Workshop Description

Transcription

1 Workshop Description This three-day workshop is geared for those who wish to understand how to match their proposals to the guidelines of donor agencies and begin writing grants that will result in procuring funding for their projects. Equally, it is a refresher course for experienced grant writers who wish to augment their skills on the latest approaches now needed for successful grant research and writing. Participants will understand how to navigate the world of grant procurement, focus on the key sections of successful proposals and demonstrate that their projects merit the excellence and innovation that bring them to the top of other submissions. They will also understand the diversity of the funding community and how to respond to various guidelines. The sessions will cover the overall strategic plan of grant-writing, including, but not limited to, a needs statement, mission, goals, objectives, activities, evaluation, key personnel and budgets. All sessions engage the attendees in interactive exercises, writing, lectures and discussions so that all participants will leave the class understanding how to research, write and develop their specific project. Workshop participants will learn how to: Navigate the world of grant procurement Focus on the key sections of successful proposal development Draft proposals that demonstrate excellence and innovation Write winning grants that can stand-out against scores of competing submissions.

2 Preparing for the workshop Begin Thinking of a Project You Wish to Develop The Professional Grant Development Workshop will consist of lectures, writing exercises, group activities and most importantly developing your own specific interests and grant outline. Thus, you may wish to begin thinking of a project you wish to develop during each of the grant components that will be presented. Also, you might begin thinking of donors who could fund your project, e.g. a foundation, local, state agency, federal agency, corporation and/or individuals. If you have worked on a grant that was not funded, you should bring it to class and possibly make that the case study for your project. Equally, please bring proposals that have been funded. Overall, the idea is that you have a vision of a project/s for which you wish to receive funding. Questions to consider Should you decide on a proposal that you will develop during the workshop, please think of how you might answer the following questions: 1) Why do I need the money? 2) Why is my idea worthy of funding? 3) How much money will I need? 4) What is the time period of my grant? Should you not wish to develop a grant outline, the information and one-on-one training you will receive will be an invaluable experience in your overall understanding of how to research, write and procure winning proposals. The Grant Training Center faculty will professionally and methodically guide participants toward the completion of their objectives, be it developing an individual outline, revising and improving a previous proposal, researching funding agencies, and learning how to tell the story in a clear, persuasive, and logical sequence.

3 What to Bring Following is a list of what you might need during the workshop: Computer: It would be helpful if you brought a computer to class for note taking, writing, outlining your proposal, and since you will be supplied with wireless access, researching funding agencies. Information of organization/institution: Descriptions of your organization/institution are an important part of most proposals. Thus, please bring with you any information that you think will be helpful in developing this area of the proposal, including: 1) a brief organizational/institutional description and mission statement of your institution, department, area, etc. 2) previous grant requests and successes, 3) strategic plan of your institution, if one exists and 4) other materials that you believe will be helpful in defining the needs or your organization/institution. Grants/proposals (if you have them): We highly recommend that you bring current or past proposals for which you or your institution have applied or will be submitting. In addition, please bring: 1) the Request for Proposal/Application, 2) the review criteria, 3) the reviewers comments and 4) information on the donors and their priorities. The workshop will be an opportune time to receive assistance, review and expand these grants or ideas that are in the development stages. Writing Materials: Bring any writing materials that will assist you in writing, taking notes and developing your project. If you are using a computer, you may wish to bring a memory stick and an extension cord for your computer.

4 Faculty Dr. Mathilda (Tillie) Harris holds a doctorate from George Washington University (Washington, D.C.), a Master of Arts degree from the University of Portland (Portland, Oregon) and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California (Berkeley, California). During the past eighteen years she has written grants, conducted capital campaigns, developed strategic plans on grant procurement and assisted individuals and institutions nationally and internationally to successfully write and receive funding from federal, corporate, private, foundation and multi-lateral donors. Some examples include: (1) the Florida Solar Energy Center to develop training grants, (2) the Organization of American States to develop distance learning in Central America, (3) colleges/schools of health and engineering throughout the nation for various projects ranging from waste management to developing modular units for disaster relief and (4) non-profit organizations ranging from the Goodwill to various non-governmental organizations (NGOs). She has conducted national and international workshops on grant planning, writing, development and procurement at such universities as Ohio State University, Duke University, University of North Carolina, Carnegie Mellon University, University of London, the University of New South Wales (Australia), the University of Ottawa and various other Canadian, European, South American and Asian universities and non-profit organizations. She has served as a reader and evaluator of grant competitions for the U.S. Department of Education, the Fund for the Improvement of Post- Secondary Education, The National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of State s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. In addition, she has been a member of several national committees to review grant guidelines and propose changes to Request for Proposals such as the Organization of American States, the U.S. Department of State s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the U.S. Department of Education (all in Washington, D.C.).

5 Agenda Day 2 Day 1 TIME CONTENT 8:30-9:00 Registration 9:00-9:30 Welcome, introduction, and overview of materials and class agenda during the next three days. 9:30-10:15 The writing process and formulating a question that leads to a successful proposal followed by group and writing exercise 10:15- Break 10:30 10:30- Finding the right source of funding 11:30 11:30- Group discussion: Who might fund my project and why? 12:00 12:00-1:00 Lunch 1:00-1:15 Review of materials presented, discussion and questions and answers 1:15-2:15 Organization/Mission/Background to be followed by writing exercise 2:15-3:30 Statement of Need/Significance to be followed by group and writing exercise 3:30-3:45 Break 3:45-4:30 Basic Proposal Elements: Goal/s to be followed by writing exercise TIME CONTENT 8:30:8:45 Overview of today s activities 8:45:10:00 Review of completed assignments, group exercises, and discussion 10:00 Break 10:15 10:15- Basic Proposal Elements: objectives/aims to be followed by writing exercise 11:15 11:15- Basic Proposal Elements: activities/plan of Operation/Methodology to be followed by 12:15 writing exercise 12:15-1:15 Lunch 1:15-2:15 Creating a realistic timeline encompassing each phase of the proposal to be followed by writing exercise 2:15-3:00 Evaluation: how the project will be measured and the results related to the donor, to be followed by writing & group exercise 3:00-3:15 Break 3:15-4:00 Quality of key personnel, bios, data, graphs and resources 4:00-4:30 Group exercise: evaluating proposals from the reviewer s perspective

6 Agenda cont Day 3 TIME CONTENT 8:30-10:00 Summary of previous day s discussion & review of abstracts and outlines 10:00- Break 10:15 10:15- Creating a budget: foundation, federal and research budgets 11:15 11:15- Writing and group exercise 12:15 12:15-1:15 Lunch 1:15-2:00 Supporting documentation & presentation of the grant, to be followed by group and writing exercise 2:00-3:00 Post-submission activities 3:00-3:30 Group activity 3:30-3:45 Break 3:45-4:15 Continuation of group activity 4:15-4:30 Presentation of certificates & adjournment.