Grant Writing Guide

Grant Writing Guide

The Research Stage

Grant writing is not a quick way to solve an organization’s funding issues. Grant writing is a skill that requires patience and often practice. Writing grants is a fundamental part of the overall ongoing grant exploration and writing. It is crucial to know the submission deadline and to follow all directions when submitting grant proposals.

The Proposal Sections

There are eight sections in the grant writing process:

q proposal narrative

q organization history and background

q need statement

q project objectives

q project methods

q project evaluation

q future funding

q budget narrative

Proposal Narrative

The proposal narrative should be at the start of the proposal and form the proposed project. It is recommended that it be brief with only one or two paragraphs. The grantee must select a fundable project which has an impact on a local community. In the absence of funding, alternative should be clearly stated.

Using the logic model will allow an organization to identify the program and list activities that are currently in operation plus pose new ideas for new programs or expand existing ones.

The Background of the Organization

Most proposals necessitate a picture of an organization’s former and current operations. Some characteristics to consider:

q A brief biography of board members and key staff members

q The organization’s mission statement, philosophy, and track record with other grantors

q All data should be relevant to the grantor and establish credibility

In this section, the grantee drafts a proposal for one program that is a candidate for funding. The organization will assemble background history, appoint a grant writer, and implement the key elements; an introduction, proposal narrative, needs statement, program or project, budget, and organizational goals.

The Need Statement

 The need statement is an important portion of a proposal that makes a strong, short, and well-supported statement of the problem to be focused on. Collecting data about the problem via needs assessments from a population should be factual and directly related to the problem. Some areas to notate are:

q The purpose for developing the proposal

q A list of beneficiaries and how they will be impacted

q Social and economic costs

q The nature of the problem backed up by evidence and research findings

q How the problem came to realization and what is presently being done to combat the problem

q Explain what will happen to the project and impending outcomes and list alternatives when funding is exhausted

q The specific method by which problems are resolved, reviewing the needed resources, and how and to what extent they will be used.

In grant writing, it is crucial to find funders for an organization’s grant proposal. Developing a list of criteria will narrow down funders who match interests; locations, program areas (education, poverty, health) and the amounts needed for funding the project.

Project Objectives

This area is devoted to goals and objectives an organization plans to accomplish. Project objectives gives the grantor an idea of what problem the organization tends to address. A stipulated time is set in order to achieve specific objectives of the project. Objectives directly address the problem mention in the need statement. Factual data can be used here to justify project objectives. Some types of data to include in this section are:

q Historic

q Environmental

q Quantifiable

q Accurate and numerical

Project Methods

The logic model is a flowchart of the organizational features of the project. Explaining what will be achieved falls under outputs. Appendages offer the grantor instant access to facts when explanation is warranted; ideas, sequences, and conclusions. Whenever possible, appendices should be utilized to provide:

           

q Details, supplementing data, references, timetables, and workplans

q Schedules, activities, methodologies

q Legal papers and letters of support

Making a call or emailing a foundation program director might lead to unexpected information or alert an organization that this foundation is not a good match. Or the organization might discover that the foundation’s interests are worth considering for future projects or proposals.

Project Evaluation

An evaluation serves a two-fold purpose: 1) product evaluation and 2) process evaluation. Product evaluation tackles outcomes that are credited to the project. Process evaluation tackles how the project was directed. Evaluations may be done by in-house staff or outside firms. Evaluations are time specific and can start at the beginning, middle, or end.

However, it is advantageous to begin an evaluation at the early stages of a project for two reasons: 1) the collection of data is required before and during program operations and the evaluation design may have to be modified or revised as the project progresses. Evaluations necessitate organization and arrangement among program policy makers.

Securing Future Funds

An important phase is to define a plan for continuance beyond the grant period, and the accessibility of other capitals necessary to implement the grant. If building activity is needed, then it is required to include preservation and forthcoming program funding. If the program includes the acquisition of equipment, accounting for desired expenses becomes a requirement in the grant proposal.

Budget Narrative

This section includes all budgeted numbers, transactions, and balances for the project. The budget narrative shows precisely which items will be covered by matching funds. An organization should not rely on one foundation to support its project. An accurate budget validates all expenditures and is aligned with the proposal narrative. Some areas to include in the budget justification or budget narrative are:

q Staff salaries

q New staff to be hired

q Equipment purchases

q Additional rental space

q Indirect cost rate

q Matching funds

Conclusion

The conclusion of the proposal should reiterate the opportunity and highlight the strengths of the proposal. The organization can summarize its mission objective and remind the grantor why the organization is able to be successful in fulfilling the plans it has for its program or project. As in any closing presentation, asking for a specific response or action is welcomed. Always ending with a thank you and closing salutation and signature.