What program will I use to build my matrix? What might be our specific criteria? Check those that apply to your organization and add new ideas!

Transcription

1 What program will I use to build my matrix? What might be our specific criteria? Check those that apply to your organization and add new ideas! Subjective criteria: Relationship with grant maker Compliments grant maker s objectives Compliments my organization s mission Likelihood of award / how competitive are we Competition for award Do we have enough time to write the proposal What other subjective criteria do I want to consider? Objective criteria: Meet eligibility requirements My organization serves the target community My organization serves the target population Do we have or can we obtain expertise in the subject area Do we have the fiscal expertise to manage an award of this size If matching funds are required, can we make the match Will the award cover our administrative/ indirect costs Is this enough money to do what needs to be done Are required collaborations in place Can we secure the required agreements, letters of support, etc Can we meet the evaluation requirements 1

2 Do we have support of the board/staff to make application What other objective criteria do I wish to consider? Designing the key Your key may look something like this: Key 0 = neutral 1-5 = positive Minus 1-5 = negative Apply = score of Do not apply = score of or lower Ideas on how to develop our key for the matrix: How can I further develop the Grant Decision Matrix? Who might help with this project? How do I determine my Green Light/Red Light scores? 2

3 Develop a Project Description Worksheet for each project Project/Program Name Who is the lead contact person? What is the proposed project? What needs/problem will be addressed via this project/program? Is there any relationship between this project and any past projects? Project budget (an estimate is fine) $ Can you break this number down into specific categories such as personnel, equipment, travel, etc.? 3

4 Sample Project Description Worksheet Project: Food Bank: Capacity Building Lead: Mary Jane Hoffman, Executive Director & FR Committee Chair What is the proposed project? Every day the volunteers pack and deliver between food boxes. Each "box" contains at least 20 pounds of food per person and is enough food for three days. Last year the Food Bank served over 27,000 clients and distributed 1,392,000 pounds of food with the help of 16,700 volunteer hours. Collection of this donated food was streamlined in 2011 when the State Department of Transportation donated two used delivery vans. The regular delivery of food and household items is crucial to a well-functioning food bank, but as important is making those items easily available to those in need. The facility upgrade project will allow the Food Bank to add delivery ramps, storage space (walk-in cooler and freezers), shelving, and a computer system to track donated items. This space, will in turn, allow staff to streamline the delivery and sorting of critical food items in case of emergencies (natural or man-made disasters). New processes and procedures will be adopted to facilitate the growth of the Food Bank, as well as staff training to learn new systems. To complement the new facility, provide a new level of community engagement, and address our mission of providing individuals with the necessary skills and tools to alleviate hunger, the Food Bank will be adding a community garden. The garden will provide a leverage point to help teach good nutrition and educate the low-income residents on growing their own food. The garden will provide a playground for families with children. What needs /problem will be addressed via this project/program? The problem isn t finding the groceries to package and give away, nor a method for picking up the donated items, but rather the facility used by the Food Bank volunteers for sorting, storing, and distribution of the food. Currently, the space being used has no delivery platform, inadequate storage space, and the area for sorting items is 12 X 16 with limited counter space. In addition, the process and procedures used are cumbersome and add a level of inefficiency that makes retaining volunteers difficult. Not only the work space and the processes need to be addressed but also the lack of leadership in the volunteer program. A full time Volunteer Coordinator that could work with volunteers on a consistent basis would Breaking the cycle of poverty As critical as the day to day delivery of groceries and household items, is the need to teach those we serve how to prepare, plant, and grow a garden so they can become at least in part, a piece of the solution. There is over an acre of tillable land available on the side of the Food Bank where a community garden can be developed. Right next to the garden we will build a playground so families with children can... Is there a relationship between this project and any past projects? The donation of the two used delivery vans in 2011 provided a glimpse of how the Food Bank could streamline systems. The vans allowed the Food Bank to expand the collection of food, adding 14 regular donors to the program in the first three months of their use. The new procedures for picking up donated items, especially those that need immediate... 4

5 Developing the key words for my research What is the geographic focus of this project? What areas of interest are we covering with this project? Is there as target population? What type of support do we need? What information can I add to this project description to make it easier to locate the right grant maker? 5

6 Who should I contact to discuss potential funding or who can make the contact for me at: Local government **are there specific departments or funds you should research? County/borough government **are there specific departments or funds you should research? Federal government **are there specific departments or funds you should research? What research tools can I use for federal research? Grants.gov (no cost/ time consuming) GrantStation (requires Membership/quick, easy) Other source(s) Who is on our vendor list that might be able to support our project? 1. (bank) 2. (insurance) 3. (utility company)

7 Other businesses and organizations we work or collaborate with that might be able to support this project (either in kind contribution or cash)? Do we have natural partners that I should discuss this project with who might be able to bring other funders to the table? What research tools can I use for private funding research (corporations, foundations, associations with grantmaking programs, religious grantmakers, etc.)? Google or other search engines (no cost/ time consuming) GrantStation (requires Membership/quick, easy/ covers foundations, corporations, religious grantmakers, and associations) Library (on line database access / no cost / time consuming) Other online research tools Additional thoughts and ideas: 7

8 Points I d like to always make in my first conversation with a potential grant maker. Strategy is a plan of action. Effective strategy relies on in-depth research and an understanding of the grantmaker s intentions. Strategies evolve and change over time. With the right strategic grants approach in place, your tasks gain more clarity allowing for sound decisionmaking. Project (consider project timelines, seasons, need, etc.) Are there natural partners for funding this project? What are my ideas / thoughts for developing a strategy for funding this project? 8

9 Which projects will I weave into my grants calendar? Project Money Date needed Will I include general operating as one of the threads in my overall approach? Yes, for this operating period (dates) No Need to discuss with board / staff / others if grants should play a role in general operating What is my projected start date and end dates for my Grants Calendar? Start End What are my thoughts/ ideas for developing my organization s Grants Calendar? 9