Sources

14. Where do I Find a Grant Source? http://12.46.245.173/cfda/cfda.html(search FDAC) http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.htm (Federal Register) http://www.tgci.com (The Grantsmanship Center) http://www.nonprofit.gov (US Gov. links for nonprofits) http://www.firstgov.gov (central Internet portal for US Government) Federal Grants -- Internet Resources

15. Where do I Find a Grant Source? National and Regional Special Interest Publications (discipline-specific) http://philanthropy.com (Chron. of Phil.) http://www.nptimes.com (NonProfit Times) http://www.hoovers.com (Business/corporate phil. research tool) Internet search engines (Google, AltaVista, etc.) Networking with Colleagues Other Federal (and other) Grants -- Internet Resources (cot’d)

16. Where do I Find a Grant Source? Any Cabinet Department Governor’s Office of Economic Development Some State Boards & Commissions State Sources

17. Where do I Find a Grant Source? United Way Individuals and Businesses Other Nonprofit Service Organizations Community Foundations Local Government (CDBG, for example) Local Community Sources

18. Where do I Find a Grant Source? The Foundation Center – http://www.fdncenter.org Extensive online resources – be sure to explore in detail CD-ROM resources – “Cooperating collections” in all states Print publications – university & major libraries Foundations

19. A Grant Writer’s Checklist

20. Essential Grant Elements Summary Introduction Problem Statement/Needs Assessment Goals and Objectives Methods (Activity Plan) Evaluation Future or Other Funding Budget

21. Summary Elements Appears at the beginning Identifies the applicant Includes at least one sentence on: Credibility The problem Goals and objectives Methods

22. Summary Elements (cot’d) Includes budget totals Total project cost Funds already obtained Amount requested in proposal Is brief Is clear Is interesting

23. Introduction Who is applying for funds Agency/organization mission and goals Programs and activities Clients and/or constituencies Evidence of prior accomplishments

24. Introduction (cot’d) Statistics in support of accomplishments Quotes/endorsements in support Supports applicant qualifications specific to application Leads logically to the problem statement Is as brief as possible Is interesting Is free of jargon

25. Problem Statement or Needs Assessment Relates to agency mission and goals “ Reasonable” problem dimensions Supported by statistical evidence Supported by statements from authorities Stated in terms of CLIENTS’ needs

26. Problem Statement or Needs Assessment (cot’d) Input from clients and beneficiaries Is not the “lack of program” Makes no unsupported assumptions Is: Free of jargon Interesting to read Compelling As brief as possible

27. Objectives Describes problem-related outcomes of your program Describes outcomes -- not methods Defines the population served States when objectives will be met Describes objectives in measurable terms

28. Methods Flows naturally from the problems and objectives Clearly describes program activities States reasons for selection of activities Describes: Sequence of activities Staffing and resources to complete activities Clients and client selection

29. Methods (cot’d) Presents: Reasonable scope of activities Accomplished within time allotted Within the resources of the applicant

30. Evaluation Presents a plan for evaluating: Accomplishment of goals and objectives (product or outcome) Methods used and modified (process) Tells who will perform evaluation, qualifications, how chosen Clearly states criteria for success Describes how data will be gathered

31. Evaluation (cot’d) Explains any test instruments or questionnaires Describes process of data analysis Describes any evaluation reports to be produced

32. Future or Other Funding Specific plan to obtain funding if the program is to be continued For construction projects: how will maintenance costs be secured? How will other funds be obtained to continue the project? ***Minimal reliance on future grant support*** Future funding accompanied by letters of commitment

33. Budget Tells the same story as the proposal narrative Is detailed in all aspects Projects costs incurred at time of program implementation No unexplained amounts or miscellaneous or contingency Includes all items asked of funding source Includes all items paid for by other sources

34. Budget (cot’d) Includes all volunteers Details fringe benefits -- separate from salaries Includes all consultants & contractors Separately details all non-personnel costs Include indirect costs where appropriate Sufficient to perform tasks in narrative

35. What to Do While You’re Waiting

36. Thank Your Sponsors and Collaborators Assure continued support Build solid relationships Formalize agreements

37. Follow Your Grant Proposal Monitor on-line services -- www.tgci.com Contact the funding source contact -- CAREFULLY

38. Set the Stage for the Next Application Request review of your current grant proposal Schedule planning meetings with key players Write and rewrite key sections as your agency & strategic plan change Continue to collect good ideas

39. Thank You! 818 S. Hawthorne Avenue Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57104-4537 (605) 336-0244 or (888) 4-SUMPTION www.sumptionandwyland.com