Six Easy Steps to Winning Federal Grants: Grant Writing Boot Camp

Transcription

1 Six Easy Steps to Winning Federal Grants: Grant Writing Boot Camp Heidi Arthur, Vice President, SAE and Associates Carole Boye, President and CEO, Community Alliance

2 SAE Who We Are > Behavioral health program specialists Populations with Serious Mental Illness and Co-Occurring Disorders Youth with SED, Juvenile Justice, Child Welfare Criminal Justice Older Adults HIV/AIDS Veteran s Services > Over $135 million in Grant Awards since 2007 SAMHSA, VA, ACF, DOL, DOJ, CDC, HRSA, etc 2

3 Community Alliance Who We Are > Largest Psychiatric Rehabilitation Agency in Nebraska > Located in Omaha > Serves adults with Serious Mental Illness > Programs: ACT, community support, homeless outreach, housing, etc. > Recent SAMHSA Primary and Behavioral Health Care Integration grant awardee 3

4 SAE Behavioral Health Consulting Services > Program Development and Grant Writing > Strengthening Organizational Operations Expert analysis of organizational operations to maximize efficiency, correct challenges, and improve desired outcomes > Developing External Partnerships Assist clients in developing partnerships with organizations and agencies that will expand their visibility and reach 4

5 Webinar Overview I. Urgent Strategies for Immediate Grant Writing Projects II. Advance Planning Strategies for Future Grant Writing Improvement 5

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7 GRANT WRITING STRATEGIES FOR IMMEDIATE PROJECTS 7

8 Six Strategies for Immediate Grant Projects > 1. Follow the rfp > 2. Use a project work plan > 3. Describe real needs in your community > 4. Review the logic of your plan > 5. Emphasize your greatest strength(s) in every section > 6. Don t go it alone 8

9 Follow the RFP > Plan thoroughly before you write > Write for your reviewer > Avoid extraneous detail > Break out the proposal questions and answer every item use headers for clarity 9

10 EXAMPLE: Describe the Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) that will be used and justify its use for your population of focus, your proposed program, and the intent of this RFA. Describe how the proposed practice will address the following issues in the population(s) of focus, while retaining fidelity to the chosen practice: demographics (race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, geography, and socioeconomic status; language and literacy; sexual identity (sexual orientation and gender identity); and disability 10

11 Use a Project Work Plan Program Planning Content Draft Review Draft 1 Review Draft 2 Audit/Score Review Final Draft Submission Planned Planning Worksheet Complete Draft Due Peer Review Complete Draft Due Peer Review Complete Draft Due Peer Review Complete Review Complete Draft Due Admin Review Complete 11

12 Describe local needs > Compare local need to available national data > Describe your local target population s unique needs, reinforced with literature about the target population and broader data > Identify subgroups cultural competence > Use surveys, focus groups, and key advisors to clarify needs 12

13 Review the Logic of Your Plan > Avoid discussing needs your project won t be addressing > Align the approach with the real needs of the population > Walk your reviewer through the case for the project make the plan come to life 13

14 Emphasize your greatest strengths in every section > Needs section ---reinforce your assets even as you describe the gap you propose to fill > Approach section--describe your system of care and it s strengths > Organizational Capacity section-- seals the deal > Evaluation reiterate organizational infrastructure strengths 14

15 Don t go it alone > Use a writing team > Assign reviewers outside of team > Organize the effort --in writing > Consider all support options interns, line staff, administrators, consumers > Leverage your partnerships 15

16 ADVANCE PLANNING STRATEGIES FOR GRANT WRITING READINESS 16

17 Six Strategies for Grant Writing Readiness 1. Establish a grant writing committee 2. Determine your funding priorities and strategies 3. Identify the right grant programs 4. Document the needs in your community/agency 5. Build your organizational capacity 6. Identify strong partners 17

18 ESTABLISHING A GRANT WRITING COMMITTEE 18

19 Interdepartmental Grant Writing Committee >Executive Director >Development Director >Clinical Advisors >Director of Quality Assurance >Consumer Representative 19

20 Typical Application Team > A leader/convener > Development Department Representative > Clinical advisor(s) staff and consumer > An Evaluator > Finance > Administrator > Decider 20

21 Determine Funding Priorities and Strategies 21

22 Grow Strategically rather than Chasing the money > Respond to local needs > Build to promote strategic advantage > Enhance to meet evolving expectations 22

23 Identifying The Right Grant Opportunities For Your Agency 23

24 Anticipating funding notices > HHS Funding Forecasthttp:// cast/ > > National Council Technical Service Updatehttp:// ember_benefits > SAE website 24

25 Tracking > Grant Committee monitors notices > Prepare summaries for committee review > Track notices of interest for annual review 25

26 Reviewing opportunities >Eligibility >Feasibility >Likely competition / odds of winning >Strategic goals, congruence with needs 26

27 DOCUMENT THE NEEDS 27

28 Prepare needs material > Use interns, junior staff > Agency Data supports planned services > Local needs can be documented in advance > Target populations are identified > Data sources are identified 28

29 Focus Groups and Surveys Great role for interns Can be part of group and individual practice Opportunity for peer leadership Can be ad hoc or formal Include staff, consumers, stakeholders 29

30 Consider Clinical models and Approaches Based on Needs > Clinical input regarding population needs informs priorities > Evidence based models appropriate for the target population identified 30

31 BUILD YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY 31

32 Experience Analyze your organizational boilerplate to highlight your fit with your funding goals--avoid unsupported platitudes Elicit organizational details to highlight links to the community and to targeted populations Highlight connections to grassroots providers and to local community providers--be creative and specific Gather bios and resumes from staff and partners with stellar backgrounds--get specific, include trainers 32

33 Make Your Proposals Stand Out > Determine what your strengths are and what makes your approach unique > Promote your assets > Minimize your challenges 33

34 Know Your Challenges > Wealthy local area > Lack of service array for targeted population > Limited capacity to meet linguistic and cultural needs of the targeted population > Small numbers > Limited data > Lack of prior outcomes > Strong competitors 34

35 Highlight your Strengths > Overwhelming local needs > Critically underserved population > Amazing array of comprehensive services in house and/or via strong partnerships > Integrated care capacity > Consumer engagement or consumer driven services > Person-centered, culturally competent approach > Evidence-based services > Strong IT capacity and data regarding prior outcomes 35

36 Consider Sustainability Plans Look toward new/future reimbursement options to leverage expected, new, and/or existing Medicaid coverage (e.g. coverage for care coordination, billable medical services) Partner with health home networks, managed care, hospital systems, etc. Incorporate evaluation elements that will support your goals 36

37 Planning for Evaluation Choose an evaluator with SAMHSA expertise, when possible: should have expertise with programs serving those with SMI CANNOT be involved in the plan development or proposal writing 37

38 Strategies that pay off : Assess clinical options for evidence-based interventions Hire staff whose cultural/linguistic expertise matches the needs of your target populations Build strong consumer participation into your service delivery Incorporate cost tracking into your CQI process 38

39 CHOOSE YOUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS 39

40 Partnering Considerations > Comprehensive service array > Address agency gaps strategically > Connect with designated health homes and/or primary care > consumer/peer/family driven organizations > Recovery supports > Cultural brokers > Grassroots linkages 40

41 Federal Grant Readiness Checklist 41

42 Readiness Checklist > Grant writing committee convened > Annual grant priorities clarified > Targeted populations identified > Evidence-based models identified > Partners connected > Intra-agency improvements made: Consumer involvement, cultural competence, CQI, etc... > Grants identified and monitored 42

43 Contact Information Heidi Arthur, L.M.S.W. Vice President SAE & Associates 280 Madison Avenue Suite 1208 New York, NY Phone: Fax: Carole Boye, MPA President & CEO Community Alliance 4001 Leavenworth Street Omaha, Nebraska Phone: Fax: w.saeandassociates.com 43