THE GRANT ACADEMY MODULE 1- TEN THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU WRITE A GRANT

Transcription

1 THE GRANT ACADEMY MODULE 1- TEN THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU WRITE A GRANT

2 WELCOME Facilitator: Amy Holcombe Time: 4:00-7:00 Facilities: Restroom, Beverages, Snacks Resources: Handouts, Websites, Books Credit: Sign-in Sheets, Certificates of Completion Follow-up: What happens after the session is complete?

3 INTRODUCTIONS Name Organization Your Mt. Everest

4 THE GRANT ACADEMY MODULES 1. Ten Things to Know Before You Write a Grant 2. Finding the Right Funding for Your Project 3. Understanding the Request for Proposals 4. Identifying the Real Problem 5. Defining Measurable Outcomes 6. Crafting Your Methodology 7. Building and Sustaining Your Budget 8. Evaluating Your Impact Grant Academy modules can be completed in sequence or taken independently to strengthen skills.

5 #1 NOT ALL GRANTS ARE THE SAME Grant Types Donor Advised Competitive Formula Not Really a Grant Online/Virtual Fundraising

6 #2 GRANTS COME FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES Individuals (including Bequests) Foundations Corporate Giving Programs Government

7 #3 YOU MUST QUALIFY - Is the grant open to anyone? - If not, are you a qualifying restricted sub-group? - What percentage of your board members give to your organization? - Is your organization carrying outstanding debt? - Are you in the service area of the grantor? - Are you asking for operational costs? - Are you a legal non-profit? - Do you have a clear and compelling mission? - Do you have strong leadership? - Do you have a strong organizational and financial infrastructure?

8 #4 GRANT WRITING IS HARD WORK What people think grant writing is like What grant writing is ACTUALLY like

9 #4 GRANT WRITING IS HARD WORK Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Paperwork Burden Statement According to the Paperwork reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 240 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data resources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this application, please contact Theda Zawaiza, Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education program, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3E310, Washington D.C directly.

10 #4 GRANT WRITING IS HARD WORK But, winning a grant is even harder! Hire your team Implement your project activities Manage your budget Track and account for all activities Measure your impact and provide evaluation reports Market your results Continue promoting to ensure sustainability

11 GIVE ME A BREAK!

12 CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING 1. Name the three grant types. 2. Name the four most common sources of grants. 3. Give an example of a something that may disqualify you from applying for a grant. 4. Describe one of the major functions that will need to be performed upon winning a grant.

13 #5 THE GRANT WORLD IS FULL OF FUN TERMS NIA RFP GEPA GPRA DUNS WXY and Z!

14 GRANT TERMINOLOGY- THE ANSWERS!

15 GRANT TERMINOLOGY- THE ANSWERS!

16 GRANT TERMINOLOGY- THE ANSWERS!

17 #6 ALIGNMENT IS KEY GRANTOR - Has a dollar amount in mind - Knows what type of project they are looking to fund - Operates within certain parameters, often governed by a board or regulations - Has a pre-determined rubric or rating scale that will be used to judge the quality and alignment of applications GRANTEE - Should not apply for more than what is offered/advertised - Should only submit a project that fits the grantor s vision - Should recognize the limits and parameters that will come with the funds - Should develop the application using the rubric or rating scale as a guide

18 #7 PARTNERSHIPS ARE POWERFUL More stable Distributes the risk Greater scope of impact Multiple service providers Multiple funders

19 CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING 1. What does NIA stand for? 2. To which part of the grant application should you align your narrative? 3. When is it okay to apply for an amount of funding that exceeds the grantor s offered gift? 4. What is one of the reasons a partnership might be attractive to a grantor?

20 #8 WHEN THEY SAY TO DOUBLE SPACE

21 FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS!

22 #9 WHEN IT REALLY IS ME AND NOT YOU! It s YOU Not meeting the technical requirements outlined in the RFP Not providing clarity around the problem and/or solution Not attempting to win all competitive preference priority points Not aligning your ask to the funder s motivations It s ME Geographic preferences Politics Looking for a variety of projects Distribution of projects across multiple absolute priorities Not qualifying for a competitive preference priority (you can t help it if you do not live in a rural area!) Your idea is good just not for this grant/funder or at this time

23 #10 TURN A LOSS INTO A WIN - Read the reviewers comments and make the suggested improvements - Archive the application for use in the next or similar competition - Research the winning applications to see what they did differently - Consider adding partners who could strengthen your program or cause

24 CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING 1. What does the federal government mean when they strongly suggest something in a Notice Inviting Applications? 2. Name one no fault reason why you may not win a grant. 3. What is one strategy for turning a loss into a win? 4. What is the next Grant Academy Module you want to attend?

25 THE GRANT ACADEMY MODULES 1. Ten Things to Know Before You Write a Grant 2. Finding the Right Funding for Your Project 3. Understanding the Request for Proposals 4. Identifying the Real Problem 5. Defining Measurable Outcomes 6. Crafting Your Methodology 7. Building and Sustaining Your Budget 8. Evaluating Your Impact Grant Academy modules can be completed in sequence or taken independently to strengthen skills.

26 NEXT STEPS CEU Credits Registering for future modules Other